The National Association for Pupil Transportation and the National School Transportation Association issued the following joint statement in response to the death of five students and injuries to another 23, with six remaining in critical condition:
On Monday, November 21, 2016, five children were killed in a school bus crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Board of Directors and members of the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) and of the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the children whose lives were lost and those children who were injured. We also extend our deepest sympathy to residents of Tennessee in general, Chattanooga in particular, and especially the friends and schoolmates of these children.
The loss of even one life has a devastating impact on the professional women and men in school transportation who dedicate everything we do to keeping our nation’s children safe.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has now joined state and local law enforcement in the investigation of this crash. We therefore respectfully refrain from comment until they complete their work.
Members of the media seeking information or opinions about school bus safety should direct questions to federal officials in Washington, D.C., to their state director of pupil transportation or to federal, state and local officials in Tennessee.
Again, NAPT and NSTA mourn the loss of life in Chattanooga and we call on all in school transportation to send positive energy, thoughts and prayers to the people involved.”
NAPT represents public school officials engaged in student transportation services across the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. NSTA represents private companies that provide contracted school bus and school transportation services to school districts and other educational organizations.
