A Montgomery County Public Schools bus driver cited in connection with crash last fall that killed an 11-year-old bicyclist has paid a fine rather than proceed to trial, reported WUSA 9.
According to the news report, Ivan Rivas, 55, accepted a negligent driving charge Thursday and agreed to pay a $390 fine. The disposition also adds three points to his driver’s license. Rivas had been scheduled for a nonjury trial.
The charge reportedly accused Rivas of driving in a careless and imprudent manner that endangered property, life and people. It was filed in February following the death of Summer Lim, a student at Earle B. Wood Middle School.
Summer was reportedly riding her bicycle on a sidewalk shortly before 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 9. As she attempted to cross the road, the school bus driven by Rivas was already turning through the intersection.
Investigators determined that both Rivas and Summer each contributed to the circumstances that led to the crash. Officials said Summer entered the crosswalk after the bus had begun moving through it.
Rivas reportedly stopped after the collision but then traveled nearly 30 additional feet before bringing the bus to a complete stop. Summer was found near the rear of the bus.
Police said Rivas had driven the same school bus route for more than 15 years before the fatal crash. Information about his current employment status with Montgomery County Public Schools was not provided. No additional charges against Rivas were reported.
A longtime mechanic was killed after the school bus he was repairing rolled and crushed him inside a Westmoreland County bus garage, reported CBS News.
According to the news report, Barry Barker was working on a school bus at the Lodestar Bus Lines garage in New Florence Borough when the incident occurred July 2 at approximately 9:30 a.m.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Steve Limani said emergency responders were dispatched around 9:35 a.m. after an employee reported the unresponsive mechanic inside the garage.
“An employee at a bus garage … said they had a mechanic that was lying inside the garage, that [he] was unresponsive, and it appears he may have had an incident where a bus drove over him,” Limani said.
Investigators reportedly said Barker had been repairing a school bus that was experiencing brake problems. Police located cutting tools near Barker that appeared to have been used during the repair, though investigators have not yet determined exactly what caused the bus to begin moving.
The bus reportedly rolled over Barker before slowly traveling across 13th Street and coming to rest in a nearby yard. Authorities said the incident appears to have been accidental.
“It just seems like a horrific tragedy and a pure accident,” Limani said via the article. “From my understanding, he has been a mechanic for quite a long time, and he has been at that garage for an extended period of time.” He added that investigators currently have no reason to believe foul play or any criminal activity was involved.
The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office identified Barker and said the cause and manner of death remain pending following an autopsy and toxicology testing. State police continue to investigate how the school bus began moving while Barker was working underneath it.
A 7-year-old girl was fatally struck by a school bus July 8 while crossing a street in Monsey, New York.
Officers responded at approximately 9 a.m. to a report of a child struck by a school bus in front of 182 Blauvelt Road. The girl, a Monsey resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released her identity. But the Monsey Scoop reported the girl’s name as Blima Weber.
According to a police news release, the bus was being operated by a 28-year-old Monsey resident and was a full-size yellow school bus operated by Yeshiva Viznitz. The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Police said the driver was screened for alcohol and drugs and showed no signs of impairment. Preliminary findings also indicate speed was not a contributing factor in the crash. No criminal charges are pending against the driver at this time, though the investigation remains active.
The Town of Ramapo Police Department’s Crash Investigation Unit is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision.
This marks the fourth student fatality involving a school bus in New York during the 2025–2026 school year, according to School Transportation News data
Authorities have not said whether the bus was transporting students at the time of the collision, how many passengers may have been aboard, or whether it was actively loading or unloading students. Police have not released information about whether onboard camera footage is being reviewed. STN requested more information but received no response at the time of this report.
A Maryland man has been convicted of criminally negligent manslaughter in a 2024 distracted driving crash that forced a teenager’s vehicle into the path of a school bus, killing one and injuring another, reported CBS News.
John Anthony Gaeta, 40, was found guilty following a trial in Harford County Circuit Court. Prosecutors said via the article that evidence showed Gaeta was distracted and failed to take any action to avoid the Sept. 18, 2024, collision that led to the death of 16-year-old Blake Elliot.
According to the news report, 17-year-old Zachary Griffin had stopped on northbound Route 543 to make a left turn onto Crescent Knoll Drive, when Gaeta’s vehicle struck the rear of Griffin’s car. The impact forced Griffin’s vehicle into the southbound lanes, where it was struck by an oncoming school bus.
Griffin reportedly suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he spent 11 days recovering. Elliot, who was riding in the passenger seat, was transported by ambulance to University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health but died shortly after arriving.
Investigators with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team determined that Gaeta never applied his brakes before the collision. A forensic examination of his vehicle’s airbag control module reportedly showed that during the five seconds before impact, he neither braked nor attempted to steer away.
Prosecutors said via the report that the data indicated Gaeta traveled approximately 371 feet while slowing only from 53 mph to 47 mph. Investigators also found his cellphone was unlocked and illuminated at the time of the crash. According to evidence presented at trial, Gaeta had been using several mobile applications, including Her A.I., Instagram and Chess.com, during his drive until about 38 seconds before the collision.
