GUILTY TN - Six elementary students killed in Chattanooga school bus crash, 21 Nov 2016

[Elley Mae]

Great, they took an experienced driver off another route, and will now put a noob driver on that route. Problem solved.

I take it to mean with bus 366 crashed the new bus #357 will now do that route.

 

[KaaBoom]

I take it to mean with bus 366 crashed the new bus #357 will now do that route.

Yes, with an experienced driver. Which is great for those students. But means that another route will now be driven by an inexperienced driver. Playing musical bus drivers. Which students are lucky enough to get the competent bus driver?

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Yes, with an experienced driver. Which is great for those students. But means that another route will now be driven by an inexperienced driver. Playing musical bus drivers. Which students are lucky enough to get the competent bus driver?

What a terrifying situation for all concerned. Just out of interest, do most children get to school by bus? Or do parents take them? Can many kids walk to their local school?

 

[K_Z]

What a terrifying situation for all concerned. Just out of interest, do most children get to school by bus? Or do parents take them? Can many kids walk to their local school?

That's not an easy question to answer. The school official said there are 200 drivers for this district, so I'm assuming it's a large district with kids living some distance from the school. Perhaps highway driving is necessary.

In the U.S., kids get to school many different ways, depending on the size of their district, urban vs rural, how far away they live, whether there is a very busy highway or road to cross, whether or not public transportation is available, parent's schedules, whether the family has a car, etc. In general, public schools are required to provide transportation to and from school. For many districts, dedicated school buses are used. In others, kids are provided with a low cost, or no cost, public bus pass.

Special education kids with serious disabilities are provided specialized transportation with trained attendants, most of the time separate from regular school buses (for children in wheel chairs or other mobility issues, or emotional/ behavioral/ intellectual disabilities).

Depending on the availability and willingness of parents, walkers often have what is called a "walking school bus", where parents escort a group of young students for safety. Districts decide which zones (and sometimes age groups) will and will not receive bus services, and which are "walkers". Walkers can ride bicycles in some districts. For example, one neighborhood in my area has bus service for elementary students, but the same area requires middle and high schoolers to be walkers (or find another way to get to school). For many high schoolers over age 16, a car is a longed-for luxury/ rite of passage, and if they or a close friend has one, they often want to drive to school. (And pay to park!)

Parents can always drive their kids and drop them off, but most schools nowadays have very regimented pick up and drop off locations and procedures, due to modern school security measures. Cars are not generally allowed to drop off kids in the same area as the buses. In my district, parents cannot enter the school to walk their child to class unless they have prior permission and a pass pre-issued from the office.The beginning and end of the school day has been identified as a vulnerable time when kids could be abducted, or unauthorized people could get inside, or teachers distracted by talking to parents, so many districts in our area prohibit parents from coming inside without pre-planning.

 

[Elley Mae]

Yes, with an experienced driver. Which is great for those students. But means that another route will now be driven by an inexperienced driver. Playing musical bus drivers. Which students are lucky enough to get the competent bus driver?

Most have substitute drivers, if not all. If the regular driver isn't available they have subs fill in. I have never heard that kids on a bus route not come to school because the bus driver couldn't make it in that. Jmo

 

[K_Z]

Yes, with an experienced driver. Which is great for those students. But means that another route will now be driven by an inexperienced driver. Playing musical bus drivers. Which students are lucky enough to get the competent bus driver?

IMO, the official emphasized "experienced" driver so as to allay anxieties that the bus company had to hurry up and hire a new driver for that route. I'm guessing that not all of the drivers drive every day- some perhaps just a few days a week, so juggling the schedule does not necessarily mean another route will be assigned an "inexperienced" driver. The bus company might put out an offer/ request for their current part time drivers to pick up another route, and some might be interested in picking up extra hours.

All students should be lucky enough to get a competent driver. Which is why it's so infuriating that a driver like Walker, with so many serious issues, was continued in his job. But as I said in an earlier post, driving a school bus is not a highly paid position, has awkward hours, requires extraordinary patience and judgement, and so there is not always a robust pool of highly qualified, mature, and responsible applicants capable and willing to do the job well.

Sometimes I think that if a candidate has a CDL and passes the drug and background check, that's about all they look for.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

In my local school district, bus drivers do multiple routes, i.e. high school pickup/drop-off early followed by elementary or middle school route later in the morning. Elementary school start times vary depending on bus routes with buildings alternating early or late schedules so bus drivers can do more than one route each day, morning and afternoon. The school district is fairly compact with four elementary (K-4) buildings, an upper elementary/middle school campus (5-6 and 7-8) and one high school (9-12).

 

[K_Z]

In my local school district, bus drivers do multiple routes, i.e. high school pickup/drop-off early followed by elementary or middle school route later in the morning. Elementary school start times vary depending on bus routes with buildings alternating early or late schedules so bus drivers can do more than one route each day, morning and afternoon. The school district is fairly compact with four elementary (K-4) buildings, an upper elementary/middle school campus (5-6 and 7-8) and one high school (9-12).

