Parents launch bus-safety initiative; ask district to post education material and consider camera enforcement
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Summary
A West Windsor parent described a community-led bus-safety initiative documenting stop-arm violations and asked the district to post an educational flyer and collaborate on enforcement options including camera-based solutions if legislation permits.
During the public-comment period, Ashley Rechtenwald of West Windsor described the West Windsor-Plainsboro Scribe Bus Safety Initiative, a parent-led effort to document illegal passing of stopped school buses at student pickup and drop-off. Rechtenwald said nearly 100 parents have participated and reported daily stop-arm violations at multiple routes and stops.
She said the initiative has generated local momentum: the mayor and police introduced an "adopt a bus" concept to increase enforcement, and the group is working with local partners including the West Windsor Bicycle & Pedestrian Alliance, the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers, and the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition. Rechtenwald described conversations with state legislators (including State Senator Shirley Turner, per the speaker) and cited another district(superintendent of Woodbridge) that had implemented BusPatrol, a bus camera enforcement program that documented thousands of violations and included privacy protections.
Rechtenwald asked the board to collaborate on education materials to be posted at schools and in newsletters and to work with district staff on longer-term policy and enforcement options. She said the group is prepared to share a flyer and to continue coordination with police and township officials.