SCHOOL BUS CRASH
REPORTS 2007
Bus Owner Speaks Out About Ham
Lake Accident
March 31, 2007
(WCCO) This week investigators
revealed it was a faulty repair that led to a school bus crash in
Ham Lake, Minn.
Dozen of kids were hurt and a woman
is still hospitalized. Now the owner of that bus company is speaking
out.
"You don't cut a corner for safety,
you have to have the best out there and we do," said Kottke's Bus
Service owner Chuck Peterson.
Peterson is responding to a state
patrol investigation which found his company's repairs at fault for
the Ham Lake crash.
"Safety is first. We don't put a part
on a bus unless we know it's gonna work," said Peterson.
The investigation shows Kottke's took
a brake part made by one company and attached it to one made by
another.
"With that conversion they
compromised that safety mechanism that's designed to keep that
peddle rod in," said Minnesota State Patrol Sgt. Paul Davis.
On his attorney's advice, Peterson
can't comment on the crash investigation but he does defend Kottke's
safety record.
"We run the number one safety record
in the state of Minnesota," he said.
Peterson bases that on analysis of
annual state bus safety inspection records.
"Kottke's runs a very good fine ship
and the inspectors know that," he said.
But he does admit mishaps can occur.
"We all are human -- we do make
mistakes. We don't want them, it happens," Peterson said.
Peterson's grandfather started with
two buses in 1947. Kottke's has been family owned ever since.
"The most concern is the safety of
the children and obviously for the last 60 years if the safety
wasn't there, we wouldn't be in business," said Peterson.
Peterson said his mechanics have
worked for him between 16 and 32 years.
He said Kottke's transports 33,000
student twice a day and most of his employees children or
grandchildren ride those buses, including his own children.
Coincidentally, the contract is up
for renewal. Administrators are considering bids now and will make a
recommendation to the school board soon.
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Crash Reports 2007
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