Driver had expired certificate at time of fatal Boston school bus crash, officials say
The man driving a school bus that struck and killed a 5-year-old boy in Boston late last month had an expired school bus certificate at the time of the collision and has since resigned, Boston Public Schools confirmed Thursday afternoon.
Lens Arthur Joseph, 5, was struck by a Boston Public Schools bus near 107 Washington St. at around 2:44 p.m. on April 28. The child died later at a hospital that day.
Jean Charles, the bus driver, has been employed by Transdev, the company contracted to provide transportation for Boston Public Schools, since May 2023. Charles resigned on Wednesday, immediately before a termination hearing. He was placed on leave after the crash.
An investigation into the collision by the Suffolk County District Attorney's office and Boston police is ongoing. Charles has not been charged with a crime.
After striking Joseph, who was crossing the street in front of the bus with his 11-year-old cousin, WCVB reported, the bus driver tried to flee the scene, according to police radio calls obtained by The Boston Globe.
Transdev is responsible for hiring, training and employing bus drivers, as well as for making sure they have the required licensing, training and certification, the school district said. It was only after the collision that killed Joseph that Boston Public Schools learned Charles' school bus certificate had expired.
At the time of the crash, Charles had the 'necessary qualifications' to renew his school bus certificate and Transdev told him to renew it. Boston Public Schools said it does not 'independently duplicate the license verification process that Transdev performs for its employees.'
In the wake of the crash, Boston Public Schools and Transdev have added safety leadership to daily operations leadership meetings to 'report on all safety incidents.' The company has brought additional safety staff to Boston and are 'accelerating the regular refresher training for all drivers on pickup, drop off and accident protocols.'
'We are committed to providing a full accounting of what happened and learning from this tragedy to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again,' the district said in a statement.
A Boston Public Schools spokesperson called Joseph's death a 'horrible tragedy that no family should have to endure.'
The city and the district have been working to support Joseph's family and the school community, the spokesperson said.
'We mourn the death of Lens Joseph and grieve with his family at this terrible time,' the spokesperson continued.
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