A nonverbal Cincinnati second grader died aboard a bus operated by a private student transportation company.
Roselawn Condon School student Ngone Talla, 7, was found "not breathing" aboard a school bus and was pronounced dead on Sept. 16. The bus was operated by First Student, which Cincinnati Public Schools contracts to shuttle students.
The Enquirer has been referred to the transportation company when asking for details surrounding Ngone's death.
Headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, here's what we know about the company operating the bus when Ngone died.
What is First Student?
Located off Second Street, First Student provides transportation services to over 530 locations across the United States and Canada. It operates over 48,000 vehicles across North America and said
it makes about 4.8 million student journeys daily.
First Student contracts with Cincinnati Public Schools to provide transportation for students.
The company advertises a six-day research-backed special needs training program for school bus staff, according to its website. However, a representative for the company told The Enquirer that Cincinnati Public Schools does not contract First Student for the special needs service.
Cincinnati Public Schools said there was a driver and a "monitor" aboard the bus when Ngone died. The school district referred The Enquirer to First Student regarding whether the driver or monitor were filling in as a substitutes.
First Student did not respond to questions for clarification sent via email.
In a Sept. 16 statement, First Student said it was "deeply saddened by the death of a student on one of our buses. Our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family, classmates, school community and all those impacted as they navigate this difficult time."
First Student sued in Hamilton County
Within the last 10 years, First Student has been named in more than two dozen Hamilton County lawsuits, records show.
Fourteen of the local lawsuits surround traffic crashes involving the company’s school buses.
One case filed in 2024 surrounds a 5-year-old special needs child in Westwood who, according to the lawsuit, was placed on a bus at his elementary school – even though he was supposed to be picked up by his mother – and dropped off unaccompanied. The boy was found screaming in the street. The case settled for an undisclosed amount and was dismissed in March.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What is First Student? Company operated bus during CPS student's death
