GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said some Gwinnett County Public Schools buses could potentially not comply with federal safety requirements.
More than 50,000 Thomas Built buses are being recalled because “the seats may have been manufactured with styrene blocks that may not provide sufficient impact absorption in certain specific areas around the steel seat frame of the back support,” according to a NHTSA press release.
This could potentially place student riders in danger in the event of an accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, students are 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car.
“Roughly 315 of our 1,900 buses could be affected by the recall, but Thomas has not yet released the information (VINs) that will identify the exact buses involved in the recall,” Gwinnett County Spokesperson Bernard Watson said.
“It is important to note, according to Thomas, the issue does not place the bus out of service,” he added.
Watson told 11Alive that the proposed fix is to add two inches of additional padding to the bottom of the seatback.
Daimler Trucks North America LLC will notify owners and will install additional material to increase the amount of absorption free of charge when the recall begins Dec. 2.
As with every metro Atlanta school district, Gwinnett County is facing a driver shortage, Gwinnett County's Bernard Watson said. However, he said the district has enough drivers to cover their routes and get students to and from school safely.
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