Starting September 3, 2025, the Provincial Government is launching a four-month school bus stop arm camera pilot project.
The purpose of the pilot is to detect and capture images of vehicles illegally passing school buses when stopped with their stop arm extended. Six school buses will be equipped with stop arm cameras and those buses will operate in Corner Brook, Gander, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador West, Marystown and Paradise.
It is illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped with its stop arm extended. Such behaviour may result in a fine ranging anywhere between $500 and $1,200 dollars. The Provincial Government recognizes that safer roads mean safer communities and continues to work closely with its community partners, including municipalities and law enforcement, to promote road safety and safe driving practices.
Jenoptik Smart Mobility Solutions (Jenoptik) will be responsible for the installation, operation and maintenance of the stop arm cameras, as part of their current contract with the Provincial Government. Announced in April, Jenoptik is the vendor responsible for the installation, operation and maintenance of speed cameras and the issuing of tickets. As part of the pilot, tickets will be issued and Jenoptik will be responsible for the issuing of tickets.
This initiative reflects the Provincial Government's commitment to safe transportation services for students in Newfoundland and Labrador. School buses are held to extremely high safety standards and are built inside and outside to protect children. They are required to meet robust federal and provincial safety standards before they go into service and are regularly subjected to rigorous inspection requirements.
Quotes
"We continue to hear stories about motorists who choose to put students at risk by illegally passing school buses that are stopped with the stop arm extended. It's an accident, a tragedy, waiting to happen. Through this pilot, not only are we making our roads safer for everyone, we will hopefully deter this unacceptable behaviour."
Honourable Sarah Stoodley, Minister of Government Modernization and Service Delivery
"The safe transportation of students throughout Newfoundland and Labrador is a priority for our government, and it is important that we address motorists who are putting students at risk. This pilot project will help in our ongoing efforts to increase road safety in the province, particularly as it relates to school bus transportation."
Honourable Elvis Loveless, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
"As a new school year approaches, the safety of students is paramount. The introduction of this pilot project will be a vital tool to capture images of vehicles not obeying the rules when a stop arm of a school bus is extended, which puts the safety of all students at risk. We all have a role to play to keep students safe in school zones."
Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development
"As a long-standing school bus service provider, we have seen first-hand the importance of drivers adhering to school bus stop signals. Bursey's is pleased to be part of the implementation of camera systems on school buses and is encouraged by the strong commitment from both the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and NLSchools to enhance bus safety across the province. We are proud to participate in this pilot project and remain committed to supporting government in this important safety advancement."
Evan Bursey, Owner, Bursey's Bus Service
"The safety of our children is a shared responsibility, and we commend the Provincial Government for taking action to strengthen protections for students throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The launch of the school bus stop arm camera pilot project is a meaningful step forward in addressing dangerous driving behaviours around school buses. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this initiative will have in communities throughout the province."
Don Coombs, President, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils
"Illegal school bus passing puts children at serious risk. We're proud to partner with the province of Newfoundland and Labrador to deploy stop arm camera solutions that help change driver behavior and enhance community safety."
Candice Holder-Mattadeen, Business Development Manager, Jenoptik Canada, Ltd.
Learn more
For more information
Prince Phillip Drive
St. John's Newfoundland
Canada A1B 4J6
www.gov.nl.ca
