Metro News Release
For immediate release: October 10, 2008
Metro fires bus driver after fatal accident
Transit agency increases bus safety training and enforcement
Metro has fired the bus operator involved in last month’s fatal accident with a taxi van after the transit agency’s preliminary investigation determined that the operator violated several of Metro’s safe driving procedures.
The operator, who had been employed at Metro since March and had been driving a bus since May, was on paid administrative leave since the September 26 accident until his dismissal today.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the accident in which a Metrobus was enroute to a garage when it hit a taxi van about 8:15 p.m. at the intersection of Virginia Avenue and 19th Street in Northwest Washington. A passenger in the taxi died and five others were injured, including the drivers of both vehicles.
Since the accident, Metro managers have stiffened penalties for safety violators and are looking at ways to beef up bus operator training.
“This was a very unfortunate and tragic accident. We’re committed to doing everything possible to help prevent another loss of life,” said Metro Deputy General Manager Gerald Francis.
Until recently, Metro’s safety record had improved with no bus-related fatalities in nearly a year. The transit authority’s preventable bus accident rate had dropped 31 percent in July and August compared to the same period last year.
Metro is conducting an internal investigation and will recommend improvements to help prevent a similar accident.
In the meantime, managers have announced several steps to improve safety. Metro has stiffened the penalties for operators violating traffic infractions, lowering the number of violations needed for dismissal. The transit agency is reinforcing the idea that bus drivers report hazardous road conditions, such as blocked street signs; obey all traffic laws and conduct routine safety inspections of their buses. Officials also are reaching out to area transportation departments when Metro personnel report road hazards, such as tree limbs obstructing traffic signals.
Managers are looking at other ways to randomly monitor operator performance.
“We are exploring using Automatic Vehicle Locators or GPS devices, in new ways to help us train drivers and monitor buses,” Francis said.
News release issued at 3:18 pm, October 10, 2008.