SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Transit Authority (STA) held their monthly meeting on Thursday, discussing legislative priorities for public transportation. This meeting followed a significant incident involving a double-decker bus crash at the Cedar Street Bridge.
The crash occurred on Sunday and resulted in injuries to seven bus riders. In response, STA has temporarily shut down all double-decker buses. Lance Speirs, STA Chairman, addressed the public, saying, “We anticipate further information to be shared with the public in due time, and appreciate your patience as we undergo the investigation.”
Erik Lowe, co-executive director of Spokane Reimagined, expressed his concern over the impact of the crash on community support for STA. He shared his emotional reaction, stating, “I went through all the stages of grief, after seeing the initial pictures and reading the initial news stories. It’s terrifying. It’s, upsetting. I was angry…”
Lowe also highlighted potential challenges for STA’s future plans, noting, “This incident gave opponents all the ammunition they’ll need to to fight, that reauthorization. You know, their advertising campaign is essentially written for them at this point.”
A critical question remains regarding whether the bus’s navigation system was at fault. A viewer sent a photo showing the double-decker bus’s GPS system routing it down Cedar Street, which is not an approved route for tall vehicles.
Discussing the potential software issue, the viewer added, “When it comes to the software, this incident happened on the day of, a new service schedule. There’s been speculation that, you know, there was, issues with the, the software directing, the bus to that route. That should have never happened.”
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing as STA works to address these concerns and ensure public safety.
