Northern Stearns County School District Wins Stop Arm Camera Grant

(KNSI) – Holdingford Public Schools has been included in phase 7 of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety stop arm camera grant project.

The agency announced nearly $1.5 million in awards to districts across the state Thursday, including $27,178 for Holdingford. It serves students in Stearns and Morrison Counties.

The previous six phases shelled out roughly $14.2 million, which led to stop arm cameras being installed on 6,998 school buses or about 59% of the total fleet in Minnesota.

To keep students safe, it is against the law for drivers to ignore the red flashing lights that show the bus will be stopping to pick up or unload. Buses also have a stop arm to signal drivers not to go around the halted vehicle. The cameras can identify those who break the law.

Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson says, “The near-misses and violations are so frightening and aggravating. The stop arm cameras are a welcome relief for bus drivers, parents, students and law enforcement in educating motorists, holding violators accountable and changing dangerous driving behaviors.”

Previous rounds have helped equip the fleets of Trobec’s and Palmer Bus Service that serve several districts in and around St. Cloud.

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