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STA pulls double-decker buses from streets, updates injury count on bus crash

Spokane Transit Authority workers examine the extensive damage on the upper deck of a bus that crashed into the Cedar Street viaduct Jan. 18. (Jesse Tinsley/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
By Emily White emilyw@spokesman.com(509) 459-5444

All double-decker Spokane Transit Authority buses have been pulled off the streets after a driver of one took the wrong street through downtown on Sunday afternoon and crashed into a railroad viaduct.

The impact of the crash sheared about a quarter of the bus’s top deck, where five passengers were sitting at the time of the incident, said Carly Cortright, a spokesperson for STA, on Monday. Four passengers were on the lower deck. A total of seven passengers on the bus were injured from the crash, Cortright said. On Sunday, STA told The Spokesman-Review that only four passengers were injured in the accident.

STA is unaware of the conditions of the passengers who were sent to the hospital Sunday, said Cortright .

The bus crashed into the Cedar Street viaduct overpass just after noon Sunday, which has a clearance of 12 feet compared with the bus’s 13-foot-6 height. It’s still unknown why the bus driver took that route, Cortright said.

This Spokane Transit Authority map shows the path of its double-decker fleet on routes 6 and 66 through downtown. It shows that the double-deckers are supposed to use Jefferson street to go under the downtown railroad viaduct. (STA map)
This Spokane Transit Authority map shows the path of its double-decker fleet on routes 6 and 66 through downtown. It shows that the double-deckers are supposed to use Jefferson street to go under the downtown railroad viaduct. (STA map)

The bus was assigned to Route 6, traveling from Cheney to the University District by way of downtown. The route map shows it is intended to cross under the viaduct at Jefferson Street both northbound and southbound, which have clearances of 14-foot-4.

The bus driver, who had been with STA for four and a half years, is now on administrative leave while the crash is investigated, Cortright said.

Spokane police cited the driver for negligent driving.