Firm Criticized in Alaska Bus Safety Report

A former Alaska State Trooper criticized the company that oversees student transportation for the Fairbanks North Star Borough District, saying the firm had a lax approach to bus safety before public complaints.

School district superintendent Pete Lewis ordered the review in March, shortly after employees of the company First Student publicly complained about unsafe conditions.

Bob Koslick, the ex-Trooper who conducted the review, wrote that First Student had a “do what is minimally necessary” attitude before recent improvements.

Among other findings, Koslick wrote that First Student struggled to keep qualified mechanics to prevent a backlog of problems, and those issues were often solved with a “Band-Aid approach” or not at all.

Koslick noted that problems have received more attention since employees came forward at a March school board meeting.