School district buying 6 new buses following deadly crash

PARAMUS, N.J. – A New Jersey school district is buying six buses equipped with three-point seat belts, part of its efforts to improve safety following a crash in May that killed a student and a teacher.

The Paramus Board of Education will pay $621,906 for the 54-passenger buses, with the seat belts costing an additional $5,300 per bus.

The changes come in the wake of the deadly May 17 crash in Mount Olive.

Investigators say the crash was caused by bus driver Hudy Muldrow, when he missed a turn then crossed three lanes of traffic on Interstate 80 to attempt an illegal U-turn. The bus collided with a dump truck, and the impact tore the bus apart.

Muldrow’s lawyer has said there is no evidence he was trying to turn onto the median.