More than $1.1 million will help 26 school transportation providers train more than 430 school bus drivers across 19 counties.
This is the administration’s second investment in school bus safety this year.
Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced an investment of more than $1.1 million in grant funding to help 26 schools and transportation providers across 19 Pennsylvania counties cover the costs to train more than 430 new school bus drivers, including commercial driver’s license (CDL) training, trainee wages, and testing and permit fees. This investment is funded through PennDOT’s School Bus Safety Grant Program to increase school bus safety for Pennsylvania’s students and communities.
“With his latest budget, Governor Shapiro continues to make historic investments in education and our children’s future. Making sure we have enough qualified drivers to get students to and from school safely and reliably advances that investment,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “This funding gives schools and communities the support they need to ensure students can focus on learning and achieve success.”
Pennsylvania law allows school districts to install and operate automated camera systems to enforce Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law and keep children safe when they ride the school bus. Of the $300 fine assessed for these automated violations, the law requires $25 be paid to PennDOT for the School Bus Safety Grant Program.
Grants from the program can be used to pay for education, training, and other costs related to an individual earning their commercial learner's permit, commercial driver's license, or school bus endorsement for the purpose of driving a school bus in Pennsylvania. They can also promote and increase school bus safety, education, and training.
Below is a list of grant awards:
Allegheny County:
ABC Transit Inc., $75,000.
Deer Lakes School District $17,000.
Sun Coach Lines LLC, $27,100.
Beaver County:
Hopewell Area School District: $15,186.
Berks County:
Quigley Bus Service Inc., $7,816.
Bucks County:
Bristol Township School District, $8,100.
Levy School Bus Company, $18,888.
Neshaminy School District, $38,498.
Butler County:
ABC Transit Inc., $57,000.
Columbia County:
Bloomsburg Area School District, $44,000.
Delaware County:
Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, $47,084.
Franklin County:
Friese Bus Transportation LLC, $5,587.
Indiana County:
Woodridge Transit LLC, $50,000.
Lackawanna County:
P & D Leasing Transportation, $99,000.
Pocono Transportation Inc., $90,000.
Lehigh County:
Allentown School District, $81,633.
Luzerne County:
Wyoming Area School District, $24,064.
Mercer County:
AC-School Services Inc., $30,000.
Watsons Inc., $14,700.
Monroe County:
East Stroudsburg Area School District, $38,750.
Montgomery County:
Upper Dublin School District, $6,395.
Montour County:
Danville Area School District, $30,000.
Perry County:
HE Rohrer LLC, $81,250.
Somerset County:
Mlaker LLC, $100,000.
Windber Area School District: $34,500.
York County:
Reliance Student Transportation LLC, $75,015.
Information on the School Bus Grant Program can be found online at pa.gov/schoolbus. Independent school bus contractors, school entities, and municipalities are eligible to apply for grants from the program. Questions about the program should be emailed to RA-PDASBEGP@pa.gov.
The School Bus Stopping Law requires drivers approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm activated to stop at least 10 feet from the bus. Drivers approaching from all directions are required to stop, unless they encounter a school bus stopping on the opposite side of a divided highway clearly separated by a physical barrier, such as a grassy median, guide rail, or concrete barrier. School buses activate flashing yellow lights to indicate they will be coming to a stop. When drivers approach a school bus with flashing yellow lights, they should slow down and be prepared to stop.
According to data from Operation Safe Stop 2025, participating school districts and law enforcement agencies reported witnessing 188 violations of the law on one day alone – up from 176 the previous year. Operation Safe Stop, held annually in October during School Bus Safety Week, is a school bus enforcement and education initiative aimed at enhancing school bus safety for students across Pennsylvania.
According to Automated School Bus Enforcement program data for 2024, there were 76,413 violations recorded.
PennDOT’s media resources web page offers social media-sized graphics for numerous transportation-related campaigns, including safety topics such as aggressive driving, speeding, distracted driving, and seat belts for organizations, community groups, or others who share safety information with their stakeholders. Visit our website for an animated graphic on the School Bus Stopping Law.
For more information on school bus safety, visit pa.gov/dotsafety.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Jennifer Kuntch, jkuntch@pa.gov or 717-705-1551
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