The following was submitted by a Lakewood school bus driver: “Please help the school bus drivers in Lakewood have safe pick up and drop off times. I have a stop both on County Line Road and Hope Chapel Road at 7:30 a.m.
It is unacceptable that everyday someone runs the school bus red lights. I am glad my students do not have to cross, but for some reason drivers in Lakewood do not seem to realize when they need to stop.”
The bus driver also submitted the attached flyer which demonstrates the requirements of drivers.
Hi, as a parent I am horrified as a member of klal yisroel I’m embarrassed, as an emt I’m just wondering when will the next call be c”v.
If I worked in the police department or the bussing company I would do whatever it takes to have undercover cops follow random school buses. Or to have HD cameras attached to outside of bus, that should either record always or only when red lights are flashing
It is unacceptable that every time you approach a school bus they have no consideration to allow you to pass, but rather open the doors to their boss while they are still moving!
just as the school bus drivers don’t want ordinary vehicles passing their stop sign. So to bus drivers must also respect regular stop siigns on the street and not pass them violently and drive like maniacs. it is unacceptable but everyday I witness bus drivers driving carelessly on the roads of our town. I also ask that bus drivers should not put on there flashing red lights and stop sign when cars are going 30 or 40 miles per hour aCareless Leon the Rose of our town. I also asked that bus drivers should not put on there flashing red lights and stop sign when cars are going 30 or 40 miles per hour and about to pass causing the car to shortstop. How about wait an extra second and then turn on the flashing lights and stop sign.
I have seen people pass busses many times. The cars that pass always have ample time to stop they just don’t feel like it! The busses can’t be extra nice and let people pass first or the kids would never get to school. I’m sorry car driver if you’ve had to stop for a bus but for your child’s safety you should be happy they have this law. I know that each time I stop for a bus I am.
its unacceptable that school bus drivers don’t block the intersection and kids cross as cars are driving by. I see it every day! And when the mothers ask the drivers to pull up a drop and block the intersection they say no.
As we say in English – “lead by example”!
The Lakewood bus drivers are terrible on the road. I observe many more violations by buses than to buses.
I agree with the bus driver because I am with my kids on county line too and u want Lakewood police and Jackson police to give these driver ticket. It so dangerous and it could kill a child. These driver rush through a yellow light which supposed to slow down and respect the law. I urge Lakewood police and Jackson police to be out there in the morning.
I see driver passing red flashing light alots every morning. This bother me too.
Its unacceptable that school busses stop on 2 lane roads where cars cannot see the bus. its unacceptable busses drive down blocks with their yellow lights on the whole time( there should be a five second max/min just like a traffic signal) Its unacceptable that busses block traffic while waiting for kids to come out of their houses Its unacceptable that drivers talk to parents while there is a whole line of cars waiting to go. and the list goes on…..
It’s unacceptable to always see the children standing instead of sitting like they are supposed too while riding the school bus
And why should they let you pass? The kids take priority.
With over 1000 Routes a day there is no way for a police officer to be around every bus route all the time. It would be optimum to have a camera or 2 on the bus one from the behind and one from the front and catching plates would be preferred. However the overall cost will add to concerns of the parents and staff. But where would you put such cameras that will not be in the way when the bus is transitting our town. That is the thought..lets think about this ..a bit and I will get back to you
to car driver: do you not know that the red lights on a bus come out before the bus stops. It is in the drivers handbook what you are supposed to do when approching a school bus. These buses are carry our children or does that not matter to you. All you care about is getting to where you are going. Leave a few minutes earlier and you wont be in such a rush.
How sad that everyone is quick to bash bus drivers when it’s YOUR kids on those buses. In Brooklyn the drivers will stop diagonally to block a two lane road, even if the student doesn’t cross. Nothing should be a priority over our children’s safety…not work, minyan, nothing! And for the record, the most reckless bus drivers are those hired by yeshivos with private busing..yungerman driving our children with no regard for their safety!
If there’s a bus on hope chapel almost near the corner of county line and you’re making a left onto hope chapel rd it’s very hard to see the flashing red lights of a school bus when you’re making this turn. I personally had to short stop once since I was only able to see the red lights flashing after I turned. The car behind me nearly crashed into my car.