Yes, BDE-- same in our area. There is a different driver for the elementary route in our neighborhood, than for the middle/ high school route.

I'll add-- our home is less than 5 miles from the school, but kids in our neighborhood are on the bus for 50 min to get to school. The routes are loooong, with lots of stops.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Has there been any report about how much and what type of training Mr. Walker had prior to driving the elementary school children? In my local school district, all bus drivers start driving their respective routes in late August prior to the school year commencing. Even experienced drivers participate in the route training so they know where they will pick up and drop off students along their respective routes.

 

[K_Z]

I haven't heard any training discussed. But IIRC, an article said JW received his CDL in April, so unless he drove over the summer, this would have been his first school year driving. So maybe 3- 3 1/2 months total?

Walker received his commercial driver's license in April, the NTSB said.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/29/us/johnthony-walker-school-bus-driver/

 

[gregjrichards]

From your link, attaching handwritten notes from students prior to the accident. (It will post below my text)

http://newschannel9.com/news/local/...over-records-of-complaint-in-school-bus-crash
The records reveal that school administrators, parents, and even students lodged various written and verbal complaints against Walker. Allegations of speeding, reckless driving , arguments with students and school administrators litter the document

show that Principal Cothran followed protocol as she forwarded complaints against Johnthony Walker to Hamilton County Director of Transportation Benjamin Coulter. Coulter was then responsible for notifying Durham School Services of the complaints. Jill Levine told us that "once we get a complaint to Durham, we expect that they're going to handle the complaint, manage the complaint, and fix whatever the situation is."
- - -
Linked to documents of complaints; it may take a little while for the document to open near the top of the article. http://newschannel9.com/news/local/complaints-about-johnthony-walkers-driving-released-by-hamilton-county

document can also be found at: https://www.scribd.com/mobile/document/332469835/Hamilton-County-Johnthony-Walker-Records-1#from_embed
Or at: https://www.scribd.com/mobile/docum...ohnthony-Walker-Records-1?skip_app_promo=true


http://newschannel9.com/news/local/complaints-about-johnthony-walkers-driving-released-by-hamilton-county
Records released by the school district Friday include two written statements by students complaining about Walker's driving.
"The bus driver drives fast," one student wrote earlier this month. "It feels like the bus is going to flip over... When someone is in the aisle he stops the bus and he makes people hit their heads."
Another student wrote: "The bus driver was doing sharp turns and he made me fly over to the next seat. We need seat belts."
On Nov. 16, Adamson-Cothran wrote to Coulter to tell him six students had reported that the driver "was swerving and purposely trying to cause them to fall today." [Woodmore Principal Brenda Adamson-Cothran] [school district's transportation supervisor, Benjamin Coulter]

Coulter, the school district's transportation supervisor, said in a Nov. 2 email to Durham manager Domenic D'Amico that the Woodmore principal had to intervene several times when Walker was arguing with students.

http://newschannel9.com/news/local/...over-records-of-complaint-in-school-bus-crash

The records reveal that school administrators, parents, and even students lodged various written and verbal complaints against Walker. Allegations of speeding, reckless driving , arguments with students and school administrators litter the documents

The records released to NewsChannel 9 show that Principal Cothran followed protocol as she forwarded complaints against Johnthony Walker to Hamilton County Director of Transportation Benjamin Coulter. Coulter was then responsible for notifying Durham School Services of the complaints. Jill Levine told us that "once we get a complaint to Durham, we expect that they're going to handle the complaint, manage the complaint, and fix whatever the situation is."

What an unmitigated disaster all the parents especially the ones burying their children must be absolutely incensed that this bus driver was allowed to continue driving. He should not have had a driving license at all never mind be driving a school bus full of children.

There were numerous warning signs that this was a tragedy waiting to happen alarm bells should have been going off at the school and at the bus company but nothing was done. I really can't see how they will be able to defend the countless lawsuits that will be filed against them.

 

[K_Z]

The 24-year-old man who faces six counts of vehicular homicide in connection with the fatal bus crash on Talley Road has hired a private attorney and will return to court in two weeks.

Johnthony Walker made his first appearance today in Hamilton County General Sessions Court beside defense attorney Amanda Dunn. Per agreement with District Attorney General Neal Pinkston, his preliminary hearing was delayed until Dec. 15.

At his next court date, Walker can call witnesses and test the state's evidence. After listening to the proof, General Sessions Court Judge Lila Statom will then decide whether there's enough "probable cause" to send his charges to the grand jury.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...driver-woodmore-crash-hearing-delayed/400222/

Johnthony Walker, the driver in the deadly bus accident on Nov. 21, which killed six elementary school students, made his first court appearance in Judge Lila Statom's courtroom.

