School Bus Safety Measures Announced After Deadly Tenn. Crash

The school bus company will invest in a complaint management system, a video surveillance system and a new executive safety position.

New safety measures were announced by the school bus company involved in the tragic accident in Chattanooga, Tennessee that left five students dead last month.

Durham School Services, which hired the bus driver that’s been charged in the fatal crash, announced two major new systems that are designed to improve the safety of its bus fleet, according to azfamily.com.

First, DSS will create a cloud-based complaint management system that will allow teachers and administrators around the country to quickly report issues they have with DSS buses or bus drivers.

The company will also install “smart” surveillance cameras, known as DriveCam, in each of its buses.

A chief safety data and compliance officer will also be hired to identify potential dangers within the 16,000 bus fleet.

Chattanooga will receive the security upgrades immediately while other DSS customers can expect the upgrades to be functioning by the end of 2017.

Jonthony Walker, 24, was driving the bus that crashed into a tree in Chattanooga. Walker, who was hired by DSS, was arrested at the scene and has been charged with five counts of vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment and reckless driving. Police believe Walker was speeding when the crash occurred.

DSS President David A. Duke says the upgrades represent a multi-million dollar investment in school bus safety.

Duke announced the changes in a video Dec. 1. The full version of that video can be seen below.

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