National School Bus Safety Week 2025

October 21st, 2025

The following letter is from HCPSS Superintendent Bill Barnes to the HCPSS community:

This week marks National School Bus Safety Week, a time to recognize and thank everyone who plays a role in safely transporting our students each day — from our dedicated bus contractors, drivers, and attendants to crossing guards, police, and other partners who are committed to helping students navigate safely to and from school each day. It’s also an opportunity to remind all those who are using our roadways to remain alert and cautious around our school buses and school zones.

Each day, approximately 550 school buses and vans travel Howard County roads to transport more than 42,000 students between home and school. It is our duty as drivers and community members to remain vigilant on our roads to ensure that when the red lights flash on a bus and the stop-arm is extended, we all make one simple choice – stop.

According to the Howard County Police Department, 8,285 citations were issued for vehicles illegally passing buses last year – an average of 46 citations each school day. Each of those citations represents a moment when a child’s safety was needlessly put at risk. Many of us have also seen the video montage that police share each year which reveals frightening episodes of cars illegally passing buses and many instances of near misses with students.

I urge everyone traveling our roads to exercise extreme caution and patience when driving near school buses. And please take a moment to thank our bus drivers and attendants for their professionalism and commitment to keeping our children safe every single day.