METHUEN — The Methuen City Council has adopted a new state law permitting Methuen police to issue citations to drivers who pass stopped school buses using footage captured by school bus cameras.
According to a statement from Methuen’s Police Chief Scott McNamara and Mayor D.J. Beauregard, a new state law signed by Governor Maura Healey on December 31, 2024, allows communities to use video monitoring systems to enforce school bus traffic laws. Supported by the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the legislation was adopted by the Methuen City Council through a measure sponsored by Mayor Beauregard and City Council Vice-Chair Neily Soto.
“School buses that are equipped with monitoring devices will display signage indicating their use,” Chief McNamara and Mayor Beauregard said in their statement. “The monitoring devices will record video and produce still images of the rear of any motor vehicle that passes a stopped bus, so that police can read the vehicle’s license plate.”
All footage and images of violations will be forwarded to the police for review. Methuen police will form a school bus traffic enforcement team to review the collected footage and issue citations to drivers who pass stopped buses.
“Recent studies have shown evidence that school bus stop violations are entirely too common across the Commonwealth,” said Chief McNamara. “This new tool that the state Legislature and Methuen City Council have given us will enable us to more stringently enforce these critical safety laws.”
Methuen is also establishing a School Transportation Revolving Fund, which will use revenue from school bus traffic violations to help offset transportation costs.
“I think this is a win-win,” said Mayor Beauregard. “We’re creating a deterrent aimed at cracking down on school bus stop arm violations while opening up a new funding source for our schools.”