His attorney Amanda Dunn requested that the preliminary hearing be rescheduled. Judge Statom rescheduled it to Dec. 15. At that time she will decide if there is enough evidence to bind him over to the Grand Jury.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2016/11/29/337028/Johnthony-Walker-Appears-In-Court.aspx

Pics at link from court appearance today.

The attorney for the driver in a deadly Chattanooga school bus crash said her client will likely plead not guilty.

Johnthony Walker, 24 is charged with five counts of vehicular homicide. Police say another count will be added.

Meanwhile, surviving students at Woodmore Elementary School returned to school on Monday.

Hamilton County school officials held a news conference Monday, but made very little mention of Walker.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/33810678/driver-in-deadly-school-bus-crash-will-likely-plead-not-guilty

 

[Hoosgirl]

Apparently Durham doesn't even do the bare minimum when it comes to criminal history:

But Durham records show the company hired another driver in Hamilton County who was deemed "ineligible" for the job after his criminal record turned up in a background check.

Alexander Rodriguez, 35, passed several phases of a rigorous application process in the fall of 2013, but a background check found prior convictions for gun and drug charges. The background check company deemed him "ineligible for hire," records show.

Applicants are "ineligible" if they have one or more felony or misdemeanor convictions in the last 10 years involving violence, weapons, controlled substances, sex crimes or burglary, according to a record from National Express LLC, Durham's parent company. During his application process, Rodriguez was not yet 10 years removed from the 2004 charges. Durham chose to hire him anyway.

Then in 2015, he was arrested and charged with raping a 15-year-old student-passenger in a Super 8 Hotel room. He was employed by Durham at the time.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...ils-emerge-history-bus-driver-company/399336/

 

[Spellbound]

What an unmitigated disaster all the parents especially the ones burying their children must be absolutely incensed that this bus driver was allowed to continue driving. He should not have had a driving license at all never mind be driving a school bus full of children.

There were numerous warning signs that this was a tragedy waiting to happen alarm bells should have been going off at the school and at the bus company but nothing was done. I really can't see how they will be able to defend the countless lawsuits that will be filed against them.

BBM
It seems there were enough reports from school personnel, parents, and students for alarm bells at the school. if they actually did turn in reports to the bus service, it seems the blunt of the fault lies there. JMO, of course. Makes me wonder just how much authority a school system has over the bus service they hire, and who has the last work on whether a driver is deficient or should be fired.

 

[FindHG]

Apparently Durham doesn't even do the bare minimum when it comes to criminal history:



http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...ils-emerge-history-bus-driver-company/399336/

Hoosgirl, it seems like school buses and transporting kids exist in some kind of twilight zone, given the liability's can be brushed off to outside contractors, that often enough declare bankruptcy upon calamity and re-brand. I'm generalizing, but there's such a gaggle of controversy always and so many who bloviate about what and how kids get to learn, see, hear, say even, testing this and that, but practical things like their lives on the way school or just isn't a sexy enough topic, not in any special interest's bailiwick or profitable for any consistent advocacy. On the way to sports, field trips, events, there are adults, teachers, coaches, parents always present, required by law often, why leave kids alone with bus drivers on the way back and forth to school?

 

[Tulessa]

One arrested, eight injured after Hazard school bus crash. Hazard Kentucky.


http://www.wymt.com/content/news/Hazard-school-bus-crash--403755946.html?refresh

 

[FindHG]

One arrested, eight injured after Hazard school bus crash. Hazard Kentucky.


http://www.wymt.com/content/news/Hazard-school-bus-crash--403755946.html?refresh

That's how many since the school year began?

 

[Tulessa]

Too many HG.

 

[Spellbound]

Apparently Durham doesn't even do the bare minimum when it comes to criminal history:



http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...ils-emerge-history-bus-driver-company/399336/

I see from your article that Walker was not even cited for the side-swipe crash in September.

Elisa Myzal, a spokeswoman for the Chattanooga Police Department, said officers usually don't cite bus drivers for crashes like that, when the vehicle crosses the center line. The bus is big, and there were no major injuries, and neither vehicle was damaged severely.
"It's almost impossible for them to stay on the line," she said. " [Walker] is listed at fault, and we let the insurance companies play it out from there."

 

[gregjrichards]

"A Tennessee bus company had reportedly been informed about a bus driver's dangerous driving and behavior just days before a fatal crash that killed six children.

Durham School Services, which operates Hamilton County Schools' buses, was warned twice about complaints against driver Johnthony Walker, the district said.

A school district official had last spoken to bus company personnel about the complaints three days before the deadly November 21 crash involving children from Woodmore Elementary School in Chattanooga, according to the AJC.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...atal-crash-district-claims.html#ixzz4RYZUTQex