Find a bus accident lawyer in Fort Worth: Trinity Metro and school bus claims

Trinity Metro is a government body under Texas transit law. A claim generally has to reach it within six months of the crash, unless it already had actual notice. Fort Worth's 180-day rule covers claims against the city itself. You generally have 2 years to file a lawsuit.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (32)

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Road map of Fort Worth with downtown at the center and bus routes branching across Tarrant County
A claim against Trinity Metro is generally due within 6 months. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Is Trinity Metro a government agency in Fort Worth?

Yes, and that changes almost everything about your claim. Trinity Metro is the name people know, but legally it is still the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, created under Chapter 452 of the Texas Transportation Code. State law calls that kind of agency a governmental unit. It carried 8,039,850 rides in fiscal 2025.

A 2021 board packet said Trinity Metro was fully self-insured for vehicle accident claims. That means you may be dealing with the agency's own claims staff rather than an outside insurance company. Its Risk Management department investigates injury reports, handles claims and represents the agency in court.

How long do I have to file a claim after a bus crash in Fort Worth?

It depends on who ran the bus. Check the name painted on the side before you do anything else.

BusNotice deadlineTime to sueMost it can owe
Trinity Metro6 monthsGenerally 2 yearsLikely $100,000 per person, $300,000 per crash
Fort Worth ISD or another school district6 monthsGenerally 2 years, paused for a childLikely $100,000 per person, $300,000 per crash
A City of Fort Worth vehicle180 days, unless good cause is shownGenerally 2 years$250,000 per person, $500,000 per crash
Private charter or tour busNo government noticeGenerally 2 yearsFederal minimum of $5,000,000 for many interstate carriers with 16 or more seats

Trinity Metro is not a city, so the $100,000 limit is the one most likely to apply to it. Ask a lawyer to confirm that for your case. If a government body already knew about the crash and your injury, formal notice may be excused, but do not count on that.

How do I make a claim against Trinity Metro in Fort Worth?

We could not find a published Trinity Metro claim form or a claims mailing address, so here is the careful way to do it.

  1. Call customer support at 817-215-8600 and ask for Risk and Claims.
  2. Send written notice by certified mail to 801 Grove St., Fort Worth 76102, the address Trinity Metro lists. Say when and where it happened, what bus or route, and how you were hurt. Keep the receipt.
  3. Ask in writing that video from the bus and any stop camera be saved. Video can be recorded over, so ask early.
  4. If someone died, ask about the required drug and alcohol tests. Federal rules call for them as soon as practicable after a fatal transit accident.

What if my child was hurt on a Fort Worth ISD school bus?

Call the Transportation communication center at 817-815-7900 and ask for a written record of what happened. Then watch the calendar. The six-month notice applies to school districts, and being a minor does not stop it.

School districts are harder to sue than other public bodies. The Tort Claims Act reaches them only for motor vehicles. So a crash or a driver's mistake moving the bus can qualify, since immunity is waived when the injury comes from operating or using the vehicle. A fight on board usually does not, because the bus was just the setting.

Who is at fault when a bus hits you in Fort Worth?

Companies in the business of carrying passengers can face a high standard of care in Texas, and that test turns on the business of transportation. A Fort Worth driver who pulled out too fast and threw a rider to the floor may be judged more strictly than an ordinary motorist. Texas still bars your claim if you are more than 50 percent at fault.

If a car caused the bus to crash, that driver's insurer may owe you too. Texas drivers must carry at least $30,000 per person. Your own uninsured motorist coverage can help when that is not enough.

How do I get the police report for a bus crash in Fort Worth?

Fort Worth Police sends requests to TxDOT's CRIS site, and a report costs $6. It can take up to 14 days to appear. If it is still missing after that, call Police Records at 817-392-4160. Fort Worth Police investigated 15,673 crashes in 2025, so have the date, place and bus number ready when you call.

What should I ask a bus accident lawyer in Fort Worth?

