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Students react to ECU bus accident
Elise Phillips, Assistant Pulse Editor
Issue date: 3/31/09 Section: News
After Thursday's accident between an ECU Transit bus and a bicycle that led to the bicyclist's death, ECU students have had mixed responses to the incident.
Stokes resident Joseph Leon Smallwood, 54, was killed after a university bus ran him over at the corner of East 10th and Lawrence Streets, The Daily Reflector reported on Saturday. Smallwood died after trauma surgery, but the time of death was not released, according to the same report.
David Stall, a student bus driver, says that the student response following the incident has been understanding.
"Most of the students understand that it wasn't our fault," said Stall. "I think most students still feel safe [and] I think they understand that it was an isolated incident."
Courtney Proseus, a sophomore history education major, is one student who is not apprehensive about riding the university bus system.
"My sister drives [an] ECU bus and I know for a fact that they get more training than school bus drivers," said Courtney Proseus, who rides the bus system daily. "I've never felt threatened. They make sure they are ready before they get on the road."
Others, like student Kyndall Peele, have their reservations about getting on the bus after Thursday's accident and another incident last week involving another ECU bus and a university cherry picker that shattered that bus' windows.
"I'm a little apprehensive [about riding the ECU bus system] because this is the second thing that's happened," said Kyndall Peele, a junior journalism major. "I keep wondering if they get more training if that would help, but what can you do? You have to ride the bus to get to school."
Stall says that student bus drivers undergo "intense" training that includes a 19-day program of several tests and other training opportunities.
"Greenville has one of the third largest training organizations in the state," Stall said. "I would say the training is very intense. They don't play."
Stokes resident Joseph Leon Smallwood, 54, was killed after a university bus ran him over at the corner of East 10th and Lawrence Streets, The Daily Reflector reported on Saturday. Smallwood died after trauma surgery, but the time of death was not released, according to the same report.
David Stall, a student bus driver, says that the student response following the incident has been understanding.
"Most of the students understand that it wasn't our fault," said Stall. "I think most students still feel safe [and] I think they understand that it was an isolated incident."
Courtney Proseus, a sophomore history education major, is one student who is not apprehensive about riding the university bus system.
"My sister drives [an] ECU bus and I know for a fact that they get more training than school bus drivers," said Courtney Proseus, who rides the bus system daily. "I've never felt threatened. They make sure they are ready before they get on the road."
Others, like student Kyndall Peele, have their reservations about getting on the bus after Thursday's accident and another incident last week involving another ECU bus and a university cherry picker that shattered that bus' windows.
"I'm a little apprehensive [about riding the ECU bus system] because this is the second thing that's happened," said Kyndall Peele, a junior journalism major. "I keep wondering if they get more training if that would help, but what can you do? You have to ride the bus to get to school."
Stall says that student bus drivers undergo "intense" training that includes a 19-day program of several tests and other training opportunities.
"Greenville has one of the third largest training organizations in the state," Stall said. "I would say the training is very intense. They don't play."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Dean
posted 3/30/09 @ 10:09 PM EST
I was with ECUSTA from 1995 - 2000. While I started out as a driver, I was the Logistics manager, the Operations manager, and eventually the Genreal manager. (Continued…)
Me
posted 3/30/09 @ 11:42 PM EST
"I'm a little apprehensive [about riding the ECU bus system] because this is the second thing that's happened," said Kyndall Peele, a junior journalism major. (Continued…)
O
posted 3/31/09 @ 10:10 AM EST
My roommate is an ECU bus driver, and he told me if he was driving that bus and it was me walking, well lets just say it wouldn't have been pretty.
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