LIBERTY – On Thursday, March 5 a bus carrying Monticello High School students from Sullivan County BOCES’ Career and Technical Education (CTE) program attempted to enter Route 17 in Liberty in the wrong direction, according to the Monticello Central School District. 

The district said students on board took prompt action to ensure the bus stopped safely on the off-ramp and quickly called 911. The bus did not enter the highway and was not involved in any collision with other vehicles.  

State police, emergency responders and the school’s transportation staff immediately reported to the scene. No injuries were reported, and all students had been accounted for. A second bus, and new driver, retrieved the students and brought them back safely to Monticello High School.  

The high school has directly contacted the families of students on the bus.  

The school said it is fully investigating the cause of the incident and will take appropriate action to prevent future incidents. 

“We are grateful that the students on the bus took the necessary steps to protect their safety,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Evans said. “They followed the protocols practiced in our bus safety drills. We will let the findings of our investigation guide our next steps to ensure the safety of our students and staff.”