While i definitely agree that there is absolutely no excuse for passing a school bus ith the flashing red lights, i can honestly say that i see more traffic violations commited by the bus drivers than by people passing when they shouldn’t. I personally had a incident where i was almost killed by a bus driver and when i called that specific school to report the bus driver i got a vague reply that it will be taken care of. The very next day , i see that same driver driving through a stop sign without stopping. When a person passes a school bus with the flashing lights he endangers the life of ” only ” the child getting on or off. When a bus driver disregards basic traffuc laws he endangers the life if every single chikd on the bus as well as pedestrians and other vehicles.
Someting must be dont to enforce school bus safety…. before a tragedy happens
Whatever happened to that guy that was caught on camera passing on red a few months ago? Is his court case still pending? Did he skip it?
Its unacceptable how many busses break so many laws. I think the lakewood scoop should put up a sign that demonstrates how a stop sign is used. Also did you know that bus drivers dont have to follow the speed limits??
Dear bus drivers,
A stop sign means STOP. Do not slow down “just enough.” By law, a stop is when all tires on a vehicle are not moving.Stop and look both ways before proceeding. If you cannot see well enough to drive safely, roll forward slowly to expand your view.
Wait for your right of way and reassure safety for oncoming traffic, cyclists and pedestrians.
First of all, there are many cars driving way too fast in the town of Lakewood. Slow down people! Maybe then you wouldn’t be right on top of the bus as they’re trying to stop & you might even be able to see the bright, red flashing lights. I’ve seen people texting as driving, kids who belong in car seats jumping from front to back & pure chaos in many cars. Children are always first priority. Stop the car when you see the bus!
Geeeeeez you all are so quick to give driving lessons to bus drivers! How about EVERYONE in Lakewood follows the traffic laws? How about EVERYONE stops at stop signs. How about EVERYONE puts their kids in seat belts and makes them SIT in cars? I don’t live in Lakewood but I work there. I take my life in my hands everyday that I drive there. I see things I’ve never seen in other places in my 40 years of driving. I’m making a left turn on to County Line from Squankum…. A guy that was behind me makes a left turn too, passing me on my left as I’m going! With kids standing up in the back seat!!
I think some of you are missing the point, regardless of any violations that bus drivers may or may not be making, OUR CHILDREN’S SAFETY is what is being addressed in the article. The yellow lights are on to warn you that the bus will be stopping. If there is a bus stop on every corner, then the light should be on!
Of course no one should pass a bus with it’s flashing lights on. But many of the people commenting here are correct in the way some bus drivers conduct themselves. I have photos of buses blowing red lights on County Line Rd. I’ve watched buses going so fast on south lake dr that they are coming over the center line into oncoming traffic. Many of them do not stop at the railroad tracks on James street by the intersection with Williams street. I see all of this on an almost daily basis. So please put cameras in the buses because not only will it catch the people passing them, it will also make the bus drivers a little more attentive to MV laws.
It’s not just in Lakewood. I see cars going around the flashing lights in other towns as well. It’s really scary.
There is an issue being addressed here about drivers not stopping for red lights on school busses. You don’t address this issue by replying childishly that the bus drivers are bad drivers too. That is a separate issue and is irrelevant to the very serious issue that the bus driver brought up. Why is it so hard for so many people to JUST OBEY RULES AND LAWS? Why do so many of us feel we are ABOVE RULES AND LAWS? Who do you think you are that you can just pass a bus with the red light on? You may be Mr. or Ms. Important who has to get to someplace very important, but you are not more important than the children on those school busses.
The law is the law, no one should be aloud to break it. This is America.
The law?! That is your issue?! Safety is secondary?!
I have called bus companies and emailed the police department about bus drivers. I once saw a bus driver driving with the door open and two children leaning out of the door. When he saw me staring the driver (a senior citizen, not a yungerman) started yelling at me. I don’t know if any consequences were suffered as a result of my subsequent email, but I encourage everyone to keep the heat on the drivers with emails and a clear record of their complaints. That will force Durham, jays and central etc. to make safety a priority.
I want to make this clear. I am not at all validating or approving of the fact that drivers pass school busses. No matter what drivers should not pass busses. But I will say the following. Parents please work a little quicker and more efficent when putting your kids on busses. Often parents hold up the school busses for significant amounts of time. Either one or all of their kids are late so they hold up the bus till thier child shows up or they just shmuz with the driver. Please realize that you are making others wait while you kratz. This encourges people to break the law and rush to pass busses thereby endangering our children.
Once again two wrongs don’t make a right and one should still not pass busses when they are stopped.
If the children are not crossing, why does the whole County Line need to stop.