Law Enforcement, Superintendents Convene To Discuss Bus Safety

Law enforcement and school officials were at the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES to discuss this year's Operation Safe Stop program.

Among those in attendance was Howard Mettelman, BOCES District Superintendent, who says he's worked consistently to promote safe driving around school buses.

"It's very important that we take today and really make it a day of recognition of school bus safety, and the fact that school bus safety is everybody's responsibility," Mettelman said.

Jim Brown, who was also at today's event, was one of the people involved in getting the program started. He says the important thing drivers can learn from Operation Safe Stop is that they should always be cautious near school buses.

"Just because the kids are getting on from the right side, doesn't mean that the kids are going to stay getting in from the right side, or getting off the bus they're going to stay on the right side of that bus," Brown said. "No, they cross the streets, and they're kids. Kids don't always do what they're supposed to."

According to Operation Safe Stop, as many as 50,000 illegal school bus passes are made each year.