SPOKANE — Spokane Transit Authority pulled all double-decker buses from service after one crashed into a viaduct in downtown Spokane, sending seven people to the hospital.
The double-decker bus rammed into a viaduct on South Cedar Street. The viaduct has a 12-foot clearance while STA’s double-decker buses stand at 13.5 feet tall. The top deck was completely smashed.
Nine passengers were on the bus at the time of the crash. Five sat on the upper deck and four sat on the lower deck. Seven were sent to the hospital.
STA confirmed the driver was off route when the crash happened. The driver has been with STA for four and a half years, but their identity cannot be shared.
James McShane, a longtime public transit user, suffered some of the worst injuries. He was sitting in the ADA-compliant seats on the bottom level. McShane’s injuries are on his face, which his wife says makes it difficult for him to speak.
STA is temporarily taking their fleet of double-decker buses out of commission until they can ensure something like this will never happen again.
“They are parked in the garage today and they will remain so for several days until, we assess and make any immediate protocol changes,” said Karl Otterstrom, Spokane Transit Authority CEO.
STA is investigating what took the bus off route and looking into its safety technology.
“The systems are set to report to dispatch when that bus is off route. So that’s part of the investigation is understanding the, what triggers came into play and what what didn’t happen,” Otterstrom said.
The CEO is also examining the driver’s actions and the safety systems in place.
“We’re still investigating both the actions and actions of the operator, the safety systems in place and the technology, in place to to prevent this from happening again,” Otterstrom said.
Otterstrom acknowledged the incident may concern riders.
“I think every time we have an incident in any kind, it always makes people pause. And we we appreciate everyone’s understanding and, their willingness to, to ride the bus and just any concerns they may have. Let us know,” he said.
While STA operates without their double-decker buses, public transit users should expect routes may be more crowded in the coming days.
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