Berne Union Installs Lighted Safety Equipment on Buses
A state grant funded illuminated signs, stop signs, and crossover mirrors on every bus in the Sugar Grove, Ohio district's fleet.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Administration
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Berne Union Local School District in Sugar Grove, Ohio installed illuminated school bus signs, illuminated stop signs, and lighted crossover mirrors on every bus in its fleet over the summer of 2026. The work was funded by a $42,516 state grant awarded in January 2026.
Why it matters
The upgrades are designed to make buses and loading areas more visible to oncoming traffic during dark morning and evening routes. The project reflects a statewide effort to upgrade school transportation fleets across Ohio.
Berne Union received $42,516 from the Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program, which is part of a $10 million statewide effort to upgrade school transportation fleets. The district has not yet reported whether the equipment has affected visibility incidents on its routes.
The players
Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
The state agency that administers the Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program under which Berne Union received its award.
Berne Union Local School District
The public school district in Sugar Grove, Ohio that installed the lighting upgrades across its bus fleet.
The details
Every bus in the Berne Union fleet now carries illuminated school bus signs, illuminated stop signs, and lighted crossover mirrors. The crossover mirror lights shine directly onto the pavement in front of the bus, marking the area where students cross.
Timeline
January 2026: Berne Union was awarded the state safety grant.
Summer 2026: The district installed the lighting upgrades on every bus.
Statewide Context
Berne Union's grant is one of the awards issued under the Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program, which is part of a $10 million statewide effort to upgrade school transportation fleets across Ohio.
Families in Sugar Grove and surrounding Ohio communities may notice illuminated signs and lighted mirrors on district buses during dark morning and evening pickups. Drivers approaching a stopped school bus should expect the lit stop signs and crossover mirrors to signal students near the roadway.
The takeaway
Lighting upgrades on school buses are a practical, visible step toward safer loading zones during the darkest hours of the school day. Drivers should slow and watch for illuminated signals when a bus is stopped nearby.
Further reading
Explore more on Administration to see how school districts manage operational upgrades like this one.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Scioto Post.
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