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Taken for a Ride - A David Hammer investigation

Eyewitness News Investigator David Hammer started looking into reports of problems with local school buses and it turned into much more.

NEW ORLEANS — In late 2018, Eyewitness Investigator David Hammer began checking into complaints about school bus operations, the conditions of buses and the status of the drivers. What he found led the New Orleans City Council to seize control of school bus inspections and licensing. And his stories raised more questions about other problems, such as allegations of a rigged contract, falsified insurance documents, changing of public records and grade-fixing, leading state and local authorities to investigate.

Here's the latest update from the Eyewitness Investigation:

All school bus operators must pass city inspection or schools will face consequences, NOLA Public Schools says

And you can read how the Taken for a Ride investigation developed below:

- Taken for a Ride: How safe are charter school buses?

- Taken For a Ride: Charter school bus firms cutting corners to save money

- Taken For A Ride: Charter School Bus Safety Search

- Video shows tire off school bus, students jumping out onto highway bridge

- Taken for a Ride: Subcontractors driving buses without some charter schools' knowledge

- City Council passes new school bus regulations, hoping to stop unsafe, illegal practices

- WWL-TV Exclusive: School bus company's insurance certificates 'falsified,' agency says

- Investigation launched based on WWL-TV report showing buses being driven with 'falsified' insurance

- Emergency order issued against local school bus company after WWL reports

- Schools using Scholars First say buses now have valid insurance

- WWL-TV Exclusive: Records, sources say charter school falsified board minutes on bus contract

- Charter school board hires investigator to look at allegations reported by WWL-TV, places CEO on paid leave

More allegations emerge against suspended charter schools CEO

- Einstein Charter fires school bus contractor after WWL-TV investigation

- Charter school board votes to fire school bus company exposed by WWL-TV

- New Beginnings board likely to take action soon on suspended CEO

- Charter school CEO resigns amid investigation into WWL-TV report

- Nearly 40% of charter school buses not up to new standards set after Eyewitness Investigation

- New Orleans grants second grace period for school bus inspections

- School bus driver sends kids off bus after accident, drives away

- Nearly 100 N.O. school buses have failed inspection; hundreds more haven't been looked at

- Driver of overturned school bus was denied permit, bus never inspected

- Disgraced school bus operators pop up with new company

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