Readers’ Scoop: Buses Should Block Off The Road When Stopping

school busDear TLS, I want to ask your readers, township people or Board Of Education members a question which may have been discussed before, and which I really do not have an answer for. I recently moved here from out of town and noticed that school buses which pick up and drop off children do not block of the road, as is done in many other towns and just use their lights and stop sign. I believe the way it’s done in other towns is a lot safer and could help prevent tragedies. If anyone who is knowledgeable in this field is reading this, please answer me. Thank you.
Chava. L.

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12 COMMENTS

  1. I was told it takes to long for drivers to have to wait those extra seconds for me to turn back and not to do it. I guess you guys care more about convenience than your kids safety.

  2. As a school bus driver I will tell you that in the state of New Jersey it is not permitted for a school bus driver to “angle block” a roadway like you see done commonly in Brooklyn neighborhoods (I don’t believe its permitted there either). Have I done it though? On occasion I have when it is clear that motorists will not stop for my RED LIGHTS that they HAVE TO STOP FOR! I generally don’t do it though because my boss has told us not to and the board of education tells us not to as well, however ultimately if I fear for the students safety I will so they don’t get run over. If you want that to change then you’ll have to contact your state congressman because they are the only one with the power to change the laws regarding school buses and their procedures. Further, I think the township should work with local leadership to better educate driving age residents on the rules when approaching/following a school bus, like yielding to the amber lights and coming to complete stop for red lights and this includes at intersections. Just because the bus stopped at the corner of forest ave. and 4th st. on forest doesn’t mean the cross traffic sitting on 4th st. can cross over or turn. You never know which way or to what corner the student needs to reach so EVERYBODY needs to stop and wait. Maybe meetings could be set up in different neighborhoods around town to go over the rules regarding school buses since many people don’t know or are not clear. Or maybe TLS could meet will Bill Coyle the board of education’s transportation manager and do an article on what is expected of motorists approaching/following a school bus and what the public should expect of the bus drivers. He’s a very nice guy and I’m sure he would be happy to speak to TLS.

  3. The prob is the busses stop every 10 feet to give each kid a house stop, that is y ppl do not stop. Times that by50 skols and you have a lot of stops on every block. The mothers should meet there kids by the corners!

  4. Come on people, you all have Driver’s licenses. Everyone has taken the test. We all no what the laws are. STOP FOR THE BUS! It’s just a matter of caring for some one other than yourself. At this point if you need to have some one tell you what to do when a school bus stops, then you don’t need to be driving. Stay off the roads. Everyone would be safer and our insurance rates will go down.

  5. I have the best idea no child should be allowed to cross the street off of a bus no matter what make the bus double back and drop them off on the correct side of the street that will eliminate all the problems people won’t have to stop for a bus pulled to the side of the road ,safety for the children will be in chanced as they will not have to cross any streets and all the people that complain about having to wait behind buses as they make 3 stops for blocks will be able to pass safely on the left side of the bus

  6. In my NJ city, school district and private buses don’t block off the road; drivers just extend turn on the lights & extend signs so motorists know they have to stop. I’ve waited behind both types of school buses many times, and often watched buses stop to drop off/ pick up children. I’ve never seen anyone try to pass a bus with flashing lights/ stop sign extended. Isn’t that illegal? So why would it be necessary to block off the road?

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