T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM Marshalltown Community School District Director of Transportation Rex Kozak shows the new First Light stop arm on one of the buses. The bus is one of six which have been equipped with the arms to help alert other drivers when a school bus is stopping. Adding the new technology is an effort to get drivers to pay attention, slow down and hopefully reduce the number of bus stop violations.

Drivers need to stop when the stop arm of school buses is extended and lights are flashing. There was a high number of drivers during the last school year who did not stop.

Rex Kozak, director of transportation for the Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD), said six of the buses have been equipped with First Light illuminated stop arms and school bus signs.

“We’re trying to get people’s attention and be aware,” he said. “We had a lot of stop arm violations last year. We averaged about one a day, sometimes two a day. People just need to understand that safety is first with our students. When they see the bus, the amber [lights] go on, be prepared to stop. When they see the reds come on, stop.”

Kozak said the only exception is when there is a four-lane road. The vehicles coming toward the bus do not need to stop. The vehicles behind the bus do. He said if there is a three-lane road, everyone needs to stop.

“Madison [Street] is a hot spot, because they see the turning lane and don’t think they need to stop if they are in the far lane,” Kozak said. “No. They need to stop. We just need everyone to just slow down and pay attention. There is nothing that major or rushed to cost a life.”

He said there were “close calls” last year as a result of drivers not heeding the stops. One instance included a student crossing the street, and someone drove up quickly. Luckily, Kozak said the child was paying attention and sprinted across — just before the driver ran the stop.

“We had a few real close ones last year,” he said. “I would hope this year we don’t have that.”

If a driver thinks there would be no proof of running the bus stop, they would be wrong. There are cameras equipped on either side of the buses, and they are recording. Whenever someone drives through a bus stop, the necessary information is provided to the Marshalltown Police Department.

“We have to do something to get people’s attention, and the police department knows that,” Kozak said. “Last year, we had an individual run the stop arm at Third and Church, and within five to 10 minutes, they ran another stop arm on Iowa Avenue. Just complete disregard.”

Police Chief Mike Tupper said bus stop violators are already a high priority for his officers. As the beginning of the 2024-25 school year approaches, the police department will be sharing an increased number of safety messages on social media. They will also display an increased presence in school zones to enforce traffic and parking laws.

“When it comes to school bus violations, we have zero tolerance,” he said. “Once it is reported to us, we do an investigation. [The violators] will not get a warning. They will get a ticket.”

Last year, Tupper said they issued 36 bus stop violations, which carry stiff penalties. The first offense carries a maximum penalty of a $930 fine and a license suspension for 30 days; the second offense is $2,560 and a 90-day suspension and the third offense, $2,560 fine and a 180-day suspension.

“It is a big deal,” he said. “Iowa has given school bus violations a very heavy penalty, and that’s how it should be. This is a safety issue. People need to slow down and obey the stop signs.”

Tupper said people are always in a hurry and driving too fast, which makes it difficult to react to the stop arms and the flashing amber lights.

“People are driving distracted, as well,” he said. “People are driving with phones in their hands, not paying attention. There [might be] lots of reasons, and none of them are valid.”

Busing

The weeks leading up to the start of the school year are a busy time for the MCSD Transportation Department. Fortunately, it has been a little easier this year, especially with 100 additional students riding. Kozak said when parents registered their children, there was a question about whether or not they wanted busing.

“Aug. 15 was the deadline for getting everyone registered so we could get our routes done in an orderly fashion,” he said. “Some of the parents marked ‘No,’ but will all of a sudden need busing. That’s what we’re going through now, and we’re just doing the cleanup.”

For the households which did not register by the deadline, Kozak said the parents will have to find a way to get their children to school during the first week. Parents who did not get a bus letter may need to call the Transportation Department, and they will see what is going on, he said.

Not all students will be taken to and from school on the buses. MCSD buses will transport students who live more than two miles away from their elementary school and more than three miles from the high school. Kozak said a family also cannot live in one school zone and request busing to another school zone.

“The only exception is Woodbury because they have the dual language program,” he said. “Those kids we do bus. There is a section of town called Central Zone, which is the old Central School area. Those kids have the right to be bused to different places, but if you live in Hoglan School area, and you want to go to Franklin, that’s your responsibility to get them [there.]”

Students who live outside the boundaries or are in different school zones do have the option of using the Marshalltown Municipal Transit (MMT) through passes provided by the district.

Kozak also wanted to remind students that if they are riding a bus with seat belts, they need to fasten it, as stated in the MCSD board policy. They are starting to push that harder, he said.

Kozak said parents also have the option of using the Stop Finder app, which notifies them when the bus is coming. He said more parents are using the app, and it is a great way for parents to get alerts, as well as send communication to the Transportation Department that their child will not be riding that day. As more parents use the app, he said they are looking at switching to an app which also notifies parents when a child gets on and off the bus.

“Until we get more parents using the Stop Finder app, we’re looking at moving to a better system where we can be able to be more accountable when the kid got on and off the bus, and where they got off the bus at,” Kozak said.

He thanked Marshalltown parents for stepping up and addressing issues on the bus. Kozak said parents are also calling the Transportation Department with their own concerns.

“We’re forming a really strong quality partnership on our buses between our parents and the transportation system,” he said. “That’s so important. Parents are not forgotten. Their issues, the kids’ issues are important, but also they’re not forgetting [our issues]. Working together has been the key to getting good results in improving student behavior.”

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.