Page 11 - Work Force October 2019

camera law
“I’ve been driving a bus for 25 years and I’ve seen it all. The cameras will help get pictures of the cars and that will help take some of the pressure off the drivers. Before, we had to try to get the plates and then report the incident to the police but often, if the driver could be found, they would only get a warning.
Now, we will have less of the onus on us and the police will be able to act. Just this morning, a tractor trailer and a car ran a red on a bus driven by one
of my co-workers and the state police pulled them bothoverforaticket.”Thisisapositivestepthatwill make it safer for kids.
— Gwen Frament, bus driver, Shenendehowa Central School District
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— Colleen Clifford, bus driver, Clarence Central School District and 1st vice president of our Erie County Educational Local
“We really need to stress the importance of bus safety to kids and adults. We’ve [bus drivers] had incidents with kids riding their bikes around the school yard, taunting the bus drivers. I’m hoping this new legislation will help protect the children, and
the bus drivers, by increasin”g the likelihood of accountability.
— Vito Rebecca, bus driver, Deer Park Union Free School District
“We are happy [the bus camera law has been passed]. The safety of the children comes first. We have so many near misses because people are in a hurry — they just want to save that 30 seconds. Many drivers seem to think that when we have our yellows on, you can speed up and pass us instead of preparing for the bus to stop.
I was stopped at a railroad crossing one day, which we’re required to do, and someone behind me got mad and cut around me to pass. That could have caused an accident. There are a lot of dangerous things that happen becau”se drivers are either impatient or don’t know the law.
— Yvette Gerard, bus driver, Pawling Central School District Unit
r, Pawling School District
“Every time a vehicle illegally passes a school bus, I get very angry. For
the health and safety of everyone, it just makes common sense to enforce consequences for drivers who willfully
at risk.
“For years, I have witnessed a general lack of concern by drivers when they approach a stopped school bus. Anything we can do to minimize the safety risk for students and school bus e”mployees is a step in the right direction.
— Patty Reitz, bus driver, Clarence Central School District
put our”
children and school personnel
October 2019
The Work Force