National School Bus Safety Week
Each year, PennDOT participates in National School Bus Safety Week, which will be celebrated this year from October 16-20, 2023. For more information on School Bus Safety Week, visit National Association for Pupil Transportation.
School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest
Each year, PennDOT sponsors a school bus safety poster contest for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The winners of the poster contest are recognized at an event in Harrisburg held every October as part of National School Bus Safety Week. This year's theme is - Safely Rolling to My Destination.
2022/2023 Safety Poster Contest Winners
The students, in kindergarten through eighth grade, were recognized for their winning entries in the 2023 School Bus Safety Poster Contest. The theme for the contest – "Safely Rolling to My Destination" – reminds everyone of the important dynamic between students and their school bus drivers, who navigate commonwealth roadways daily to deliver students to school and home without incident.
2022/2023 Safety Poster Contest Winners
Division 1
First Place
Ananyasri Boddupalli
Franklin Elementary School
Sewickley, Allegheny County
Second Place
Sophia Stroman
Gwynedd Square Elementary School
Lansdale, Montgomery County
Third Place
Lorelei Troutman
Gwynedd Square Elementary School
Lansdale, Montgomery County
Division 2
First Place
Ava Tsao
Marshall Elementary School
Wexford, Allegheny County
Second Place
Emina Bernice George Michle
Gwynedd Square Elementary School
Lansdale, Montgomery County
Third Place
Mya Carter
Sugar Valley Rural Charter School
Loganton, Clinton County
Division 3
First Place
Arjun Kairi
Boyce Middle School
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County
Second Place
Alexionna Kephart
Bald Eagle Area School District
Wingate, Centre County
Third Place
Musfika Turi
Oak Park Elementary School
Lansdale, Montgomery County
School Bus Driver Safe Driving Competition
The Pupil Transportation Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania School Bus Association hold a Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Safe Driving Competition every June to test school bus drivers' knowledge of safety rules and safe operation of their buses in two types of bus categories: conventional and transit. A first-, second- and third-place winner is chosen in each category. The six winners of the competition are also recognized at an event held during National School Bus Safety Week. Approximately 100 school bus drivers from across Pennsylvania participate in the competition each year.
2022/2023 School Bus Driver Safety Competition
The winners of this year's School Bus Driver Safety Competition are as follows:
- 1st Place Conventional Style – Tara Herman, Krise Transportation
- 2nd Place Conventional Style – Ruth Del Veccio, Krapf School Bus
- 3rd Place Conventional Style – Patti Carey, Krapf School Bus
There were no Transit Style Buses entered in the competition this year.
PennDOT would like to congratulate all of the winners and say thank you to all of the students who participated in the School Bus Safety Poster contest and all school bus drivers for keeping our children safe on a daily basis.
Operation Safe Stop
Each year, during National School Bus Safety Week, PennDOT works with state and municipal police departments to conduct Operation Safe Stop, a proactive approach to educate the motoring public that passing a stopped school bus, when children are loading or unloading, is dangerous and illegal.
Each year, through Operation Safe Stop, law enforcement agencies, school transportation providers, pupil transportation associations and PennDOT have combined their efforts to raise public awareness about potential consequences and reduce the occurrence of illegal school bus passes.
National School Bus Safety Week is October 16th – 20th, 2023, and PennDOT will commence with Operation Safe Stop on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. PennDOT encourages School Districts to participate in continued support to ensure children are transported to and from school safely. Click here to view the Operation Safe Stop Public Participation Booklet, or click here to view the Law Enforcement Booklet,
PennDOT will be releasing a series of messages in support of National School Bus Safety week through its social media channels. If you have not followed the Department's Facebook page, we encourage you to do so.
Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law requires motorists to stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm extended. Motorists must stop when they are behind the bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.
For more information, visit Operation Safe Stop.