Bus Federation Demands End to ‘Witch Hunt’ After Fatal Buggenhout Crash
The Belgian Federation of Bus and Coach Operators (FBAA) has called for significantly more financial resources for school transport and demanded an end to what it describes as a “witch hunt” against the country’s 14,000 bus drivers, following a catastrophic accident at a railway crossing in Buggenhout, East Flanders, that killed four people and left five children seriously injured.
Speaking on June 4, FBAA CEO Pieter Van Bastelaere said the federation deliberately waited to respond until after the victims’ funerals. He argued that while the accident was a tragedy, the response risked unfairly condemning an entire profession, as reported by De Morgen.
The Accident and Its Aftermath
On May 26, 2026, a school bus operated by ‘t Ros Beiaard was struck by a train at a guarded railway crossing in Buggenhout. The barriers were down and the warning lights were red. The train was traveling at 90 km/h at the moment of impact. The crash killed the bus driver, Noureddine Zerrouak (49), bus attendant Anke (27), and two students — Mohamed Reda (15) and Arthur (12).
Just days later, another driver from the same company crossed the same railway crossing under circumstances that initially appeared to mirror the fatal incident. However, Infrabel later reviewed camera footage and found no violation — the barriers were up and the light had just turned from red to white, according to VRT NWS.
Prior Complaints Ignored
An investigation by VRT NWS revealed that multiple bus attendants had filed complaints over several years about the deceased driver’s reckless driving behavior — including excessive speed, running red lights, using his phone while driving, passing cyclists too closely, and crossing railway tracks as barriers were descending. Complaints were made to the school, the bus company, and the province, but no action was taken, as documented by VRT NWS.
One anonymous bus attendant, identified as “Sofie,” told VRT NWS: “It was about phone use, crossing the railway when the barriers were already going down, excessive speeding, failing to yield right of way. Children didn’t want to ride the bus anymore, children were vomiting.” She added: “Nothing was done with the complaints. We were told there were no other drivers available. That makes it even more painful — this should never have happened.”
Another attendant, “Els,” said: “Did I feel safe? No. No, no. That’s the sad part — it could all have been avoided given the complaints that had been going on for years.”
Systemic Failures Exposed
The case has exposed a diffusion of responsibility across multiple institutions. The school said it forwarded complaints to the bus company. The province confirmed complaints existed and passed them to the bus company and prosecutor. De Lijn, the public transport company that contracts private operators, said it was only aware of two minor speeding violations. Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder stated that De Lijn had no knowledge of complaints serious enough to warrant contract termination, noting that oversight of employees is the contractor’s responsibility, as reported by VRT NWS.
Current and former bus drivers interviewed by VRT NWS highlighted deeper problems: a shortage of 160 drivers in Flanders for special education transport, low wages making the profession unattractive, long travel times (some children spend over two hours per one-way trip), aging buses in poor condition, and time pressure on drivers.
Ex-bus driver Wim Vandriessche said: “Anyone with a driver’s license and an ID card seems to be able to get the job. That raises questions for me about screening and guidance.”
The Federation’s Position
Van Bastelaere emphasized that the sector had already submitted a memorandum in 2025 calling for quality requirements in tenders, which reached all parliament members but had no concrete follow-up. “De Lijn must receive sufficient financial resources to carry out its student transport task qualitatively,” he said.
The FBAA also noted that all buses in Belgium are technically limited to 100 km/h, including the crashed bus, and that several complaints came from the same source over recent years. The same source incorrectly claimed the same company committed further violations, which Infrabel camera evidence contradicted.
What Comes Next
Lawyer Sven Mary has filed a civil party complaint on behalf of the family of Mohamed Reda (15), seeking answers about institutional responsibility. The prosecutor’s office has confirmed awareness of the prior complaints and stated they would be investigated as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The FBAA’s call for increased funding faces significant headwinds. Flanders faces a budget deficit of 2.18 billion euros for 2026, and the federal government is implementing austerity measures including a partial wage indexation cap. Whether the political will exists to address the systemic issues in school transport — from driver screening to funding — remains an open question as the investigation continues.