Kitahoku High School Denies Bus Company’s Explanation Regarding Driver and Vehicle Arrangement
47NEWS (Kyodo News)
May 7, 2026, 10:38 p.m. JST
Niigata City — Kitahoku High School in Niigata City held a press conference on the evening of May 7 following a microbus accident on the Ban-etsu Expressway in which one student was killed. The school directly denied the bus operator “Kanbara Tetsudo” (蒲原鉄道)’s explanation from the previous day (May 6). The company had stated that it arranged a rental vehicle “based on the school’s request to keep costs down” and that “there was also a request for a driver.” 
Kitahoku High School responded: “That is not true. We did not ask them to provide a rental car or to supply a driver because they didn’t have one.” 
The two sides are now clashing over how the driver and vehicle were arranged. The school stated that it believed it had simply requested regular bus service and “never imagined an outside driver or a rental vehicle.” 
According to Kitahoku High School, the boys’ soft tennis team advisor contacted a sales representative from Kanbara Tetsudo in early April. The advisor provided details on the number of passengers, departure and arrival times, and destination, and requested a chartered bus for a one-day away match in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture. Payment for the trip was to be made after the excursion. 
The advisor was driving a separate car ahead of the bus. The school acknowledged that the teacher supervision format for the trip had issues. 
This is such a shit show. I saw on the news that the driver was referred by someone they knew. He was unemployed and had no experience driving buses. They apparently didn’t even verify his driver’s licence?!
Kitahoku? Hokuetsu, you mean, but yeah, a very messed up situation.
The whole thing is a mess and I feel really sorry for the families and students affected by this tragedy
4 comments
Kitahoku High School Denies Bus Company’s Explanation Regarding Driver and Vehicle Arrangement
47NEWS (Kyodo News)
May 7, 2026, 10:38 p.m. JST
Niigata City — Kitahoku High School in Niigata City held a press conference on the evening of May 7 following a microbus accident on the Ban-etsu Expressway in which one student was killed. The school directly denied the bus operator “Kanbara Tetsudo” (蒲原鉄道)’s explanation from the previous day (May 6). The company had stated that it arranged a rental vehicle “based on the school’s request to keep costs down” and that “there was also a request for a driver.” 
Kitahoku High School responded: “That is not true. We did not ask them to provide a rental car or to supply a driver because they didn’t have one.” 
The two sides are now clashing over how the driver and vehicle were arranged. The school stated that it believed it had simply requested regular bus service and “never imagined an outside driver or a rental vehicle.” 
According to Kitahoku High School, the boys’ soft tennis team advisor contacted a sales representative from Kanbara Tetsudo in early April. The advisor provided details on the number of passengers, departure and arrival times, and destination, and requested a chartered bus for a one-day away match in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture. Payment for the trip was to be made after the excursion. 
The advisor was driving a separate car ahead of the bus. The school acknowledged that the teacher supervision format for the trip had issues. 
This is such a shit show. I saw on the news that the driver was referred by someone they knew. He was unemployed and had no experience driving buses. They apparently didn’t even verify his driver’s licence?!
Kitahoku? Hokuetsu, you mean, but yeah, a very messed up situation.
The whole thing is a mess and I feel really sorry for the families and students affected by this tragedy
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