North Hempstead's BusPatrol program delayed over lack of districts' buy-in
The Town of North Hempstead has had to postpone a pilot program for BusPatrol several times over a lack of buy-in from area school districts. Credit: Kendall Rodriguez
The Town of North Hempstead has delayed several times its plans to launch a pilot program to fine drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.
Town officials said their plan to launch a 30-day warning period, before implementing the program across the town, has stalled over a lack of buy-in from area school districts.
North Hempstead would become the last Nassau County town to partner with BusPatrol America. The town executed an agreement with BusPatrol in 2022, and in July of this year, formalized an agreement to have Nassau County prosecute the violations. The company uses artificial intelligence and cameras affixed to buses to catch motorists who illegally pass stopped school buses.
The Port Washington school district and the Roslyn school district are the town’s lone partners so far, town officials said. The Great Neck school district said it will participate through its provider, WE Transport, a district spokeswoman said.
Town officials intended to launch a pilot program in September, but delayed it. The town then delayed an October launch, officials said. North Hempstead's tentative budget proposal for 2025 relies on $3.5 million in revenue from the BusPatrol program.
“We don’t know what the delay is," Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said in a statement. "We’ve been ready to move forward on this program for almost 2 years. We ironed out the legal concerns so now we’re just waiting for school districts to actually avail themselves of the opportunity to keep our kids safe."
The Port Washington school district voted to participate in the program in September, and on Oct. 1 the town authorized the agreement with the district. The Roslyn school district voted to opt in in October, and North Hempstead voted to approve the district's contract on Tuesday.
“We are happy to partner with the [Town of North Hempstead] to ensure the safety of our students as they ride the bus to and from school,” Port Washington superintendent Michael Hynes said in a statement.
Gary Lewi, a spokesman for BusPatrol, said in a statement: “There are half a dozen North Hempstead school districts where this student safety program is currently on the decision calendar for respective board consideration."
BusPatrol declined to say which districts are considering participation in the town's program.
The town did not provide a timetable for implementing the pilot program.
Mignardi declined to say if the town would implement the program if just several districts were enrolled. He said in a statement that the town delayed its pilot program, but "since districts haven’t opted in, they’re missing that opportunity to acclimate their constituents. Our effort is to bring this safety initiative to as many residents as possible. Given the lack of participation of some school districts, we haven’t settled on a suitable start date.”
When the warning period starts, offenders will receive a violation in the mail, but no ticket. After 30 days, offenders will receive a $250 ticket for a first offense. Fines will rise to $275 for a second offense and $300 for a third, according to state law.
The program can be a major revenue generator for town governments. The Town of Hempstead received $13 million from the program in 2023, its first full year in operation, Newsday has reported. The Town of Oyster Bay budgeted $1 million in bus camera revenue for next year. The City of Glen Cove budgeted $700,000 for 2025.
The Westbury school district put a resolution to participate in the program on its September planning meeting agenda. But the board has yet to adopt the measure.
The town will receive 55% of revenue generated while BusPatrol gets 45%, according to a July 2022 resolution authorizing DeSena to negotiate the contract with the vendor. A portion of the paid tickets will go directly to Nassau County, Mignardi said.
The lack of opt-in from school districts represents the latest delay in the program’s implementation. It did not go into effect after the July 2022 resolution because the town attorney’s office could not reach an agreement with the Nassau County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency, officials said.
But earlier this year, the new town attorney, Richard Nicolello, and deputy town attorney Robert Bogle believed they were close to an agreement. They recommended it go to the board for a vote.
On July 2, the board voted 6-0 to approve the agreement with Nassau County. DeSena, a Democrat who caucuses with Republicans, signed the contract six days later.
DeSena said part of the reason for the two-year delay was outstanding litigation involving BusPatrol that resulted in some alleged violators winning their cases. A state appellate court agreed with a plaintiff who argued that a video recording was not enough evidence to show he had passed a stopped school bus. The State Legislature clarified the law earlier this year.
DeSena also suggested that Democrats on the town board, who were in the majority until last year, wanted to deny her a political victory.
“I believe the hope was that after two years I would be gone,” she said in an interview. DeSena won reelection in 2023.
Democrats on the town board declined to comment.
With Ted Phillips and Joseph Ostapiuk
The Town of North Hempstead has delayed several times its plans to launch a pilot program to fine drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.
Town officials said their plan to launch a 30-day warning period, before implementing the program across the town, has stalled over a lack of buy-in from area school districts.
