The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued an urgent safety recommendation to Baltimore City Schools in light of the school bus crash that caused multiple fatalities in November 2016.
After investigating the deadly crash between a school bus and a city bus, the NTSB is calling for an independent review of the Baltimore City Schools transportation department.
On November 1, 2016, a city school bus driver had first struck a passenger vehicle on Frederick Ave before crossing the center lane and hitting a pillar at Loudon Park Cemetery before colliding with a Baltimore MTA bus. Six people were killed, including both bus drivers.
Days later, investigators learned the school bus driver involved in Tuesday's deadly collision with an MTA bus wasn't authorized to drive a commercial motor vehicle, according to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
NTSB officials believe deficiencies in the oversight of school bus driver qualifications require an independent audit, as well as recommending improving internal controls to ensure that drivers meet qualification standards. A third recommendation issued to the Maryland State Department of Education seeks to modify the Code of Maryland Regulations to require notice be made when drivers are not found to be qualified during pre-employment screening.
Baltimore City Public Schools released the following statement in response:
"In the five months since November’s tragic accident, City Schools has established systematic and ongoing auditing of driver certification status, increased review of drivers following accidents regardless of cause or fault, enhanced programs for driver retraining and in-vehicle monitoring, and instituted new protocols to ensure timely sharing of information between contracted bus services and school district offices. The report received today from the National Transportation Safety Board will contribute to continuous improvement of our transportation services. City Schools is committed to taking recommended actions to ensure the safety of students, staff members, and the public.?"
The NTSB’s full safety recommendation report can be found here.
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