ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Rockland Government officials are responding to recent criticism of the county’s School Bus Safety Program, following a recent editorial by the Rockland County Business Journal (RC Biz Journal), which questioned the program’s technological reliability and its underlying motives.
The editorial included a personal experience, describing spending hours preparing for the violation case before the citation was dismissed in Nyack Justice Court. The editor suggested that many drivers likely pay fines without contesting, either due to time constraints or lack of legal knowledge.
In response, Rockland County Executive Ed Day reaffirmed the county’s commitment to the safety initiative, stating that the program’s impact speaks for itself.
“When nine out of ten drivers never commit a second violation, that indicates our program is changing behavior and keeping children safe which is our top priority,” Day said. “Once drivers receive a violation from passing a stopped school bus, they don’t do it again. That’s how we know this program is making a real difference for families across Rockland County.”
The County emphasized the program’s results since its inception in 2023, citing a 23% year-over-year reduction in stop-arm violations from 2024 to 2025. In 2024, 24,986 citations were issued, compared to 19,563 in 2025. Additionally, only 96 citations were dismissed at or before a hearing in 2025, compared to 890 the prior year — a shift county officials attribute to better alignment with evidentiary standards and reduced court availability.
County Attorney Thomas Humbach addressed the editorial’s concerns over due process and faulty citations. “Every alleged violation captured through this program is carefully reviewed by the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office before a notice is ever issued,” he said. “The minimal number of second offenses and the year-over-year reduction in violations demonstrates that this is a fair, accurate, and legally sound program—one that holds dangerous drivers accountable while ensuring the integrity of the process.”
The editorial also questioned the financial model, pointing out that BusPatrol receives 55% of fine revenue, raising concerns about privatized profits from public enforcement. Rockland officials countered that the program is 100% violator-funded, requiring no taxpayer dollars. BusPatrol shouldered the full $7 million installation cost to equip 1,179 school buses with AI-powered stop-arm cameras, and covers all ongoing operational expenses.
Rockland’s School Bus Safety Program uses video evidence to cite drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses. The footage is reviewed first by BusPatrol safety staff, then by Rockland County Sheriff’s officers, before any citations are issued.
County officials directly addressed the editor’s individual citation, and reiterated the driver was in violation of the law and passed the stop arm 3 seconds after it was fully out. Officials went on to say the editor is more than welcome to share her video or images of her violation if she wants to stand by her false claim.
Executive Day concluded by saying, “This program is making our roads safer — and that is not up for debate.”