- Video shows more safety concerns from employees.
- Mechanics say they are not sure who is in charge of JATA maintenance and where Maintenance Manager Brent Sanders has gone.
- Workers say Sanders has not been seen at work for more than a week.
- Whistleblower Terrence Hill alleges retaliation at the workplace for raising concerns, refuses to drive bus with compromised frame and was sent home for the day.
- JATA attorney Andrew Brege says the bus Hill refused to drive has been pulled from service; says lead mechanic has taken over Sanders' responsibilities while an internal investigation continues.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Safety concerns continue to come out of the Jackson Area Transportation Authority. Here is new information that employees say is putting riders at risk.
“They’re not telling us anything so right now we don’t have a supervisor on-site,” says JATA Mechanic Calvin Bioty.
Bioty and his colleague, mechanic John Morris report to Maintenance Manager Brent Sanders. But they haven't seen him in over a week.
I asked Bioty: “Where is Brent Sanders?”
“I’m not sure at the moment. They are not telling us anything…if he’s on vacation, leave of absence, suspended…” was his answer.
I asked multiple JATA leaders where Sanders has been, and was told a lead mechanic was serving in his place during an internal investigation.
We're trying to find out more because of concerns from Bioty and others that JATA has been running unsafe buses with cracked frames. We did hear Sanders address the issue at JATA's April Board meeting.
He said: "Our buses have stainless steel chassis that don't allow them to be cracked."
Bioty says otherwise.
“Rust can separate the frame. And that’s exactly what’s going on in this picture,” he said.
And that's not the only issue we're looking at.
Driver Terrence Hill also brought forward safety concerns. He says that since then he's faced what he calls retaliation — including reduced hours, slander, accusations…even threats of physical violence.
“I…it is hard out here. It is affecting my family. But I’m going to keep fighting. I’m going to keep telling the truth,” says Hill.
TERRENCE HILL TALKS ABOUT WORK AT JATA SINCE HE RAISED SAFETY CONCERNS:
Hill told me Friday he was ordered to drive Bus 477 — one of the buses Bioty says has a separated frame. Hill refused…and was sent home.
“I'm so glad that people…like the mechanics came and helped me.”
With regards to the bus, JATA Attorney Andrew Brege told us Friday:
“It is my understanding that bus never went out on route today when the safety concern was raised, and it is currently awaiting an inspection by the manufacturer.”
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