Find a bus accident lawyer in Glendale, Arizona: Valley Metro, GUS and school bus claims
A bus crash in Glendale usually involves a public agency, so your claim is due in 180 days, not 2 years. A claim for a Valley Metro bus goes to the agency's Risk Management office in Phoenix, 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300, or by email to [email protected]. City shuttle claims go to the Glendale City Clerk. Everyone hurt on the bus files a form of their own.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (43)
Which bus was it? Who runs transit in Glendale?
Start here, because it decides where your claim goes. Valley Metro is a brand name, not one company. The Regional Public Transportation Authority administers bus service, and Valley Metro Rail, Inc. runs light rail. The City of Glendale's Transit Division, at 6210 W. Myrtle Ave., runs its own programs.
| Service | Who to name | Where your claim goes |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Metro routes such as 70, 59, 83, 170, 186 and 573 | Regional Public Transportation Authority | Valley Metro Risk Management |
| GUS, the free Glendale Urban Shuttle | City of Glendale, unless records show a contractor | Glendale City Clerk |
| Glendale OnBoard or Dial-A-Ride | City of Glendale, unless records show a contractor | Glendale City Clerk |
| School bus | The school district | The district's governing board or its authorized agent |
| Charter or tour bus | The private company | No 180-day notice, generally 2 years to sue |
We could not confirm whether Glendale runs GUS and OnBoard with its own staff or a contractor. Ask the transit office at 623-930-2940. If you are not sure, send notice to every public body that might be involved, and do it inside the 180 days.
How do I file a notice of claim against Valley Metro in Glendale?
- Get Valley Metro's claim form. Each injured person fills out a separate one.
- Answer everything. Valley Metro says that leaving out requested information will result in rejection.
- State the facts, and a specific dollar amount you would settle for, with the facts that support it.
- Attach medical bills and repair estimates if you have them.
- Deliver or mail it to Risk Management, or email it to [email protected]. Keep proof of the date.
- If you hear nothing in 60 days, treat it as denied. Then count your lawsuit deadline. A suit against a public body must be filed within 1 year of the injury.
Valley Metro's staff can give directions but not legal advice. To reach its legal department, call (602) 253-5000. A form with no dollar amount, or one sent to the wrong office, can sink a good case. This is the step where a bus accident lawyer earns the fee.
Is there video of my bus accident in Glendale?
Maybe, and you should ask right away. Valley Metro tells claimants that they are responsible for preserving potentially relevant evidence. Public records in Arizona are open to inspection, so a written records request for video, the driver's trip log and any incident report is a good early step.
Parking areas can help too. The park-and-ride at 99th and Glendale Avenues has security cameras and a security building. Video is often saved over quickly, so do not wait until the last week of your notice period. After a fatal crash, federal rules require alcohol and drug tests of the transit driver soon after, with limits of 2 and 8 hours for the alcohol test.
What if my child was hurt on a school bus in Glendale?
A public school district counts as a public body too. Glendale Elementary says its buses have audio and video systems and GPS. Its dispatch number is (623) 237-6262. High school students may be in Glendale Union, at 7650 N. 43rd Avenue, and Peoria Unified has its offices at 6330 W. Thunderbird Road. Confirm which district ran the bus.
A child gets extra time. Arizona gives a minor 180 days after turning 18 to file notice. Do not count on that if you can act sooner, because bus video is unlikely to last that long.
Who pays for a bus crash in Glendale, and how much?
- The transit agency or district, through its own coverage. Arizona puts no ceiling on injury damages.
- Private charter companies carry at least $5,000,000 for buses with 16 or more seats and $1,500,000 for smaller ones, under federal rules. Transit providers can fall under different limits.
- Another driver, if that person caused the crash. Your claim is then a normal car claim, and you may have both.
- Your health insurance, while the claim is open.
Bus companies must use reasonable care under all the circumstances. Public bodies cannot be made to pay punitive damages. Your own share of fault lowers your award but does not end it. Disputes under $50,000 in Maricopa Superior Court go to mandatory arbitration first.
What should I ask a bus accident lawyer in Glendale?
- Which public body is the right one to name, and will you serve all of them?
- What dollar figure will you put in my notice, and how will you back it up?
- Will you send a records request for the bus video this week?
- How much time is really left on my 180 days?
Questions
How long do I have to sue after a bus accident in Glendale?
A public agency must get your notice within 180 days, and you must sue within 1 year. A private bus company generally has 2 years.
Who do I call to report an injury on a Valley Metro bus?
Report it to the bus operator or any Valley Metro employee, or phone Customer Service at (602) 253-5000.
Does a claim need to name a dollar amount?
