Motor Carrier Factors Group Chairman’s Factual Report - Crash Information & Crash Summary - Motor Carrier Factors Investigation

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Levi

Investigative findings from the National Transportation Safety Board’s Office of Highway Safety focus on motor carrier history and operations of a 2018 IC school bus involved in a crash in Hempstead, Texas, owned and operated by Hempstead Independent School District (ISD). The report documents district structure, scale, bus garage and maintenance arrangements, and the related policies found in district handbooks. It also addresses Texas seat belt requirements under Education Code Section 34.013, Hempstead’s adoption gaps, and the school bus driver’s license and medical qualification sequence.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

A. Crash Information & Crash Summary

B. Motor Carrier Factors Group

C. Details of the Motor Carrier Factors Investigation

Hempstead ISD Policies

State of Texas Seat Belt Policy

The Hempstead Driver

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD OFFICE OF HIGHWAY SAFETY WASHINGTON, DC MOTOR CARRIER FACTORS GROUP CHAIRMAN’S FACTUAL REPORT A. CRASH INFORMATION & CRASH SUMMARY Refer to the Crash Information and Crash Summary Report in the docket for this investigation. B. MOTOR CARRIER FACTORS GROUP Michael LaPonte, Motor Carrier Factors Investigator, Group Chairman NTSB Office of Highway Safety 490 L’Enfant Plaza East, S.W. Washington, DC 20594 Trooper Michael Mathes, Group Member Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Hempstead, Texas C. DETAILS OF THE MOTOR CARRIER FACTORS INVESTIGATION This investigative report addresses the motor carrier history and operations of the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) involved in this crash, a 2018 IC School Bus owned and operated by Hempstead Independent School District (ISD) located in Hempstead, Texas. This report also details the polices and organization of the Hempstead ISD as well as the employment history of the driver of the school bus, and regulatory oversight of the school district’s operations by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the State of Texas. Hempstead Independent School District (ISD), hereafter (Hempstead ISD) is the public school district serving the city of Hempstead and Waller County, Texas. Hempstead consists of five schools, one high school, one middle school, one elementary school, an Early Childhood Center as well as an Alternative learning center. The ISD encompasses 190 square miles. It has 1,514 students. Hempstead does not have a USDOT Number because it is not required to register with the USDOT as its transportation operations are exempt from federal oversight. 1 Hempstead Principal Place of Business (PPOB) is 1440 13rd Street, Hempstead, Texas. The school busses are garaged at a “Bus Barn” at 801 Donoho Street, Hempstead, Texas. This facility has a maintenance shop and fenced parking for the vehicles operated by Hempstead. The shop employs one full time mechanic as well as an acting transportation director and thirteen bus drivers. Hempstead has twenty-three yellow school buses which include four special needs buses that are equipped with seat belts. 1.0 Hempstead ISD Policies The operation and administrative policies for Hempstead primarily are contained in three documents, The Hempstead ISD Employee Handbook, The Transportation Handbook and The Student Handbook. These documents detail information from the Hempstead ISD as well as information from the State of Texas as it relates to employment, transportation and student and parental issues. The employee Handbook is reprinted each school year and distributed to all employees of Hempstead. The document includes the responsibilities of the employees as well as rules that relate to their employment with the school district as well as regulations by the State of Texas. The Transportation Handbook outlines the duties and responsibilities of the transportation employees to give them a clear understanding of their primary and additional duties in the operation of the school busses. The Student Handbook outlines the rights and responsibilities of the parents and students. 1.1 State of Texas Seat Belt Policy In 2007 the State of Texas passed an amendment to the Education Code requiring the use of seatbelts by students if available. Title 2. Subtitle F. Chapter 34. Sec. 34.013 Bus Seat Belt Policy reads: “A school district shall require a student riding a bus operated by or contracted for operation by the district to wear a seat belt if the bus is equipped with seat belts for all passengers on the bus. A school district may implement a disciplinary policy to enforce the use of seat belts by students.”2 This regulation is not outlined or mentioned in the Hempstead Employee handbook or in the Transportation Handbook. The only place seat belt usage is mentioned in any publication 1 Transportation performed by the Federal Government, States, or political subdivisions of a

FAQs

What is the scope of the Motor Carrier Factors Group chairman’s factual report?

It covers the motor carrier history and operations of the 2018 IC school bus involved in the crash, the Hempstead ISD policies and organization, and the driver’s employment history and regulatory oversight by federal and Texas authorities.

What does Texas Education Code Section 34.013 require regarding school bus seat belts?

A district must require a student to wear a seat belt if the bus is equipped with seat belts for all passengers, and the district may implement disciplinary enforcement to ensure use.

How was the Hempstead driver’s DOT medical certification handled?

The driver’s one-year medical certificate expired on July 27, 2021. During a June 16, 2021 clinic visit for DOT certification, the examiner began the examination but did not certify while awaiting diabetes laboratory results, and the related documentation was treated as incomplete in the qualification file.

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Levi