SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Transit Authority completed an independent review of its investigation into a double-decker bus accident that struck a railroad viaduct on Cedar Street in January, revealing gaps in issue tracking but confirming the investigation met federal standards.
The bus struck the viaduct above Cedar Street between First and Second Avenues on January 18, 2026. STA reopened the investigation and commissioned a third-party review after initially sharing findings in March.
According to the independent review, Reese Safety Management, LLC confirmed STA’s investigation was consistent with federal requirements and contained no deficiencies. The reopened investigation identified two key issues: gaps in tracking reported issues to dispatchers and an off-route alert configuration problem that prevented automated notifications, according to STA.
“We thank the community for their patience while the independent review was completed,” said STA CEO Karl Otterstrom. “We are actively implementing the suggestions as outlined in the Corrective Action Plan.”
According to STA, the agency will implement mandatory operator training, safety stop procedures at the downtown viaduct, geofenced dispatch alerts, software validation procedures, and a tracking process for technology issues.
The agency’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan is now available at spokanetransit.com. The damaged bus remains out of service, with repair expected to take several months.
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