Driver who abandoned bus with 14 kids on board ticketed for driving while suspended, report says – NJ.com

A school bus driver who reportedly abandoned her route while she was driving students home last week was issued a summons for a suspended license, police told NJ Advance Media.

The bus driver picked up students from Avon Avenue School in Newark, drove to her own home and got out, WABC-NY reported. The incident occurred on Feb. 6, police said.

“She told the bus attendant that you gonna have to handle these kids yourself,” a student who was on the bus told WABC-NY.

Attempts to reach a Newark Public Schools spokeswoman on Thursday were unsuccessful. The news outlet reported that the school district ended its contract with the East Orange-based bus company, Mercy US, after the incident.

Phone numbers listed for the company were not in service.

The Newark Police Department said it received calls about a bus driving from the school that had missed its designated stops. Police found the bus in the area of Stuyvesant Avenue and Abinger Place in Newark with 14 children aboard.

None of the children were injured, police said. WABC reported that parents had to pick up their children at a police precinct.

Police said the driver was “reportedly unfamiliar with the route.” A spokeswoman for the police department did not reveal to NJ Advance Media the identity of the driver who was issued a summons following the incident.

The school district is reportedly looking to recoup financial damages for the infraction and is continuing to investigate the situation.

A different school bus driver with another company last year crashed a bus while children were on board. The driver of that bus was actually the bus’ aid, who decided to drive after its assigned operator did not show up on time, WPIX reported.

Newark Public Schools’ bus vendors were previously handled by the Essex County Regional Educational Services Commission, but TAPinto Newark reported that the district began to handle the contracts in-house about two years ago. The change was made in the hopes of addressing complaints about bus services more quickly.

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico.