POUGHKEEPSIE … As Dutchess County recognizes National School Bus Safety Week, County Executive Sue Serino today announced that Hyde Park Central School District (HPCSD) bus driver Stephen Cutler has been named the 23rd Dutchess County School Bus Driver of the Year. The honor recognizes Mr. Cutler’s 10 years of dedicated service and his commitment to safely transporting students each school day.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “Stephen Cutler is exactly the kind of school bus driver we want caring for our kids. He is kind, reliable and always ready to lend a hand. He looks out for his students, supports his co-workers and gives his best every day. We are so proud to name Stephen our School Bus Driver of the Year, and we are grateful for the care and dedication he brings to his job. Most of all, we thank him for helping make sure our children get where they need to go safely, every single day.”
The Dutchess County Traffic Safety Board established the School Bus Driver of the Year Award in 2002 to promote school bus safety and recognize the dedicated professionals who help protect students every day. County Executive Serino presented Mr. Cutler with a plaque to commemorate this award.
Mr. Cutler has driven a HPCSD school bus for 10 years and has maintained a spotless safety record, with no preventable collisions.
Dr. Pedro Roman, HPCSD Superintendent said, “It’s my distinct honor to be here to celebrate one of our amazing bus drivers, Stephen Cutler. One of the things I often say each year to this group is that they are the first individuals to see our students and they are the last individuals to see our students, and they have a huge responsibility to make sure our students get to and from school safely. And it’s because of individuals like Stephen, that are highly professional, dedicated to our kids’ safety and making sure that they do the best work that they can to reassure families that their children are safe on our school buses. I want to say, ‘thank you’ to Stephen and the entire transportation department that’s here because it takes a collective to be able to do the work that you all do on a daily basis to transport over 3,000 students on a daily basis to and from school – and not only school, but other activities throughout the county, region and state.”
The third full week of October marks National School Bus Safety Week, bringing together school transportation professionals, students, families, educators, motorists and communities across the country to raise awareness and promote one common goal: ensuring students remain safe on their ride to and from school. Dutchess County’s School Bus Driver of the Year award presentation is a great reminder that all motorists – school bus drivers and the general public alike – share a responsibility to drive carefully to ensure students’ safety, including when they get on and off the bus.
New York State law requires motorists to stop whenever a school bus has its red lights flashing; this applies whether the bus is on the same side of the road or the opposite side, including on divided highways, such as Routes 9, 44 and 55. Drivers who fail to stop can face fines ranging from $250 to $1,000, five points on their driver’s license and possible jail time. A first offense can carry up to 30 days in jail, while repeat offenses can carry up to 180 days.
Dutchess County has taken steps to improve school bus safety through its school bus camera safety program, in partnership with BusPatrol LLC. The program uses photo-enforcement technology to identify motorists who illegally pass school buses with their red lights flashing. Eleven of the County’s 13 school districts currently participate in the program.
According to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, approximately 50,000 motorists illegally pass stopped school buses in New York State each day. Every illegal pass puts students, school bus drivers and others on the road at risk.
