STA CEO Karl Otterstrom issued the following statement on the evening of March 24, 2026:
“Earlier today, it was discovered that a call to dispatch was made the morning of January 18, the day on which the Double Decker bus collided with the Cedar Street viaduct. The subject matter of this call was the CAD/AVL software showing route discrepancies on one of the coaches.
“In light of this discovery, we are reopening the investigation and working to understand how the call to dispatch factors into the accident and the investigative findings, including what dispatch did with the information from the call. Furthermore, we will pursue an independent review to validate the investigation’s completeness. More information will be provided as the review moves forward.
“Safety is our paramount responsibility. We are committed to being transparent about what we learn and to making any changes necessary to strengthen the systems and culture that support the safety of our passengers and employees.”
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Spokane Transit provides public transportation services through fixed route (bus) service, Paratransit service, and Rideshare to the cities of Airway Heights, Cheney, Liberty Lake, Medical Lake, Millwood, Spokane and Spokane Valley, and parts of the unincorporated County.
The organization employs nearly 800 people and is overseen by a 14-member regional board: nine voting elected officials from jurisdictions within the Public Transportation Benefit Area, four non-voting elected officials from area small cities, and a non-voting labor representative.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Carly Cortright
Chief Communications & Customer Service Officer
Email: [email protected]
Office: (509) 344-1879 • Cell: (509) 768-3782
