Last updated
By Ron McMinn, Esq. | Official sources rechecked November 9, 2026.
Read this article in Español.
Baldwin Park is served by more than one public transit system, and the first job after a bus injury is figuring out whose bus it was. This page explains who runs what and how the claim works. Our bus accident page and mass transit hub cover the rest of Southern California. For the November 7 freeway crash, see our separate article on the Baldwin Park I-10 pursuit crash.
Who runs the buses in Baldwin Park
Foothill Transit is governed by a joint powers authority of 22 member cities and the County of Los Angeles, and Baldwin Park is one of the member cities.
The City of Baldwin Park also runs its own transit program, with Pumpkin and Teal fixed-route shuttles and Dial-A-Ride service. The City’s shuttle schedule lists departures from the Metrolink station, and the City posts the Metrolink San Bernardino Line schedule. Metrolink is its own agency; see our Metrolink accident page.
LA Metro buses go to Metro; see our LA Metro accident page. Freeways generally go to the State (see our Caltrans claim guide).
The six-month claim comes first
Government Code section 911.2 says a claim for death or for injury to a person or to personal property must be presented no later than six months after the cause of action accrues. Most other claims get one year. Accrual is a legal question, so do not guess at the start date.
We did not find a dedicated claim form on Foothill Transit’s public website. Government Code section 915 says a claim to a local public entity may be delivered to its clerk, secretary, or auditor, or mailed to the clerk, secretary, auditor, or governing body at its principal office. A written claim must still contain what Government Code section 910 requires. Call Foothill Transit at 1-800-RIDE-INFO (743-3463) to ask where it wants claims sent, and keep proof of how and when you presented yours. For a City shuttle, the claim goes to the City of Baldwin Park.
Our transit six-month claim deadline article explains why riders and drivers should not wait.
Bus passengers are owed the utmost care
Civil Code section 2100 says a carrier of persons for reward must use the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage, must provide everything necessary for that purpose, and must exercise a reasonable degree of skill. That is a higher standard than ordinary care, but it does not make a carrier responsible for every injury. The question is still what the carrier did or failed to do.
Government Code section 815.2 makes a public entity liable for injury caused by an employee’s act or omission within the scope of employment, when the act would have given rise to a claim against the employee, unless the employee is immune. That is how a public transit agency can answer for a bus operator’s driving.
Who else may pay
Many bus crashes involve another driver. If a car hit the bus you were on, that driver and their insurer may be responsible, alongside or instead of the transit agency. See who pays a bus passenger when a car hits the bus. Riders hurt by a hard stop with no collision also have options; see injured by sudden bus braking with no crash.
Some public agencies contract out bus operations or maintenance, so the company running the bus may be a separate party. Do not assume who employed the driver. That is something to confirm early.
What to do in the first days
Get medical care and keep every record and bill. Write down the bus route, bus number, direction, stop, and time. Photograph the scene, your injuries, and any damage. Get names and phone numbers of witnesses and other passengers. Ask for the police report number.
Onboard and stop video can be overwritten, so a written request to preserve it should go out quickly. Be careful giving recorded statements to an insurer or claims administrator before you understand your rights.
How a bus accident lawyer helps
A bus accident lawyer identifies every public and private party that may be responsible, presents a timely government claim to each public entity, requests video and records, deals with insurers, and keeps track of the deadlines that follow a rejection. We do not promise outcomes, and no result in another case predicts yours.
After the claim
Under Government Code section 945.4, you generally cannot sue the public entity for money damages until a required claim has been presented and acted on, or deemed rejected. Section 912.4 generally gives the public entity 45 days to act. If it does not act, the claim is deemed rejected on the last day of that period.
After written notice of rejection, Government Code section 945.6 generally gives you six months from the date the notice is personally delivered or mailed to file suit. If no written notice is given, a two-year period from accrual can apply instead.
Missed the six-month window? Government Code section 911.4 allows a written application for leave to present a late claim within a reasonable time, not more than one year after accrual, with the proposed claim attached. Relief is not automatic. See our guide on a missed six-month government claim deadline.
Talk to us
If you were hurt in California and a city, county, transit agency, or the State may be involved, Win Attorneys handles government claims and personal injury matters statewide from our Tustin office. See our Los Angeles page. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese.
Call us at (562) 296-5380, reach us through our contact page, or start online with our intake form. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.
Frequently asked questions
Which buses serve Baldwin Park?
Foothill Transit, a joint powers authority of 22 cities and the County of Los Angeles, counts Baldwin Park as a member city. The City of Baldwin Park also runs its own Pumpkin and Teal fixed-route shuttles and Dial-A-Ride, and Metrolink trains stop in the city.
Who do I file a claim against after a Baldwin Park bus accident?
It depends on whose bus it was. A Foothill Transit bus points to Foothill Transit, a City shuttle points to the City of Baldwin Park, and a Metrolink train points to Metrolink. Each public entity needs its own timely claim.
Does Foothill Transit have a claim form?
We did not find one on its public website. A written claim that meets Government Code section 910 can still be presented under section 915. Call 1-800-RIDE-INFO (743-3463) to confirm where to send it.
How long do I have after a Baldwin Park bus accident?
Government Code section 911.2 generally requires a written claim against a public entity within six months for injury claims.
Is this page about the November 7 I-10 pursuit crash in Baldwin Park?
No. The reports we reviewed about that crash did not describe a bus. We covered it separately in our article on the Baldwin Park I-10 pursuit crash.