Chicopee Installs Cameras on School Buses to Catch Illegal Passers

New safety system aims to protect students by holding drivers accountable for ignoring stop signs.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The city of Chicopee, Massachusetts has launched a new program to install security cameras on the exterior of school buses to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped buses. The system will automatically capture photographic evidence of vehicles that fail to stop when the bus's stop sign is extended and red lights are flashing, and citations will be issued to the violators.

Why it matters

Recent pilot programs in the state have found alarming rates of drivers disregarding school bus passing laws, with one study recording over 3,400 violations on just 10 camera-equipped buses over the course of a school year. This new system in Chicopee aims to improve student safety by strengthening enforcement efforts and holding violators accountable, even when a police officer is not present.

The details

Chicopee's new safety initiative is being implemented in partnership with BusPatrol, a company that provides school bus safety technology. The cameras will activate automatically when a school bus's stop sign is extended and red lights are flashing, capturing photographic evidence of any vehicles that fail to stop. Violators will then be issued citations. This program comes at no cost to the city, school district, or taxpayers.

  • On February 25, 2026, Chicopee Mayor John Vieau announced the new safety program at a press conference.
  • In January 2025, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed a bill to legalize the use of these camera systems for student safety purposes.
  • A pilot program conducted by BusPatrol and Peabody Public Schools between September 2023 and May 2024 recorded over 3,400 violations on 10 camera-equipped school buses.

The players

John Vieau

The mayor of Chicopee, Massachusetts who announced the new school bus safety program.

BusPatrol

A company that provides school bus safety technology and is partnering with Chicopee on this new initiative.

Maura Healey

The governor of Massachusetts who signed a bill in January 2025 to legalize the use of camera systems for student safety purposes.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The safety of our children should never be negotiable. Chicopee is proud to lead the Commonwealth by taking decisive action to protect our students and make our roads safer.”

— John Vieau, Mayor of Chicopee (City statement)

“This technology strengthens enforcement efforts by holding violators accountable — even when a police officer is not present to witness the offense. By combining innovation with enforcement, Chicopee is reinforcing its commitment to student safety and sending a clear message: stopping for a school bus is not optional — it's the law.”

— Chicopee Police Department (Police statement)

What’s next

The new camera system is expected to be installed on Chicopee's entire fleet of school buses in the coming months, ahead of the start of the next school year.

The takeaway

Chicopee's proactive approach to improving school bus safety by leveraging technology to crack down on illegal passing demonstrates a commitment to protecting students and sending a strong message that driver compliance with school bus stop laws is non-negotiable. This initiative could serve as a model for other communities looking to address this persistent public safety issue.