Miami-Dade County has suspended its School Bus Safety Citation Program effective immediately, following months of public controversy and the discovery of significant system errors that impacted drivers’ ability to properly respond to traffic violations, officials announced Thursday.
Camera-based program plagued by citation errors
The program, which launched on May 8, 2024, used cameras mounted on school buses to catch drivers illegally passing stopped buses or speeding near them.
While it aimed to increase student safety, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said the initiative was marred by issues with uniform traffic citations and notices of violation — some of which incorrectly listed a $225 fine.
“These errors make it impossible for the community to respond to the violations within a 30-day period by either paying the fine or requesting an appeal,” Cordero-Stutz said. “These errors are unacceptable and they undermine the trust in the system.”
Legal and procedural concerns prompt halt
Nushin Sayfie, Chief Judge of the 11th Judicial Circuit, emphasized the importance of due process, saying courts must “adjudicate cases… in a fair and effective way.”
Clerk of Courts Juan Fernandez Barquin went further, calling the underlying statute “horribly written.”
While citations will no longer be issued going forward, Cordero-Stutz confirmed that those issued prior to the suspension are still valid and must be paid.
She said the county will now evaluate how the program failed despite its good intentions.
