Michael A. Sawyers
The Cumberland Times-News Wed Jul 27, 2011, 11:14 PM EDT
— CUMBERLAND — Garrett County Sheriff Rob Corley said that a $20,000 state grant will keep officers on the road before and after school in an effort to reduce the number of vehicles illegally passing school buses.
The money comes from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention and is part of $548,411 being given to various law enforcement agencies throughout the state.
During a one-day survey in February, bus drivers throughout Maryland reported 7,028 violations, 4,000 of which were by oncoming drivers who ignored the stop arms of buses. Another 2,665 vehicles traveling in the same direction as the buses passed on the left and 366 actually passed illegally on the right.
“We have had these grants for four years now and they are reducing the violations, though the problem is ongoing,” Corley said Monday. “One particularly bad spot is U.S. 219, at Sand Flat Road.”
Corley said the buses stop in the right lane of the two southbound lanes on the three-lane road. Southbound drivers often continue past the stopped bus, even though red lights are flashing and a stop arm is engaged, the sheriff said.
“Our officers charged numerous drivers this past school year,” Corley said. “We often get calls from other motorists who have witnessed violations. We also meet with school transportation officials to identify problem areas.”
Corley said the grant pays for overtime work, thus allowing officers to apply their full shifts to other enforcement efforts. The deputies either follow buses on their routes or set up for observation at known problem areas.
The money may also be used for driver education by way of public service announcements.
There were 4,712 school bus drivers involved in the one-day survey in February, about two-thirds of the drivers in the state.
The Allegany County Sheriff’s Office and the Cumberland Police Department each received $10,000 grants.
Jay Walbert, transportation director for Allegany County schools, said drivers have two-way radios and are asked to immediately report violations if they note a license plate number and vehicle description.
“We average three run-throughs a week,” Walbert said. “They can happen anywhere, but two spots with frequent run-throughs are the three-lane on McMullen Highway (south of Middle Ridge) and not far from the (Maryland State Police) barrack on National Highway.”
“When in doubt, stop,” Walbert cautions. “Our bus drivers see vehicles pass the bus on the right or door side. Students stepping down from the bus are extremely vulnerable in that kind of setting. Drivers need to take this law very seriously.”
Walbert said some buses are on the road daily during the summer for special programs. “We had 10 buses on the road today,” he said Monday.
“We try to minimize red-light stops during the summer because other drivers are probably not expecting them.”
Cumberland Police Lt. Steve Schellhaus said only one complaint about a bus-passing violation has been received in recent years.
“I attribute that to the grants that have put our officers in cruisers behind the buses,” Schellhaus said. “Fortunately, we have never had a kid struck (getting on or off a school bus) in the city.”
At settings such as Frederick Street, officers will sometimes sit and watch because of the large field of view, according to Schellhaus.
“I meet with school transportation people monthly,” he said. “That kind of cooperation allowed us to point out that a bus stop at Industrial Boulevard and Cedar was dangerous, so the school board relocated that stop to a safe place.”
The first day of school in Allegany County is Aug. 24.
Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.
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