Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced that earlier today the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office conducted safety inspections of buses owned and operated by A-1 Elegant, a Paterson based company, as part of an ongoing investigation into school bus safety in Newark.
Officials say A-1 Elegant is contracted to transport children to school in Newark as well as other parts of the state.
The preliminary investigation revealed that numerous drivers were operating school buses without the proper credentials according to officials.
Inspections were conducted at five locations in Newark. Eight bus drivers, more than half of those detained, did not have proper credentials to drive school children.
Two bus drivers and a bus aid had open warrants and were taken into custody according to officials.
Buses were intercepted after children were dropped off to minimize the disruption of the school day.
Officials say no children were harmed although in some instances alternative transportation had to be provided to the children at the end of the day.
Search warrants were also executed at the business offices of A-1 Elegant in Paterson.
The investigation, which is a joint effort of the ECPO, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission, and the Newark Police Department, is active and ongoing.