South Hadley TM rejects school bus stop-arm cameras over surveillance, data concerns

SOUTH HADLEY — Town Meeting voters this week rejected a proposal to install cameras on school bus stop arms to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped buses, with many residents citing concerns about surveillance and data breaches. The article failed 70-24, with two abstentions. In January 2025, Gov. Maura Healey signed a law allowing cameras mounted on school bus stop arms to record vehicles that illegally pass buses. Municipalities that adopt the law can contract with a third-party company that uses artificial intelligence to review footage and issue citations. Student safety at bus stops is a concern across the region, including in South Hadley. Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen previously told the Gazette that with six or seven buses carrying children each day, one violation per bus per day over a 180-day school year would total 1,080 to 1,260 violations.

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