No injuries were reported after a JTA bus collided with an Amtrak Train in Murray Hill Monday morning.
JTA said the crash happened at 6:39 a.m. near the intersection of Post Street and McDuff Avenue.
JTA said security footage shows the operator of the JTA bus crossing the intersection and approaching the tracks before the arm came down and signals began to flash. It was then that the approaching Amtrak train clipped the right front side of the bus, according to JTA.
A passenger on the bus told First Coast News that the bus approached the crossing and stopped to check for trains. When the crossing arms came down onto the bus, passengers pleaded with the driver to "back up, back up," the passenger said.
Nine passengers were on board at the time of the crash, but JTA said no injuries were reported.
The bus operator was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and was later released.
The operator has since been taken in for a drug and alcohol screening and has been placed on a "hold off" status without pay while an investigation into the incident continues.
The train came from Lorton, Va. is headed to Sanford, Fla.
JTA released the following statement concerning the investigation:
“The JTA is committed to providing safe and reliable public transportation for our customers, no matter where their journey takes them. We are grateful that no one was seriously injured Monday morning. As our internal investigation continues, the bus operator involved has been placed on “hold off” status without pay. Through that investigation, we will determine whether the operator followed protocols outlined in the Bus Operator’s Rule Book, and whether any disciplinary action is necessary.
While JTA buses routinely make safe trips across railroad tracks, more than 1,200 times each weekday, we are undertaking a complete review of how JTA buses approach and cross these intersections. We also are reevaluating this particular crossing, which presents a unique set of circumstances, not only for the JTA, but for other large vehicles.”
JTA said they will also do a complete review of all rail crossings on routes to help the determined the best course of action.
A spokesperson for the JTA released the following statement on Twitter shortly after the crash: