Products - Bus Safety Solutions

Protecting Children Every Stop of the Way

Extended Stop Arm

Our patented (Utility Patent US 9,245,465 B1) Extended Stop Arm reaches up to 6.5′ from the driver’s side of the bus to extend into the opposing lane to deter illegal passing.

Strobing LED lights in the stop sign add additional safety by ensuring motorist attention.
Over 130,000 students ride in buses with a Bus Safety Solutions Extended Arm.
Transport Canada (the country’s federal transportation agency) has been piloting the Extend Stop Arm for two years. Individual provinces have already begun their own pilot programs.
Our Extended Stop Arms are mandated on all school buses in Montana where a child must cross the road to board the school bus. Similar legislation has been introduced in numerous other states.

SureStop Arm

How many times have you had to replace stop arm components or entire units over the years?

Does extreme weather and harsh environment impact your stop arms’ ability to function? What’s the warranty on the stop arms you have? One year? Two years?

Stop the madness and look to Bus Safety Solutions’ arms.

With a full five-year warranty, ease of installation, and an ability to withstand the harshest climates, SureStop arms are easy to install, require little maintenance, and, mostly importantly, can be seen well by oncoming traffic.

Installation

The Extended Stop Arm is a Federally-approved stop arm with options extending from 4.5 to 6.5 feet from the driver’s side of the bus.
The original stop arm can be used and reattached to a sturdy steel bracket and brace.
The electrical system integrates with the existing system, including lights.
The extension of the Extended Stop Arm is constructed using nylon shear pins that are designed to break away if it is hit at 30 + mph.
Two installation options to choose from:
- The electric version features a linear actuator that securely holds the sign close to the bus when not deployed.
- The pneumatic air versions operate on the bus’s standard pneumatic pressure system.

Bus Safety Solutions Extended Stop Arm can be installed on most schools in under two hours. Installation is available for larger orders. Contact us for details.

Our Stop Arm

Fast Facts

First unit is easily installed within a few hours. Further installs can be achieved in as little as 45 minutes.
Bus compatibility: International, Blue Bird, Thomas, and Freightliner model buses, including buses that are over 20 years old.
Lights: The lights are high visibility LED lights with an enhanced strobe pattern. Lights are individually replaceable with a pin connection, thus saving money by not having to replace all the lights as is the current practice.
Corrosion-resistant: All metal parts are stainless steel or powder-coated to withstand harsh elements and road chemicals.
Temperature variation: Certified operation between -50°F and 130°F.
Pneumatic cylinder and electric actuator models available.
Shock and vibration resistance: rough roads, potholes, and day-to-day jarring are no match for our Stop Arm’s durability.

Warranty

Bus Safety Solutions offers a 5-year warranty on its product and material workmanship. This is supported by manufacturer warranties on the arm, sign, lights, electronic board, linear actuator, and pneumatic cylinder. Contact us for details.

Specifications

The Extended Stop Arm exceeds the Federal Standard 571.131 School Bus Pedestrian Safety Devices.
Overview – the Extended Stop Arm provides a physical presence to stop vehicles from passing stopped school buses. This has a break-away feature such that if struck at a significant speed will shear the bolt connections and the electrical connection. This is a patented product #US 9,245,465 B1. The arm takes 5 seconds to deploy or retract for electric, and 4 seconds for air. Should the electric arm be opened into another object, or the side of another bus, it will automatically retract and reset after 20 seconds, protecting both the Extended Stop Arm and the Linear Actuator.
The Extended Stop Arm is powder-coated aluminum or steel, vinyl, fasteners are all stainless steel. Electrical wiring is all U.V. protected cabling. It is covered by our 5-year warranty, which is backed up by individual product warranties of the contracted manufacturers.
Lights – are independently plugged into the wiring harness. Meaning any light can be replaced individually. They are all bright 9 LED in a sealed housing US FMVSS 108 vehicle lighting compliant. The lights stay on for 2 extra seconds when closing to allow for the arm to close against the side of the bus.
Sign – is current to the Federal specifications for the Stop sign in both size and specific quality of lettering and reflectivity.
Aluminum break-away frame – This is powder-coated aluminum built to our specifications. Total weight of frame, lights, and sign is 7 pounds.
Steel support square frame – This is powder-coated steel and has the strength to support the break-away aluminum frame. This allows shearing of the #8 nylon 5/16″ bolts.
Steel Hinge support – This is designed to support both the original sign, and our new steel frame, as well as the aluminum break-away sign. This is comprised of a heavy-duty steel vertical, and horizontal member which supports the linear actuator as well. Both the vertical and horizontal pieces’ have ¾” X ½″ bronze iolite bushings. In addition, the hinge piece itself has a ½″ stainless steel rod as the hinge which operates within the bronze bushings. The fasteners are all stainless steel including the studs on this hinge piece.
Wiring harness – for the lights is attached using a harsh environment waterproof ATM series sealed connector for the weather seal at the breakaway point.
Electronic Control Unit – This was developed specifically for us. It controls the flash, and strobe of the lights, as well as the Linear Actuator or pneumatic cylinder move the arm. This requires a 15-amp supply line fuse from the fuse box, and to be connected to the control wire for the existing Stop Arm lights. The unit uses very low current.
Linear Actuator – This is a 100# thrust unit, with an IP66 rating operating at a temperature range of -10°F to 110°F providing consistent operations of the Extended Stop Arm. This has a 400# static load for keeping the arm against the side of the bus.
Air/Pneumatic Double Acting Cylinder – This is a 100lbs of thrust unit. It has all stainless-steel parts that use the bus compressor air to power in and out. The air pressure securely holds in the Extended Stop Arm when the bus is running. A check valve keeps the arm secure when the bus is off. An electric control unit also controls the air cylinder.
Length – The Extended Stop Arm is available in multiple lengths, depending on model, up to 7′ total length. The shorter version can be used on routes with 1 lane or parking lots.

Legality

Is it Legal? Yes. The product meets all Federal specifications for a school bus stop arm (FMVSS 131). Approved by the Chief Counsel of NHTSA.
Is it illegal to impede traffic with the Extended Stop Arm? No. There is no “traffic” in the lane next to the bus when the reds are on. If there is a vehicle there, it is an illegally moving vehicle in the Safety Zone that should be ticketed.
Is the school liable for damages caused by a motorist that hits the Extended Stop Arm? No. It is illegal for any other vehicle to occupy the area in which the Extended Stop Arm extends. The offending vehicle is liable for damages to the sign or bus as well as their own vehicle.
Does the extended sign meet Federal Specifications? Yes. The additional sign has the required size and coatings and reflectivity required to meet Federal School Bus standards.
Does it count as an additional sign? No. NHTSA has stated that this product counts as the front driver’s side stop arm. It does not count as an additional rear sign.
Should it have a flat red backing, as does the rear sign? No. NHTSA has stated that the product should follow the same marking guidelines as the front driver’s side arm.
Do the tabs that keep the sign from vibrating cover too much reflectivity? No. The tabs cover 1.5 square inches. FMVSS 131 allows for up to 5% of the sign to be covered by mounting hardware. The vibration tabs, mounting hardware, and light surround brackets do not exceed 5%.
Is it illegal to hit the Extended Stop Arm? Yes. The extension arm and sign are part of the school bus.
Are there any other products that actively prevent drivers from passing a stopped school bus? No. There are no other products that actively prevent drivers from illegally passing a stopped bus.

Bus Safety Solutions Works to Improve Children’s Safety

Every STOP of the way!