“Distracted driving, especially with the continuing evolution of technology in our society, is incredibly dangerous,” Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healey said via the news report. “When the evidence of an investigation of a collision demonstrates the significant amount of negligence and distraction in which this Defendant engaged and a life is taken, those offenders will be held accountable in Harford County because that is a choice to put our community at risk, and it will not be tolerated.”
Healey also called for tougher penalties in distracted driving cases resulting in death, saying current Maryland law does not provide sufficient sanctions or adequately distinguish felony and misdemeanor offenses.
Gaeta faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 17.
In one of my earlier articles comparing pupil transportation in the U.S. and India, I discussed the significant differences in how children travel to school. While America relies heavily on structured school bus systems, India often depends on a patchwork of transportation solutions. Both nations ultimately share the same goal: Ensuring children arrive at school safely.
Unfortunately, a recent tragedy in the Indian state of Kerala serves as a stark reminder that transportation safety extends far beyond the vehicle itself.
In June, a 36-year-old mother was killed by a wild elephant while walking her two children to their school bus stop in the village of Chinnakkanal. Heavy rain and dense fog reportedly reduced visibility as the family encountered a female elephant and her calf. The elephant attacked, killing the mother and seriously injuring her son before emergency responders could intervene. The daughter escaped unharmed. Local officials later reported that multiple elephant herds were active in the area, and that wildlife alerts had been issued earlier that day.
For U.S. transportation professionals, the idea of a child facing a fatal wildlife encounter on the way to a bus stop may seem unimaginable. Yet this tragedy highlights an important truth: Pupil transportation safety begins long before a student steps onto a bus.
In the U.S., student transportation discussions often focus on vehicle design, driver training, student behavior, stop-arm violations, and traffic crashes. These are legitimate concerns, and considerable resources have been invested to reduce these risks. However, many transportation departments also recognize the importance of what occurs between a student’s front door and the bus stop.
Rural communities in Alaska contend with extreme weather conditions and encounters with moose or bears. Students in parts of the Southwest may walk through desert environments where heat exposure becomes a concern along with venomous snakes. Along the Gulf Coast, hurricanes and flooding can dramatically alter transportation routes. Even in suburban communities, poorly designed bus stop locations, limited lighting, distracted drivers, and unsafe pedestrian crossings create hazards before a child boards the bus.
The Kerala incident reminds us that transportation safety is not merely about vehicles; it is about the entire transportation ecosystem.
India presents unique challenges in this regard. In many rural areas, children routinely travel significant distances on foot. Their routes may pass through forests, agricultural fields, mountain roads, or remote villages where human-wildlife conflict is an ongoing reality. In states such as Kerala, Karnataka, and parts of northeastern India, elephant encounters have become increasingly common as expanding human populations and development place communities closer to traditional wildlife corridors. Human-elephant conflicts have become a persistent challenge in several regions of India, resulting in fatalities and injuries each year.
The transportation implications are significant. A school district may operate safe vehicles and employ trained drivers, but if students must traverse hazardous routes to reach pickup locations, substantial risks remain. This is a lesson that applies worldwide.
One of the most important concepts in modern transportation safety is the idea of a layered approach. Safety is achieved not through a single measure but through multiple overlapping protections. Vehicle standards, driver training, route planning, bus stop placement, communication systems, parental involvement, and community partnerships all contribute to reducing risk.
The Kerala tragedy demonstrates the importance of this layered thinking. Local authorities have since discussed strengthening wildlife monitoring, expanding alert systems and increasing protective measures in areas where elephants frequently enter residential communities. These efforts reflect an understanding that transportation safety must account for local threats, whether those threats involve traffic, weather, crime, or wildlife.
As transportation professionals, we often focus on the risks we encounter most frequently. Yet some of the most devastating incidents emerge from hazards that fall outside traditional transportation planning. The circumstances may differ from country to country, but the principle remains the same: Every child’s journey deserves protection from the moment they leave home until they return safely at the end of the day.
For those of us in pupil transportation, this tragedy serves as a reminder to continually evaluate the complete student travel experience. Safe buses are essential, but true transportation safety requires us to look beyond the bus and examine every step of the journey.
The loss of a mother who was simply escorting her children to school is heartbreaking. It is also a powerful reminder that transportation safety is ultimately about people, families and communities. Whether the challenge is an elephant in rural India, a flooded roadway in Louisiana, a bear in Alaska, or a distracted driver in Missouri, our mission remains unchanged: Ensuring that children reach educational opportunities safely every day.
Because no child should have to overcome extraordinary dangers simply to get to school.
Bret Brooks
Bret E. Brooks is the Chief Operating Officer of Gray Ram Tactical, LLC, a Missouri-based international training and consulting firm specializing in transportation safety and security issues. He presents throughout the United States and internationally on school transportation, security, and violence prevention topics.
