Report points to BPS transportation safety changes after death of 5-year-old hit by bus

Four months after -year-old Lens Joseph was hit and killed by a school bus outside his Hyde Park home BPS administrators are looking to address broad safety issues in the bus system identified in an independent review as the school year kicks off city and district executives informed Thursday As students head back we have thousands of families who are placing their trust in us explained Mayor Michelle Wu They re counting on us to help make sure their kids learn grow and get exposed to every opportunity workable in the city but the majority of all they re counting on us to ensure their children are safe That is our highest charge and our most of serious responsibility So in current times we honor Lens s memory by reflecting on what s been learned and committing to action On April Up Academy kindergartener Lens Arthur Joseph was transiting the road having been dropped on the wrong side of the street by a substitute driver to his Hyde Park home when his school bus fatally hit him The tragic affair raised a litany of issues at play including the driver s expired certification another accident along and deviation from the journey that day safety features of the bus and more The document disclosed Thursday which was commissioned by the city from Mintz Attorney Natashia Tidwell details recommendation for transportation oversight and safety measures in the aftermath of Lens s death The recommended changes implemented city representatives announced include unannounced spot checks of driver certificates additional full-time safety trainers city oversight of Transdev s event and other records and more BPS bus transportation is provided by the contractor Transdev which independently hires and employs drivers The city renewed a five-year contract with Transdev in The Boston City Council also held a hearing on BPS transportation safety issues Thursday which the Joseph family attended examining the analysis along with a wide array of issues A second review by the Suffolk County DA s office and police is still ongoing which Wu reported she believes will focus on accountability and prospective charges BPS Transportation Director Dan Rosengard also revealed Thursday the driver Jean Charles had four minor accidents during his two years with Transdev two of which were deemed preventable and two deemed non-preventable Charles received required post-accident retraining for each of the accidents Rosengard explained noting we await the findings of the district attorney s review One of the driver s three required certificates was expired in April city and BPS officers reported previously though he had necessary qualifications to renew the certificate and had been notified The family filed a lawsuit against Transdev and Charles in July alleging the parties were negligent and inflicted emotional distress The driver involved on April should not have been on the road that day commented Wu The commissioned attorney Tidwell presented her findings to the City Council during the hearing on Thursday One Transdev fails to maintain responsible record keeping practices announced Mintz Two Transdev s driver training files are incomplete and unreliable Three Transdev lacks reliable data-driven evidence of the impact of its training and coaching programs on accident reduction And four neither Transdev nor BPS has implemented meaningful or sustained auditing and oversight mechanisms The description states a internal audit notified BPS of issues broadly matching the key issues with driver and accident information Transdev executives also spoke before the Council current down training record keeping and other protocols and the changes since April Since Lens s death BPS and Transdev agents disclosed several changes were made including an audit of all drivers up-to-date licenses and certifications Transdev bureaucrats stated they identified no other drivers with expired credentials in the initial audit No driver will be allowed to drive without hard copies of developing required documents authorities reported Changes that will be permanent include a daily meeting between Transdev and BPS teams to review all accidents or safety incidents from the prior day and the follow-up procedures an increase of the number of full-time safety trainers from to and new training standards More recommendations in the summary will also be implemented including Transdev providing a full up-to-date driver roster with credential information unannounced visits to bus yards to audit credential and more BPS personnel also stated they are working to amend the collective bargaining agreement with Transdev and the Boston School Bus Drivers Union to implement safety recommendations Related Articles Rachel Skerritt appointed to serve on Boston School Committee Boston School Committee seat open for applications Family of -year-old killed by BPS bus sues driver transportation company Save the Dever Honor the legacy Boston should never forget BPS not planning to lay off staff impacted by federal funding freeze superintendent says Several city councilors expressed frustration with the district and Transdev s role in safety oversights and missteps at issue Thursday and questioned why BPS continued to contract with the company Constituents say they re spending an exorbitant amount of money to get their students to school because they can t trust Transdev they can t trust BPS mentioned Councilor Sharon Durkan And if Transdev doesn t come to the plate and definitely deliver not only make it safe but make it work for our constituents you have no right to this contract again Councilors also cited a second accident in December in which a -year-old was hit by a school bus in Jamaica Plain and suffered a broken leg and other injuries Councilor Ed Flynn declared he believes the state should oversee BPS transportation I don t have confidence going into this school year that we have a good plan Flynn declared I don t have any confidence at all in Transdev none whatsoever I think this company is out of touch not engaged They don t take their responsibilities seriously and I don t think Boston Society School system holds them accountable either Tidwell reported she is confident that an accident won t happen again like this adding that she is accountable to ensure the overview s recommendations are put in place and stay in place Petitioned if she d spoken to the family about the overview Wu nodded and declared she will dependably be connected to the Joseph family I m inspired by the incredible strength of the family who have announced they are seeking justice for what happened and they are determined that this will never happen again to another family Wu mentioned We will unfailingly make sure as a superintendent explained Lens s life continues to have an impact