Lowell Public Schools issues statement after video shows bus leaving student at the curb

LOWELL, MASS. (WHDH) - Lowell school officials issued a statement Friday after a shocking video was shared on social media that showed a school bus driver shut the vehicle’s door just as a young student was about to climb on board.

The statement stressed that school officials reviewed the incident and that additional video evidence provided by North Reading Transportation showed that the driver didn’t see the student, checked oncoming traffic, and continued on to the next stop without becoming aware that the student was on his way to the bus.

“The bus had made a routine stop and the driver opened the door as part of the standard operating procedure,” the statement read. “It is standard for a bus driver to open the doors at a stop, even if no students are waiting so that a GPS signal is initiated on the travel log.”

In a statement, Lowell Public Schools Transportation Director John Descoleaux said, “The safety of our students is our top priority, and our goal is to provide top-quality transportation services to every student, every day. We are fortunate that we have the technology available in our buses to thoroughly investigate this incident and to provide the family with timely information of what actually occurred.”

NRT owner John McCarthy also addressed the incident in a statement, saying, “We have had a long, continued relationship with the Lowell Public Schools and work to ensure the safety of all the Lowell Public Schools students. The community should feel confident knowing that our drivers follow the strictest of conduct standards, as we know drivers are both responsible for the safety of students, as well as being positive role models each and every day.”

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