Following fatal school bus crash, Boston launches independent investigation into transportation safety

Boston Globe

23-05-2025

Advertisement
The investigation will review safety policies and performance under the contracts with Transdev, a French transit company that has provided
The driver who was behind the wheel of the bus that killed Joseph,
Related
:
Since the crash, Transdev conducted an audit of its drivers' credentials, and 'out of an abundance of caution,' pulled an additional seven drivers off the road until it was determined their credentials were current, the statement said.
Advertisement
The statement also revealed that Charles, the driver who was behind the wheel of the bus that killed Lens, had been pulled off the road by Transdev for two days for retraining less than two weeks prior to the deadly Hyde Park crash.
Charles was involved in four 'minor incidents' with other vehicles — hitting a parked car, a rear tire, a bumper, and a side mirror — over the past year, including two in April, according to the statement.
The new revelations in the school bus investigation come after the Globe reported the bus driver
Related
:
Following the crash that killed Lens Joseph, Charles attempted to 'take off' from the scene, but was blocked by another vehicle, according to recordings of Boston police radio calls reviewed by the Globe.
Attorney
Wu, in the statement announcing the investigation, mourned the death of Lens, who arrived in the US with family members in 2023 from Haiti. According to Wu, Tidwell's investigation will 'closely scrutinize the Transdev contract's safety policies and performance,' and be separate from the one already underway by police and the district attorney's office.
Tidwell will also deliver recommendations so the tragedy is never repeated, Wu said.
'We are heartbroken,' Wu said in the statement. 'No family should ever suffer the loss of a child, and the public deserves a full understanding of how this could have happened and what changes are needed.'
Advertisement
Skipper, in the same statement, said her team at BPS fully supports the independent investigation of safety policies and performance under the Transdev contract.
'The safety of all of our students is paramount and we will ensure that any findings and recommendations from this investigation are acted on and implemented to strengthen the safety of our transportation system and the services provided by our vendor Transdev,' Skipper said.
'We are holding Lens Joseph and his family in our prayers and are doing everything we can to support them during this unthinkable time,' Skipper said.
Related
:
The independent investigation will begin as BPS continues to strengthen safety protocols, the statement said. BPS has increased the frequency of regular meetings with
There are approximately 400 'incidents' per year involving a BPS school bus, generally one or two per day across the fleet, the statement said. Most of those crashes involve minimal damage.
Transdev notified Charles to renew his school bus certificate, but he did not, officials have said. The certificate is one of the credentials a school bus driver needs in order to operate a bus in Massachusetts. Drivers also need a commercial driver's license, along with a passenger endorsement for their license, and a school bus certificate. They also must pass a criminal background check and complete up to 60 hours of pre-service training from a certified instructor.
After the company learned that Charles was driving with an expired school bus certificate, Transdev conducted an 'immediate audit' of all drivers to ensure appropriate and valid credentials, the statement said.
Advertisement
The company is also bringing in additional safety staff to accelerate regular refresher training of all drivers on pickup, drop-off, and crash protocols, the statement said.
'As part of regular safety meetings, BPS Transportation will now require additional reports from Transdev on licensure, training renewals, and post-crash driver protocols,' the statement said.
Officials said Charles struck one car in Mattapan, spoke to that driver, but left the scene without reporting the crash to a safety officer at the Freeport bus yard.
Last week, officials said Charles appeared to have made 'unclear statements' to witnesses that suggested he needed to finish his bus route.
Officials said Charles underwent drug and alcohol testing, and no sign was found immediately after the Hyde Park crash.
Lens's death 'could have been, and should have been, completely avoided,' attorneys for his family have told the Globe.
'We are dedicated to pursuing justice for the families involved,' said attorneys Matthew Fogelman and Alan Klevan. 'We are also dedicated to making changes to any policies and procedures to ensure that something as senseless as this never happens again.'
Since moving to the US, Lens and his family lived in Hyde Park, according to his family. He dreamed of becoming a police officer, they said.
His
A mourner wears a pin honoring 5-year-old Lens Joseph during his funeral at Mount of Olives Evangelical Baptist Church in the Hyde Park on Saturday.
Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff
In the United States, Transdev operates public transportation services in 46 states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with about 32,000 employees (about a third of its global workforce), according to the company.
The company has been contracted by BPS for 12 years to maintain the district's fleet of about 740 buses, manage three bus yards, and hire and manage school bus drivers, according to the district. The company employs about 1,000 staffers in Boston, including about 750 bus drivers, BPS has reported.
Advertisement
On Thursday, Transdev released its first public statement since the Hyde Park crash. The company declined comment on the ongoing investigation, and said it was cooperating with authorities.
'This was a truly tragic accident and Transdev is fully cooperating with BPS and the relevant authorities in their investigations. Our number one priority is to continue providing safe and reliable bus services for the children attending Boston Public Schools,' the company said.
'In relation to any investigation of the driver, we are not at liberty to comment on an active police investigation. Transdev mourns the death of Lens Arthur Joseph and expresses its heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time,' according to the statement.
Follow him on Bluesky at iamjohnhilliard.bsky.social. He can also be reached on Signal at john_hilliard.70 or email him at