SPOKANE, Wash. – After nearly a month since a Spokane Transit Authority (STA) , injured several passengers and prompted the suspension of all double-decker bus service, the STA is now preparing to return the fleet to the roads.
The investigation into the crash is still ongoing.
STA said in a press release that they would begin testing new safety protocols along routes 6 and 66 between Spokane and Cheney on Tuesday. The buses will not be cleared for passengers until the full testing process has been conducted.
The double-decker buses are expected to be available for passengers by the end of February, STA said.
New safety measures include a second round of training for drivers focused on route requirements and height awareness, disablement of the navigation software (), and additional safety stops and verbal check-ins with dispatch.
“We are in the final stages of being able to return the double deckers to service,” STA CEO Karl Otterstrom said in a press release. “We have heard from many in the community they are enthusiastic to have them back on the road, and once we test these new safety measures, we will be excited to welcome our passengers on board.”
STA said once the investigation is complete, results will be shared with the public on its website.
