Pennsylvania authorities documented 196 drivers illegally passing stopped school buses during a single day of enforcement in October, an increase from the previous year, according to results released by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
The violations were recorded during Operation Safe Stop, an annual statewide initiative involving law enforcement agencies and school districts. This year’s effort included 89 law enforcement agencies and 14 school districts.
The 196 reported violations represent an increase from 188 during the 2025 operation.
The results come as Pennsylvania prepares to implement stricter penalties for drivers who illegally pass school buses, including increased fines and a greater required stopping distance.
Statewide, 404 drivers were convicted of violating Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law in 2025, compared with 352 in 2024, according to PennDOT.
The agency did not provide a county-by-county breakdown of the latest enforcement results, leaving the number of violations recorded in Franklin County unclear.
Changes to Pennsylvania’s school bus law
Under current Pennsylvania law, drivers must stop at least 10 feet from a school bus when its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended.
The requirement applies to motorists approaching from either direction, including those traveling behind the bus or approaching it from an intersection.
An exception applies when opposing traffic is separated from the school bus by a physical divider, such as a concrete barrier or grassy median.
Act 89 of 2026, signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro, will increase the required stopping distance to 15 feet beginning in October 2027.
The legislation also increases fines for violations and establishes stronger penalties for repeat offenders.
Under the current law, a driver convicted of illegally passing a stopped school bus faces a $250 fine, five points on their driving record and a 60-day license suspension.
Violations captured through school bus stop-arm cameras carry a $300 fine.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said the latest enforcement results demonstrate the continued risk to students entering and exiting school buses.
“One incident of passing a stopped school bus is one too many, and we saw nearly 200 in just one day,” Carroll said.
Franklin County transportation provider receives funding
The state has also allocated funding to help school districts and transportation providers recruit and train additional bus drivers.
In July, PennDOT announced more than $1.1 million in grants for 26 schools and transportation providers across 19 Pennsylvania counties. The funding was intended to support training for more than 430 new school bus drivers.
In Franklin County, Friese Bus Transportation LLC received $5,587 through the state’s School Bus Safety Grant Program.
The funding is intended to offset driver training costs and support school transportation services.
The grant was part of the broader statewide investment announced earlier this year.
Survey identifies concerns among parents
A June 2026 survey by the Governors Highway Safety Association found that 46% of parents whose children ride school buses reported their children had experienced a close call near a school bus or in a school zone.
Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Zeina Black, supervisor of the Permits and Bus Safety Unit, said drivers need to remain alert around buses and school zones.
State officials recommend that students arrive at bus stops at least five minutes early, remain away from traffic while waiting and stand at least five large steps back from the curb.
Students should also avoid pushing while boarding or exiting a bus and should never chase a bus that has already departed.
Motorists must remain stopped until the bus’s red lights stop flashing, its stop arm is withdrawn and children have reached safety.
Additional information about school bus safety and Pennsylvania’s stopping requirements is available through https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmv/driver-services/school-bus-drivers/school-bus-safety.
