The NPJ recently reached out to Ecco Ride CFO Glen Krueger regarding recent letters to the editor published in the Natchitoches Parish Journal that raised serious allegations about a bus driver reportedly engaging in dangerous driving practices, including endangering students on board and causing other motorists to run off the road.
At the Jan. 23 Natchitoches Parish School Board meeting, Krueger visited with board members to update them on the situation, saying that he’d been in touch with the editor of the Journal and answered their questions. He also stated that while letters to the editor don’t reflect the news outlet’s opinion, people submitting them to news outlets like the Journal are the same as people posting their opinions on Facebook.
While the NPJ has heard that the bus driver in question, mentioned in the letters to the editor, has been moved to a different route, we have been unable to confirm this information officially.
Below are the questions the NPJ posed to Krueger, followed by his response:
NPJ: I would like to better understand the situation and the steps being taken to address these claims. Could you please provide clarification on the following:
Verification of Allegations: Have these allegations been investigated, and if so, what were the findings?
Driver Accountability: What measures are in place to ensure that bus drivers adhere to safety protocols? Are there disciplinary actions for drivers who engage in unsafe practices? Will he be relocated to a different route?
Reporting Mechanisms: What process is currently in place so students, parents, or motorists can report concerns about bus safety? What is the process for reviewing and responding to such reports?
Safety Training: What ongoing training or evaluations are conducted to reinforce safe driving practices among bus drivers?
Community Reassurance: What steps are being taken to reassure the community/parents/guardians about the safety of students and other road users?
Krueger: We cannot share investigation details or disciplinary actions of our employees publicly unless they become litigated matters. In accordance with any federal and state laws, our findings are shared with the complainant when completed. You can find out more information from that person if necessary. Oversight of our policies and procedures occurs through contractual requirements with Natchitoches Parish School Board, insurance company reporting requirements, and state and federal regulatory agency requirements for transportation. All of our drivers have valid CDLs and meet all the qualifications of the DOT.
We investigate all reported concerns. We receive reports through direct phone calls to our local terminal, from calls to our corporate office, or from school board and school district personnel who have received a concern directly. We have also engaged in discussions with the school superintendent and other applicable school resources.
We have cameras and fleet management technology on all our buses which enable us to investigate any concerns very thoroughly for validity. Those findings are shared with the complainant and school superintendent, but they are not otherwise available to the general public absent litigation.
We follow a progressive disciplinary policy and issue appropriate disciplinary action when a policy violation, incident, or accident occurs.
We follow federal and Louisiana state training requirements for all personnel, which is verified by those agencies. At no time has the Company been cited for violating state or federal laws.
