Tuesday, January 21, 2025
A Change.org petition, titled Demanding Accountability and Safety from Guardian Bus Company, has sparked concern among Oceanside residents, who are calling for immediate safety reforms after a student suffered a head injury on a school bus.
Guardian, a division of the Logan Bus Company, provides transportation for general-education, special-needs and preschool students across New York State. The petition alleges Guardian’s negligence, insufficient training, and a lack of transparency in addressing number incidents involving personal injuries over the years. The petition, as of press time has 538 signatures.
Guardian drivers have been involved in several crashes, including a February 2021 fatal crash in Oceanside in which a Guardian bus fatally struck an 81-year-old pedestrian and a March 2022 crash in Merrick when a Guardian bus hit a pickup truck, before fatally striking a 70-year-old pedestrian and smashing into a dry cleaning store. Neither incident involved criminality.
Oceanside parent Lisbeth Salazar, said her 5-year-old son Ethan was injured while riding a bus on the way home from school in September. Ethan hit his head against the window due to, what his mother claims was reckless driving, which resulted in a visible bump and bruise. Salazar sent her son to the doctor and was not informed immediately about the injury by the bus driver. She sent an email to the school later in the day, asking why those on the bus did not inform her of the incident. After which the school nurse checked her son the next day.
“You have to see how the buses are driving and if they are following safety guidelines,” Salazar said. “I know the bus company is responsible to some extent, and they should be responsible. But it’s the school that hires them; the school has a contract with them. What is the school doing to ensure that whatever clauses are in the contract around safety are being followed?”
After his mother complained to the school, the bus company said to school officials that Ethan had been leaning his head on the window when the bus hit a bump and should have been seated upright.
A statement from the district stated they have a safety and security team that has regular meetings, in which a representative from the bus company participates, and “everyone’s very concerned and focused on student safety.”
“We met with the parents of the student and reviewed the video footage from the bus together,” said Phyllis Harrington, superintendent of Oceanside Schools. “We assured them that we will continue, as always, to adhere to all safety protocols,”
While the case of Salazar’s son served as a flashpoint, many residents have since come forward to share similar stories of safety concerns and driver misconduct.
Petition organizer Cynthia Lagudi, who has two children in Oceanside schools, said she became concerned after being involved in a rear end accident with an off duty Guardian bus driver repeatedly looking at his phone while driving in June.
Through her research of public records, Lagudi found that Guardian Bus Company and its parent company, Logan Bus Company, have faced over 600 lawsuits, including cases involving injuries, dismemberments, and deaths. The information, derived from New York state public records, has heightened fears among Oceanside residents about systemic issues within the organization.
Lagudi found that the man was involved in an accident while also on-duty and was involved in one of the lawsuits against Guardian, but was still actively driving for the company.
“I would say the most noticeable change as far as the quality of drivers has probably been the last three or four years,” she said. ”You see them run stop signs all the time. On behalf of the town, we want to feel heard. This is not a mission just for myself and my children, it’s for the community.”
The petition, signed by hundreds of concerned parents and community members, outlines a series of demands aimed at improving student safety and driver accountability. Among the proposed changes are:
Compliance with state and federal safety standards: The community insists on full adherence to guidelines outlined by the Department of Transportation and State Education Department, ensuring the safety of passengers.
Enhanced training and screening: Guardians of the petition are pushing for rigorous training protocols for all bus drivers, as well as thorough background checks and regular monitoring of drivers’ motor vehicle records.
Regular drug testing: To ensure passenger safety, the petition calls for frequent drug tests to identify any potential risks posed by impaired drivers.
Transparency and accountability: Residents are demanding a system for documenting and investigating complaints and incidents involving bus drivers, with timely updates to families regarding resolutions.
Disciplinary measures: The community seeks stricter consequences for drivers who fail to adhere to safety policies, including suspension or termination for repeat offenses.
Corey Muirhead, executive vice president of Guardian, stated that the company invested six-figures this year to equip its entire bus fleet with dashboard cameras. The move aims to provide greater insight into potentially dangerous driving behaviors, such as cell phone use, speeding, harsh acceleration, abrupt braking, or other forms of distracted driving.
“We are dedicated to regaining the trust of our communities,” he added.
Guardian Bus Company services students across Long Island, offering a range of transportation options.
The petition commends bus drivers who uphold safety standards but makes it clear that changes are necessary to prevent future incidents.
“I would say that they listen to parents and citizens,” Lagudi said. “Get more motor vehicle reports done, background checks, and keep the standards and the safety protocols in place and when they’re not adhered to, proper disciplinary action should be discussed for the drivers.”
