Texting Bus Driver?

COLORADO SPRINGS – A School District- 20 bus driver is being investigated, accused of texting behind the wheel. The complaint is about a driver at Eagle View Middle School. Korine Hardt worries about her 12-year old daughter because she alleges her bus driver is texting while driving her route. Hardt says, “I expect anyone that drives my child around to not be texting…texting while your driving there’s no way you can pay attention to what’s going on.” Korine says she called the Transportation Department with D-20 3 times to complain. A supervisor there told her they would review video tape from the bus.

Korie’s daughter sent a text message to her mom to let her know what she says happening on the bus. Korine says it’s happened two other times in the past, once during a winter storm, “I know one day it was icy and they were entering I-25 from the air force academy she was like it’s icy and they’re texting, she’s texting again.”

School officials sent us this statement: “Keeping students safe is the top priority for the transportation department in Academy School District 20. Our drivers are held to a high standard because we recognize that children’s lives are at stake. All drivers must pass background checks, their driving records are reviewed, they undergo training, and they are expected to follow all laws for motorists. Our bus drivers know they are professional representatives of our entire district. They are expected to demonstrate safe driving standards at all times. Reports of unsafe practices are investigated by our transportation department and drivers who fail to maintain our safety standards are disciplined or terminated.”

Korine says, “I don’t want to worry about my child when they’re at school. don’t want to worry about then when they’re trying to get to school.

Officials from D-20 says they concluded their investigation this afternoon, but can’t comment on the outcome because it’s a personnel matter.