Drivers of school buses in Gallatin County observe too many people run stop signs

Bozeman, Montana — This school year, bus drivers are alert. In Gallatin County, over 1,000 children board and disembark buses, but the drivers claim they can’t do it safely when people are slicing through the arms of the bus stops.

“I don’t want anyone to deal with their child getting hurt,” said Chip Callantine. “It’s not something I ever want to experience in my lifetime.”

Callantine has two years of experience operating school buses. He claims that transporting valuable items is a heavy duty.

“When I see these kids, I see my grandkids,” said Callantine. “The better I do my job, then I know these kids are going to safely get to school and get home.”

Callantine’s main focus is safety.

“When I see people blow right by me it makes me angry because they’re not thinking about the safety of the children,” said Callantine. “We have kids that have to cross the road sometimes.”

Callantine claims he witnesses two to three people disregarding his stop signs each day.

Callantine and I chance to be sitting together at one of his stops off Norris Road. We kept an eye out to see if anyone would abide by the law.

The stop arm rose, but the automobiles made no attempt to slow down.

“We watched a silver 2001 Dodge blow right through the stop arm,” said Callantine. “Unless there’s a concrete divider, every lane has to stop.”

Yes, Callantine will recall what brand and model your car is.

“We’re going to be getting dash cams so we can get license plate numbers,” said Callantine. “That stuff gets turned into law enforcement.”

A fine that can be up to $1,000 the first time around. “I would rather have people tell their boss, ‘Hey, I was stuck behind a bus,’ than to have to make a phone call to this child’s parent that their little boy or little girl was hurt.”

What should you do the following time a school bus is on the road?

“When the school bus puts on the yellow light, slow down and prepare to stop,” said Callantine. “When the red stop arm comes out, please stop.”