Independent review of Boston Public Schools bus contractor reveals safety failures

BOSTON — An independent review spurred by the death of a 5-year-old boy revealed that the bus contractor for Boston Public Schools failed to properly track accidents and verify driver credentials, officials announced Thursday.

The investigation of Transdev’s practices, which was launched after the tragic death of 5-year-old Lens Arthur Joseph in the city’s Hyde Park section, highlighted significant oversights in the management of transportation safety by both Transdev and Boston school administrators.

Joseph, a kindergarten student, was hit and killed by a Boston school bus that had just dropped him off from school on April 28.

Attorney Natashia Tidwell led the review and found that Boston school administrators didn’t inspect accident and training records until after the incident involving Joseph’s death.

The driver involved in the fatal crash, Jean Charles, should not have been operating the bus that day, according to the findings. It was revealed that Charles was operating the bus with an expired school bus certificate at the time of the accident.

The incident involving Joseph has led to a lawsuit filed by his family against Transdev and Charles, citing emotional distress.

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Boston Mayor Michelle Wu stated that the city will adopt all safety recommendations from the review.

“The driver involved on April 28 should not have been on the road,” Wu said. “We’re also going to work with Transdev and our bus drivers’ union to consider safety reforms that need to be included in the bus drivers’ contracts... And we’re going to hold Trandev accountable.”

As students prepare to return to school, the city is working with Transdev to implement safety reforms and ensure accountability, marking the beginning of ongoing changes to improve transportation safety, according to Wu.

“This report is only the starting point for continued changes,” added.

City Councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn are scheduled to hold a hearing on Thursday afternoon on the certification process for bus drivers in Roxbury, aiming to address these safety concerns.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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