York Region emergency crews wait to remove the body of the driver of a pickup truck that collided with a Viva bus during the morning rush hour on Yonge Street south of Highway 407 in Thornhill, Ont., on April 23, 2015.J.P. Moczulski/The Globe and Mail
A 25-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., man is dead after a collision between a pickup truck and a Viva transit bus in Thornhill on Thursday.
York Regional Police responded to a call about 7:30 a.m. regarding a two-vehicle collision involving a Ford F-150 and a Viva bus on Yonge Street between Centre Street and Royal Orchard Boulevard.
Police said the man driving the Ford F-150 died from his injuries at the scene.
Ann-Marie Carroll, general manager of York Region Transit/Viva, said she had been told that 20 passengers were on the bus at the time of the collision, and seven reported minor injuries.
The bus driver, who Ms. Carroll said is an "experienced driver," was taken to hospital for observation. The driver is "shaken up," but she is expected to be fine, she said.
Ms. Carroll said she had been told that the collision happened as the bus was travelling northbound in the curb lane. The truck, going southbound, reportedly crossed the centre line. The pickup had heavy damage on the driver's side.
Ms. Carroll said serious incidents like Thursday morning's collision are unusual, but procedures are in place to deal with them. Once the bus is released by police, it will be inspected and reconstructed.
The people affected by the collision, including those injured and the transit employees, are the first priority, Ms. Carroll said.
"It's all about education and taking incidents like this and using it as a learning experience," she said. "If people are feeling impacted, there are supports for them."
The collision follows a fatal incident in January when a GO Transit bus rolled over on Highway 407, killing one person. The driver of the bus has since been charged with careless driving.