A University shuttle bus was struck by a vehicle Thursday at 7:40 a.m. while returning to Shuttle Lot S. The incident occurred while the shuttle driver was on Arrow Highway trying to turn left on to A Street. There were no students or faculty onboard during the crash.
The vehicle struck the shuttle bus’ rear passenger side, causing the bus’ bumper to detach. The private vehicle received scratches.
Although no serious injuries occurred, the driver of the vehicle suffered minor injuries because the vehicle’s airbags deployed. The shuttle driver was unharmed during the incident and did not need medical attention.
Lisa Grater, manager of transportation services, said the shuttle drivers are hired through Transportation Concepts, a contractor for shuttle service. Because the shuttle drivers are not University employees, the name of the driver involved in the accident has not been released by the University.
“We (the University) don’t provide the training so that is why they (Transportation Concepts) provide the training and all the services,” Grater said.
Transportation Concepts handles screenings, training and safety procedures for its drivers. The California Public Utilities Commission requires all aspiring shuttle drivers to complete a certain amount of training hours before they can drive on the streets.
“The drivers are well-trained and their first concern is student safety,” Grater said. “They do a lot for us and do their best to transport us to campus safely.”
–Karla Rendon