Yes. Arizona's law requires a specific amount for which the claim can be settled.
Can I take a bus claim to Glendale City Court or small claims?
No. Glendale City Court does not hear injury suits, and a small claims suit cannot be brought against the state or its political subdivisions.
Bus accident in Glendale? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (43)
- A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Valley Metro Attention: Risk Management 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300 Phoenix, AZ 85003”
- City of Glendale, City Clerk, checked 2026-11-08. “623-930-2252, Option 1”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “If you do not receive a response to your claim within sixty (60) days of your submission, you can assume that the claim has been denied.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “The claim shall also contain a specific amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting that amount.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “is barred and no action may be maintained thereon”
- Valley Metro, Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “On buses, report issues to the operator or a Valley Metro employee, or contact Customer Service at (602) 253-5000”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Please note, Valley Metro is a brand name only. Valley Metro Rail, Inc. operates light rail service.”
- City of Glendale, Transit Services, checked 2026-11-08. “6210 W. Myrtle Ave., Building S”
- City of Glendale Transit Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Valley Metro bus routes Glendale Avenue (Rte. 70) and West Glendale Express (Rte. 573) buses serve this park-and-ride.”
- City of Glendale Transit Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Several Valley Metro bus routes serve this transit center including Valley Metro bus routes 170 (Bell Road), 186 (Union Hills), 83 (83rd Avenue).”
- City of Glendale Transit Services, checked 2026-11-09. “The free Glendale Urban Shuttle (GUS) provides a great way to bring local destinations closer with three convenient circulator routes.”
- City of Glendale, Transit Services, checked 2026-11-08. “Glendale OnBoard is a shared Microtransit/Paratransit transportation service serving the City of Glendale, Arizona.”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- City of Glendale Transit Services, checked 2026-11-09. “For questions about GUS, please call 623-930-2940.”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-09. “Failure to do so will result in the rejection of your claim.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “is deemed denied sixty days after the filing of the claim”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-09. “(602) 253-5000 and ask to be directed to the legal department”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-09. “to preserve potentially relevant evidence”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 39-121, checked 2026-11-09. “Public records and other matters in the custody of any officer shall be open to inspection by any person at all times during office hours.”
- City of Glendale Transit Services, checked 2026-11-09. “security cameras, and a security building”
- 49 CFR 655.44, checked 2026-11-09. “As soon as practicable following an accident involving the loss of human life, an employer shall conduct drug and alcohol tests”
- 49 CFR 655.44, checked 2026-11-09. “is not administered within two hours following the accident, the employer shall prepare and maintain on file a record”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-820, checked 2026-11-09. “"Public entity" includes this state and any political subdivision of this state.”
- Glendale Elementary School District, Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “Buses are fitted with audio and video systems”
- Glendale Elementary School District, Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “Each bus is equipped with GPS”
- Glendale Elementary School District, Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “Regular Education, Field Trips (623) 237-6262”
- Glendale Union High School District, checked 2026-11-09. “Address: 7650 N 43rd Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301”
- Peoria Unified School District, checked 2026-11-09. “Peoria Unified School District 6330 W. Thunderbird Road Glendale, AZ 85306”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “a minor or an insane or incompetent person may file a claim within one hundred eighty days after the disability ceases”
- A.R.S. § 12-502, checked 2026-11-08. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- Arizona Constitution, article 2, section 31, checked 2026-11-09. “No law shall be enacted in this state limiting the amount of damages to be recovered for causing the death or injury of any person”
- 49 CFR 387.33, checked 2026-11-09. “seating capacity of 16 passengers or more, including the driver $5,000,000”
- 49 CFR 387.33, checked 2026-11-09. “seating capacity of 15 passengers or less, including the driver 1,500,000”
- 49 CFR 387.33, checked 2026-11-09. “Limits applicable to transit service providers”
- Nunez v. Professional Transit Management of Tucson (Ariz. 2012), checked 2026-11-09. “We hold that the general negligence standard- reasonable care under all the circumstances - applies.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-820.04, checked 2026-11-09. “Neither a public entity nor a public employee acting within the scope of his employment is liable for punitive or exemplary damages.”
- A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
- Maricopa County Superior Court, Arbitration, checked 2026-11-08. “Compulsory Arbitration is a mandatory program for disputes valued under $50,000.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- Glendale City Court, About Us, checked 2026-11-08. “The Glendale City Court adjudicates criminal misdemeanors, City Code violations, and certain juvenile offenses committed in the City of Glendale.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 22-503, checked 2026-11-08. “Actions against this state, its political subdivisions or an officer or employee of the state or its political subdivisions in his official capacity.”