Nearly 3,500 drivers in Baltimore County cited for passing school buses

Cody Boteler

The Baltimore Banner

September 30, 2024

In the month since Baltimore County Public Schools buses installed cameras to catch drivers who don’t stop when they should, police have issued 3,468 warning citations.

The citations have been issued to drivers who don’t stop for a school bus when its red lights are flashing. The Baltimore County Police Department said 3,468 citations had been issued between the first day of school on Aug. 26 and Sept. 23.

There were 20 full days of school between that time period, according to the BCPS calendar. That works out to an average of about 173 citations issued per school day.

In August, Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said 387 cars illegally passed school buses in a single day during a study his department conducted.

About 80,000 students ride the bus in Baltimore County, and the system has nearly 1,000 buses. A spokesperson for the school system said in an email that installation of the cameras is still underway, and should be completed “over the next several weeks.”

Drivers are still receiving warning citations, said police spokesperson Joy Lepola-Stewart in an email Monday morning. Once the warning period is closed, drivers can expect to see $250 fines if they’re caught.

Lepola-Stewart said the period for switching from warnings to citations was pending, and dependent on the installation of cameras across all the buses.

Citations are reviewed, verified and approved by a member of the county police department before being mailed to the registered owner of a vehicle. There are no points on a license associated with the citation, according to the department.

Myriam Rogers, superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, said in August that the expenses from the cameras, GPS and other safety features should be “fully funded” from violation revenue.