Local News
The safety initiative was started in response to pilot programs showing alarming rates of drivers illegally passing.
Chicopee has launched a safety system to crack down on drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.
Working in partnership with BusPatrol, the city unveiled a fleet of security cameras to be installed on the exteriors of Chicopee school buses. Mayor John Vieau held a press conference Wednesday to announce the new program, which is the first of its kind in the state.
“The safety of our children should never be negotiable,” Vieau said in a city statement. “Chicopee is proud to lead the Commonwealth by taking decisive action to protect our students and make our roads safer.”
The safety cameras activate automatically when a school bus’ stop sign arm is extended and red lights are flashing, the Chicopee Police Department said in a statement. If a vehicle fails to stop, the system will capture photographic evidence of the vehicle, and a citation will be issued later.
“This technology strengthens enforcement efforts by holding violators accountable — even when a police officer is not present to witness the offense,” Chicopee police said. “By combining innovation with enforcement, Chicopee is reinforcing its commitment to student safety and sending a clear message: stopping for a school bus is not optional — it’s the law.”
Recent pilot programs have found that drivers have been disregarding school bus passing laws at alarming rates. One such program conducted by BusPatrol and Peabody Public Schools recorded more than 3,400 violations on 10 camera-equipped school buses between Sept. 5, 2023, and May 9, 2024.
“This equates to 2.3 illegal passes per bus per day — one of the highest rates recorded nationwide,” BusPatrol said. “This equates to more than 10,000 violations if extrapolated across the entire 30-bus fleet.”
In January 2025, Gov. Maura Healey signed a bill to legalize the use of these camera systems for the purpose of student safety. While the systems are “designed to avoid capturing images of vehicle occupants,” they do record license plate numbers and the date, time, and location of a violation.
Chicopee’s new program comes at no cost to the city, the school district, or taxpayers, according to the city’s statement.
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