An elevator safety system comprising: a controller ; a hoistway safety node arranged at a pit portion of an elevator hoistway, the hoistway safety node being operatively connected to one of a pit safety device and a lower hoistway device arranged at the elevator pit; a first bus linking the hoistway safety node and the controller , the first bus passing communication signals from the hoistway safety node to the controller without passing the communication signals through any intervening nodes prior to reaching the controller ; a car node arranged in an elevator car , the car node being operatively connected to a car safety device arranged at the elevator car ; a second bus linking the car node and the controller , the second bus passing communication signals directly from the car node to the controller without passing the communication signals through any intervening nodes prior to reaching the controller ; and a propulsion system including a motor configured to shift the elevator car along an elevator hoistway and a brake configured and disposed to stop movement of the elevator car in the hoistway, and a power disconnect operatively connected to the propulsion system ; wherein the first bus is linked to the propulsion system through the power disconnect , the hoistway safety node being configured and disposed to signal the power disconnect bypassing the controller to de-activate the propulsion system in the event of a safety event, and/or the second bus is linked to the propulsion system through the power disconnect , the car node being configured and disposed to directly signal the power disconnect bypassing the controller to de-activate the propulsion system in the event of a safety event. a controller ; a hoistway safety node arranged at a pit portion of an elevator hoistway, the hoistway safety node being operatively connected to one of a pit safety device and a lower hoistway device arranged at the elevator pit; a first bus linking the hoistway safety node and the controller , the first bus passing communication signals from the hoistway safety node to the controller without passing the communication signals through any intervening nodes prior to reaching the controller ; a car node arranged in an elevator car , the car node being operatively connected to a car safety device arranged at the elevator car ; a second bus linking the car node and the controller , the second bus passing communication signals directly from the car node to the controller without passing the communication signals through any intervening nodes prior to reaching the controller ; and a propulsion system including a motor configured to shift the elevator car along an elevator hoistway and a brake configured and disposed to stop movement of the elevator car in the hoistway, and a power disconnect operatively connected to the propulsion system ; wherein the first bus is linked to the propulsion system through the power disconnect , the hoistway safety node being configured and disposed to signal the power disconnect bypassing the controller to de-activate the propulsion system in the event of a safety event, and/or the second bus is linked to the propulsion system through the power disconnect , the car node being configured and disposed to directly signal the power disconnect bypassing the controller to de-activate the propulsion system in the event of a safety event. <EOS>