A 7-year-old boy died after being struck by a school bus moments after exiting his vehicle in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
According to a news release from the Greenwich Township Police Department, officers responded around 3:40 p.m. May 8 to reports of a “pedestrian motor vehicle crash involving a juvenile and a school bus.”
When officers arrived at the scene, they joined nearby residents in administering emergency medical aid to the child before Gloucester County Emergency Medical Services took over treatment efforts. The boy was transported to Cooper University Hospital, where he later died from his injuries, police said.
Authorities later identified the child as Hunter Smith of Gibbstown. Investigators said they believe the crash happened shortly after the boy exited the school bus. The incident stunned residents in the neighborhood, as emergency lights filled the streets while first responders worked to save the child.
“I heard the police and ambulance and all that stuff,” one neighbor told local news reporters. “I thought it was down the street. Then I come and look out here and, next thing you know, the whole neighborhood’s crawling with red lights and blue lights.”
The neighbor said he frequently saw the boy walking to and from the bus stop. “I see the kid walking up, down the street every day, either going to school or coming from school or to the bus stop,” he said. “It’s tragic, it’s devastating for the family. May God rest his soul.”
Investigation Underway As Video Shows Horrific Aftermath of Incident
Video captured by a Ring doorbell camera and obtained by a local news outlet showed a frantic aftermath moments after the collision. In the footage, a woman can be seen rushing to a nearby home and pleading for help while the school bus remained stopped in the roadway. Several residents gathered around the Smith in an attempt to assist before emergency crews arrived.
The bus involved in the incident was operated by Holcomb Transportation. A spokesperson for the company confirmed to local reporters that the bus driver is a 48-year-old woman who has worked for Holcomb Transportation since 2024 and had no prior issues.
In a statement via local news, Holcomb Transportation said it is “heartbroken” and “deeply concerned” over the tragedy.
“We are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities as they work to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident,” Frank Patrinicola, the company’s director of safety and risk, said in part. “In addition to the official investigation, we have launched our own internal review to understand exactly what happened and to ensure that every appropriate measure is taken moving forward.”
Officials have not released additional details about how the crash occurred or whether any charges are being considered. The incident remains under investigation. In the wake of the tragedy, community organizations and local officials began offering support to grieving residents and students.
A representative from Clonmell United Methodist Church announced it would open Saturday for residents impacted by the incident, according to the police department’s release. The Greenwich Township School District in New Jersey also said counseling services would be available for students.
According to data compiled by School Transportation News, at least eight student fatalities tied to school transportation incidents have occurred during the current 2025–2026 school year, including six pedestrian deaths in which students were struck by school buses. STN research also identified that at least 18 students died in school transportation-related incidents during the 2024–2025 school year. Of those cases, at least eight involved students who were struck and killed by a school bus.
A school bus hit and killed a 9-year-old boy in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, prompting renewed calls from residents and city leaders for safety improvements at a busy intersection, reported ABC News 7.
According to the news report, police identified the child as Yoel Jacobowitz. He was crossing the street May 1 on his way to school, when the school bus hit him around 8:15 a.m. in South Williamsburg.
Investigators said a private Yeshiva school bus was turning onto Lorimer Street at the time. The 49-year-old driver, who was not identified at this reportg, initially continued driving after hitting the child. The driver then returned to the scene once alerted of the school bus hit the boy. Jacobowitz was pronounced dead at the scene. No charges had been filed, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The crash stunned members of the neighborhood’s Orthodox Jewish community, many of whom gathered nearby in prayer and mourning while expressing frustration over traffic conditions and street safety.
Traffic Patterns, Congestion Blamed
“The traffic here is crazy. There needs to be some guidance and some rules,” one resident told local news reporters.
Residents said the intersection has become increasingly hazardous, especially because of ongoing construction work that has left the area without clearly marked crosswalks and street markings.
“It’s a very, very busy intersection,” another community member said. “We have a lot going on, a lot of stores and a lot of people crossing over. We need something to be done so this doesn’t keep happening.”
Witnesses and neighbors described the area as especially crowded May 1 as families prepared for Shabbat.
City leaders urged the New York City Department of Transportation to examine signal timing and consider immediate changes to improve conditions for pedestrians. Mayor Zohran Mamdani reportedly said that he was “devastated” by the child’s death and called the crash “a painful reminder” of the need to make city streets safer for pedestrians.
More U.S. Environmental Protection Agency news and webinars on funding, plus how clean energy demand intersects with AI’s need for resources. Conversations continue at ACT EXPO this week and the Green Bus Summit at STN EXPO West in July.
“The tragedy will never leave you.” Shocking real-life stories abound in this special extended episode as 91-year-old industry legend and consultant Richard “Dick” Fischer underscores the need for thorough safety leadership and training. He discusses student transportation history, school bus crashes in the news, drunk and criminal drivers, illegal passing and the Danger Zone. See him live at STN EXPO West and email him to sign up for his free safety newsletter.
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