OKC School Officials Investigating After Bus Loses Rear Axle

An Oklahoma City Public School bus driver and seven students had a rude awakening Friday morning after the rear axle fell off the bus. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt, but now the district is looking into whether previous repairs played a role in the accident.

This bus was one of 15 brand new buses recently purchased by the district. It also was involved in an accident weeks after it was purchased causing it to need extensive repairs.

“The rear axle just fell off,” said Mark Myers, Oklahoma City Public Schools Spokesperson.

The sound and jolt surprised the John Marshall High School students and bus driver.

8/21/15 Related Story: No One Injured After School Bus Loses Rear Axle In NW OKC

The bus was traveling north on May Avenue attempting to turn left onto NW 63^rd, when the back of the bus came crashing down.

None of the students were hurt, but the driver was taken to the hospital.

“What we have preliminarily determined is a U-bolt on that rear axle seems to have failed,” said Myers.

The U-bolt is used to attach the axle to the bottom of the bus.

The same bus was involved in an accident in January. Now the district is questioning if those repairs played a role in Friday’s accident.

“That will be one of the many things that will be looked at if possibly that U-bolt had been affected from the previous accident or if when it was repaired something may have happened there,” he said.

The district, the bus manufacturer, and vendor are all involved in the investigation.

Midwest Bus Sales, the company who sold the district the buses last December, was involved in the repairs from January.

The company declined to go on camera but issued us this statement saying in part, "We are certainly aware of the incident. This unit was previously involved in an accident and the review will include if previous damage was a factor in this occurrence."

Until then, the district says all 15 buses purchased from Midwest Bus Sales will be pulled from rotation until they can be inspected bumper to bumper.

The district says drivers are required to perform daily inspections of their buses, but checking underneath is not part of that inspection. This bus wasn't due for a more thorough inspection for another 3,000 to 4,000 miles.

There was camera inside the bus but the it is not being released yet due to the investigation.