SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

School Bus Crashes Into Transit Bus, Killing 6

A Baltimore school bus hits a car and a pillar, enters oncoming traffic, and hits the driver’s side of a transit bus, killing the school bus driver and five of the transit bus passengers. No students were aboard the school bus.

Nicole Schlosser
Nicole SchlosserFormer Executive Editor
November 1, 2016
2 min to read


BALTIMORE — A school bus drove into oncoming traffic and crashed into a transit bus on Tuesday morning, killing six people and injuring 10 others, police said.

The crash occurred before 7 a.m. Baltimore Police spokesman T.J. Smith said in a press briefing that the school bus struck a Ford Mustang, continued along the road, and struck a pillar on the side of the road. The school bus then entered oncoming traffic and hit the driver’s side of a Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) bus and ripped the driver’s side off of the bus.

The school bus driver was killed, as were five of the 13 total passengers believed to be on the MTA bus, Smith said, though that number could change because police had not yet searched the transit bus at the time of the briefing.

No students were aboard the school bus, which was contracted by Baltimore City Public Schools. Many students take MTA buses to school, but officials could not say how many students ride the No. 10 bus, according to The Baltimore Sun. An aide aboard the school bus, eight MTA bus passengers, and the driver of the Mustang sustained injuries ranging from minor to critical and were taken to the hospital, Smith said.

Smith added that officials could not speculate on the cause of the crash at the time, described the crash scene as “horrific,” and dispelled rumors that the crash was a crime scene. Smith said that he didn’t know if speed was a factor, but noted that a police commissioner observed that there weren't any skid marks, “so something catastrophic took place, and it’s something we’re continuing to investigate."

Police hope to interview the school bus aide about what occurred just before the crash, he added.

Ad Loading...

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said in the briefing that the crash scene was “complicated,” and that it was “going to take a lot of resources to get to the bottom of what happened.”

Keith Scroggins, chief operating officer of the city school system, told The Baltimore Sun that the school bus driver worked for school bus contractor AA Affordable Transportation, and was on his way to pick up his first student. The company was involved in a crash in 2012 that injured 13 people, including students, according to the newspaper.

Shown below is a photo of the crash scene from The Baltimore Sun's Twitter page.

Baltimore school bus contractor involved in crash four years ago https://t.co/pnCDmOz9vnpic.twitter.com/ZqBuxOw1NY

— Sun Breaking News (@BaltSunBrk) November 1, 2016

More Safety

Waymo’s fully autonomous legacy Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan at a crosswalk with a red overlay and text reading "Are Autonomous Vehicles Ready to Safely Navigate School Bus Stops?"
Safetyby Elora HaynesAugust 11, 2026

Are Autonomous Vehicles Ready to Safely Navigate School Bus Stops?

NHTSA is accelerating autonomous vehicle deployment through new safety standards and commercial approvals. See why school transportation leaders are watching.

Read More →
Graphic promoting a school bus safety public service announcement featuring NFL Hall of Famer Lomas Brown. The graphic shows Brown speaking in front of a stopped school bus with students crossing in a video displayed on a laptop screen, alongside the headline, "Lomas Brown Says: 'No Rushing Around the School Bus,'" and the School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsAugust 10, 2026

NFL Star Lomas Brown Kicks Off New Illegal School Bus Passing PSA

Just in time for the back-to-school season, the former Detroit Lions offensive tackle took time to record a video encouraging motorists to slow down around school buses.

Read More →
Graphic titled "NSC Award Winners" featuring two group photos of National Safety Council award recipients. One group holds an "Our Driving Concern Employer Traffic Safety Award" banner, while the other poses with a recognition plaque at the 2026 Texas Traffic Safety Conference.
Safetyby Amanda HuggettAugust 4, 2026

How Two Texas Districts Built Award-Winning Safety Programs

Learn how Prosper ISD and Rockwall ISD earned National Safety Council honors through hands-on training, safety culture, and strategies that reduced transportation incidents.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A close up detail of the back of a school bus with text reading "Insight From 10 Years of NHTSA Data."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJuly 22, 2026

NHTSA Releases 10-Year Review of Fatal School Bus Crashes

The latest federal analysis reinforces the safety of school buses while identifying where school-age pedestrians and other motorists remain most at risk.

Read More →
Graphic for a School Bus Fleet news story featuring the NASDPTS logo, a speaker presenting with a microphone, and the headline, "38.4 Million Stop-Arm Violations," highlighting annual illegal school bus passing estimates.
Safetyby Amanda HuggettJuly 21, 2026

2026 NASDPTS Survey: Data Shows Further Reduction of Illegal Passing

New data is in! School bus stop-arm passings are down to 38.4 million violations per year, about a 2.3% decrease from last school year — but passings on the right side of the bus are higher than ever.

Read More →
Graphic illustrating a fatal school bus incident in New York, featuring a close-up view of the front of a yellow school bus with a cracked-glass overlay and the headline, "7-Year-Old Fatally Struck in New York," dated July 9, 2026, alongside the School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsJuly 9, 2026

Another School Bus Fatality Reported in Monsey, New York

A 7-year-old girl died after being struck by a school bus in Rockland County, New York while crossing the street. Here's what we know.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
School buses at NSTA's SBDISC Roadeo with text reading "School Bus Drivers Put Their Skills to the Test."
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsJune 30, 2026

NSTA Announces 2026 School Bus Driver International Safety Competition Winners

Drivers from across the U.S. and Canada showcased their safety and driving skills, with two defending champions successfully retaining their titles.

Read More →
zonar system image
SponsoredJune 22, 2026

The Driver Shortage Playbook

Driver shortages are still a major challenge for student transportation fleets, but the real issue has shifted. It’s no longer just about filling seats quickly. It’s about finding safe, reliable drivers who meet performance expectations and want to stay. The Driver Shortage Playbook covers why traditional recruitment tactics are falling short and how school fleets are adapting with smarter hiring, stronger retention strategies and a greater focus on driver quality.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for a new Pro-Vision AI camera system. The image shows a monitor displaying camera views with AI object detection overlays, along with multiple cameras and recording hardware. Text reads "New Product," "Pro-Vision," and "Visibly Better." School Bus Fleet logo appears in the lower-right corner.
SafetyJune 11, 2026

Pro-Vision Launches AI-Powered 360° Camera System

The new Birdseye camera delivers real-time AI-based pedestrian and vehicle detections, full visibility around the bus, and telematics integrations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A New York school bus in the street.
Safetyby Elora HaynesJune 9, 2026

N.Y. & N.J. Coalitions Call for Modernized Transportation for Vulnerable Students

New statewide coalitions in New York and New Jersey are urging lawmakers to expand student transportation options for vulnerable students amid ongoing driver shortages.

Read More →