Despite the fact that school-bus cameras were never approved for broad use, authorities estimate that the $20 million in traffic penalties that Long Island drivers have received as a result of the devices are legitimate.
In Hempstead, the nation’s largest municipality, certain school districts have authorized the installation of cameras on their buses to apprehend hazardous scofflaws who neglect to stop when children are around.
However, the districts of other villages did not let the cameras to be used for that purpose, and when drivers in those locations continued to receive tickets for failing to stop for buses in a correct manner based on the film from the devices, controversy broke out.
When the cameras were first installed, Hempstead Township warned that it could have to throw out the tens of thousands of citations that were issued in districts that prohibited them. In a shocking recent turnaround, however, it stated that the penalty would remain in effect.
In a statement to the outlet, the township’s attorney, John Maccarone, defended the program using its private bus vendor, BusPatrol, saying, “The Town remains steadfast in its commitment to this critical child safety program.”
Maccarone contended that his earlier worries about the program “overreaching its legal authority” were dispelled when a review found no incorrectly issued breaches.
More than 80,000 penalties were given in four village school districts—Balksburg, Hempstead, Lawrence, and Valley Stream—that had never approved the installation of cameras on their school buses for traffic scofflaws. These citations comprise the most of the controversy.
Written agreements between school districts and municipal governments are required for such use of the cameras under state law and Hempstead’s own 2022 code.
However, regardless of whether they signed any agreements, the township and BusPatrol continued to enforce the traffic laws based on the footage from the cameras in each area, issuing $20 million in penalties from just four districts alone.
A minimum fine of $250 is imposed on each ticket, with the municipality receiving 55% of the proceeds and BusPatrol receiving the remaining portion. This financial arrangement has been the subject of several class-action lawsuits against the program that are now underway.
Don Clavin, the town supervisor of Hempstead, stated in January that he was “demanding” refunds or dismissals for any tickets that had been issued incorrectly.
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However, officials have not taken any action five months later.
According to recent data, the number of citations in the contested districts has drastically decreased, reaching just 416 so far this year—roughly 2% of the 20,956 issued townwide.
Baldwin, Hempstead, and Lawrence accounted for 26% of the township’s more than 270,000 school-bus camera tickets in 2023 and 2024. This number does not include Valley Stream, whose borders overlap with districts that do participate.
At its height, the traffic court procedures were halted by the avalanche of tickets.
Hearings on the tickets were halted earlier this year “to ensure proper procedures were followed” by Nassau County, which decides the offenses.
Although it’s unclear if fines from the four non-participating districts would be included in those hearings, some drivers have now reported that their court dates are being rescheduled.
