CHEBOYGAN, PRESQUE ISLE COUNTIES — The Onaway Area School District is releasing video footage of motorists illegally passing stopped school buses to address a recurring safety issue. Jim Weller, transportation and facilities director for the district, reports that between three and five stop-arm violations have occurred every week since the spring of 2025.
Drivers caught passing a stopped school bus face fines ranging from $100 to $500. The money collected from these citations is returned to the school district, which uses the funds to invest in further bus safety improvements. The district has also prioritized the implementation of “door-side stops” to prevent students from having to cross traffic.
A recent video released by the district captures a driver passing a bus while it was stopped near a day care facility. Transportation and Facilities Weller noted that while the video shows the violation, it does not fully depict the scale of the incident. Weller said the motorist passed three other vehicles that were already stopped and waiting for the bus.
Weller has focused on changing bus routes to increase student safety since he began his role. He met with district drivers to ensure that all primary and secondary paved roads utilize door-side stops. This arrangement ensures that children do not have to cross the street to board or exit the bus.
“When I took over, the very first thing we did is I met with the drivers and we wanted to make sure that, every single, primary and secondary road was all door, side stop,” Weller said. “You know, so that we’re not letting the kids cross. Obviously logistics play a big part into that. So there are some dirt roads that we haven’t been successful in doing that yet, but we wanted to make sure that the pavement was all covered because that’s where the primary, incidents are happening.”
The district continues to face logistical challenges in implementing door-side stops on every route. While paved roads are currently covered, some dirt roads still require students to cross the road.
“We’re not on the road for 5 minutes holding traffic up,” Weller said. “Just please do your part in and help keep the kids safe.”