A school bus carrying students from public schools in Kahuku back to the Kaaawa area crashed into a car which had stopped to make a turn from the highway, according to police reports and parents.
The accident occurred in Kahana just before 3 p.m.
At least one student was injured, a parent said this morning.
She also said other parents are concerned because they received no notice about the accident from either the school or the bus company, and had no timely way to determine if their children were on the bus. She was told by school officials that the bus, operated by Gomes School Bus Company, was not their responsibility.
She also complained that school officials could not identify students on the bus or even the number of students on the bus when the accident occurred.
Some students reportedly walked the rest of the way to Kaaawa after the accident because of the lack of support by the bus company and DOE.
The accident reported happened when the bus driver failed to slow for a car that was preparing to turn. The bus plowed into the back of the car, knocking it forward some distance.
Parents say the same driver was believed to have hit a curb in the same area last year after falling asleep.
Gomes, in response to a parent’s complaint yesterday, reportedly said it stands by its driver.
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Aloha,
Lack of interest and denying responsibility is typical behavior by current administration. My daughter was on the city bus that was directly behind the school bus, she saw the accident and called me. She also told me that when police routed the traffic around the accident (she saw a woman on a stretcher) the school bus was still sitting there and she wondered why the school kids were not put on the city bus or taken to hospital.
Last year when a gomes bus went off the road by the waikane store with the girls water polo team, she was on the city bus that was a few cars back. that time the police comandeered the city bus to take the water polo team to Castle emergency. She, and other passengers, waited for the next city bus to come by. Also, I am 99% sure that then principal, Lisa deLong arrived at the accident scene.
Kahuku has a new principal. Having dealt with her several times already, I’m disappointed. Management of the school has gone incredibly slack in less then a year. I can give several documented examples, if you’re interested. I wish there was a format for parents from the different communities to meet, to combine resources…
what a coincidence! Just as I started reading today’s ian, I was also writing a review of Gomes Bus on yelp just now!
http://tinyurl.com/acvtrn