North Hempstead would become the last Nassau County town to partner with BusPatrol America. The town executed an agreement with BusPatrol in 2022, and in July of this year, formalized an agreement to have Nassau County prosecute the violations. The company uses artificial intelligence and cameras affixed to buses to catch motorists who illegally pass stopped school buses.
The Port Washington school district and the Roslyn school district are the town’s lone partners so far, town officials said. The Great Neck school district said it will participate through its provider, WE Transport, a district spokeswoman said.
Town officials intended to launch a pilot program in September, but delayed it. The town then delayed an October launch, officials said. North Hempstead's tentative budget proposal for 2025 relies on $3.5 million in revenue from the BusPatrol program.
“We don’t know what the delay is," Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said in a statement. "We’ve been ready to move forward on this program for almost 2 years. We ironed out the legal concerns so now we’re just waiting for school districts to actually avail themselves of the opportunity to keep our kids safe."
The Port Washington school district voted to participate in the program in September, and on Oct. 1 the town authorized the agreement with the district. The Roslyn school district voted to opt in in October, and North Hempstead voted to approve the district's contract on Tuesday.
“We are happy to partner with the [Town of North Hempstead] to ensure the safety of our students as they ride the bus to and from school,” Port Washington superintendent Michael Hynes said in a statement.
Gary Lewi, a spokesman for BusPatrol, said in a statement: “There are half a dozen North Hempstead school districts where this student safety program is currently on the decision calendar for respective board consideration."
BusPatrol declined to say which districts are considering participation in the town's program.
The town did not provide a timetable for implementing the pilot program.
Mignardi declined to say if the town would implement the program if just several districts were enrolled. He said in a statement that the town delayed its pilot program, but "since districts haven’t opted in, they’re missing that opportunity to acclimate their constituents. Our effort is to bring this safety initiative to as many residents as possible. Given the lack of participation of some school districts, we haven’t settled on a suitable start date.”
Big revenue generator
When the warning period starts, offenders will receive a violation in the mail, but no ticket. After 30 days, offenders will receive a $250 ticket for a first offense. Fines will rise to $275 for a second offense and $300 for a third, according to state law.
The program can be a major revenue generator for town governments. The Town of Hempstead received $13 million from the program in 2023, its first full year in operation, Newsday has reported. The Town of Oyster Bay budgeted $1 million in bus camera revenue for next year. The City of Glen Cove budgeted $700,000 for 2025.
The Westbury school district put a resolution to participate in the program on its September planning meeting agenda. But the board has yet to adopt the measure.
The town will receive 55% of revenue generated while BusPatrol gets 45%, according to a July 2022 resolution authorizing DeSena to negotiate the contract with the vendor. A portion of the paid tickets will go directly to Nassau County, Mignardi said.
The lack of opt-in from school districts represents the latest delay in the program’s implementation. It did not go into effect after the July 2022 resolution because the town attorney’s office could not reach an agreement with the Nassau County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency, officials said.
Political saga
But earlier this year, the new town attorney, Richard Nicolello, and deputy town attorney Robert Bogle believed they were close to an agreement. They recommended it go to the board for a vote.
On July 2, the board voted 6-0 to approve the agreement with Nassau County. DeSena, a Democrat who caucuses with Republicans, signed the contract six days later.
DeSena said part of the reason for the two-year delay was outstanding litigation involving BusPatrol that resulted in some alleged violators winning their cases. A state appellate court agreed with a plaintiff who argued that a video recording was not enough evidence to show he had passed a stopped school bus. The State Legislature clarified the law earlier this year.
DeSena also suggested that Democrats on the town board, who were in the majority until last year, wanted to deny her a political victory.
“I believe the hope was that after two years I would be gone,” she said in an interview. DeSena won reelection in 2023.
Democrats on the town board declined to comment.
With Ted Phillips and Joseph Ostapiuk
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
The Town of North Hempstead has twice delayed plans launch a pilot program to fine drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.
North Hempstead has tried to implement the program with BusPatrol America, of Virginia, since 2022.
So far, Roslyn and Port Washington have opted into the program, according to town officials. Great Neck plans to participate through its bus provider, WE Transport
Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
'Ridiculous tickets that are illogical' A Newsday investigation shows that about 70% of tickets issued by Suffolk County for school bus camera violations in 2023 took place on roads that students don't cross. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'Ridiculous tickets that are illogical' A Newsday investigation shows that about 70% of tickets issued by Suffolk County for school bus camera violations in 2023 took place on roads that students don't cross. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.