  • Who ran this bus, and which deadline applies to me?
  • Have you given notice to Trinity Metro or a school district before?
  • Will you send a letter this week asking to save the bus video?
  • Is there a private company or another driver who can pay beyond the government limit?

Questions

Can you sue Trinity Metro?

Yes, in limited ways. It is a governmental unit, and immunity is waived for injuries from operating a motor vehicle. A written claim is generally due within six months.

Does the 180-day Fort Worth deadline apply to a Trinity Metro bus?

The 180-day rule is in the city charter and covers the City of Fort Worth. For Trinity Metro, plan around the six-month state rule.

What if my child was hurt getting on or off the bus?

Children are often at more risk near the bus stop than on board. Give the district notice within six months and ask for the camera video right away.

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Sources (32)

  1. Trinity Metro, FY26 Adopted Budget, checked 2026-11-09. “The Fort Worth Transportation Authority dba Trinity Metro is a regional transportation authority of the State of Texas, created pursuant to Chapter 452 of the Texas Transportation Code”
  2. Texas Transportation Code 452.052, checked 2026-11-09. “An authority is a governmental unit under Chapter 101”
  3. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.101, checked 2026-11-09. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
  4. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.101, checked 2026-11-09. “do not apply if the governmental unit has actual notice”
  5. Fort Worth City Charter, Chapter XXVII, Section 25, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty (180) days after the same has been sustained, unless good cause is shown”
  6. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  7. Martinez v. Val Verde County Hospital District (Tex. 2004), checked 2026-11-09. “The lower courts held that it is not,[2] and we agree.”
  8. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
  9. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.023, checked 2026-11-09. “liability of a unit of local government under this chapter is limited to money damages in a maximum amount of $100,000 for each person and $300,000 for each single occurrence”
  10. Trinity Metro, FY26 Adopted Budget, checked 2026-11-09. “Risk Management investigates accident and injury reports, handles claims, and represents Trinity Metro in court proceedings.”
  11. Trinity Metro, FY26 Adopted Budget, checked 2026-11-09. “Increase annual ridership to 8,039,850 rides, a 2.5% increase over FY24.”
  12. Trinity Metro, Committee Packet, March 2021, checked 2026-11-08. “Trinity Metro is fully self-insured for vehicle and general liability damage claims related to vehicle accidents.”
  13. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.023, checked 2026-11-09. “Liability of a municipality under this chapter is limited to money damages in a maximum amount of $250,000 for each person and $500,000 for each single occurrence”
  14. 49 CFR 387.33, checked 2026-11-09. “seating capacity of 16 passengers or more, including the driver $5,000,000”
  15. Trinity Metro, TEXRail brochure, March 2026, checked 2026-11-08. “Customer Support and Solutions 817-215-8600”
  16. Trinity Metro, Rider Guidelines, September 2024, checked 2026-11-09. “Fort Worth, Texas 76102 RIDETRINITYMETRO.org 817.215.8600 @TRINITYMETRO 801 Grove St.”
  17. 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”
  18. Fort Worth ISD, Transportation FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “The Transportation communication center can be reached at 817.815.7900.”
  19. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.051, checked 2026-11-09. “Except as to motor vehicles, this chapter does not apply to a school district or to a junior college district.”
  20. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.021, checked 2026-11-09. “arises from the operation or use of a motor-driven vehicle or motor-driven equipment”
  21. LeLeaux v. Hamshire-Fannett ISD (Tex. 1992), checked 2026-11-09. “When an injury occurs on a school bus but does not arise out of the use or operation of the bus, and the bus is only the setting for the injury, immunity for liability is not waived.”
  22. Speed Boat Leasing v. Elmer (Tex. 2003), checked 2026-11-09. “the high standard of care associated with common carriers”
  23. Speed Boat Leasing v. Elmer (Tex. 2003), checked 2026-11-09. “Our traditional common-carrier analysis turns on the business of transportation”
  24. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
  25. Tex. Transp. Code § 601.072(a-1), checked 2026-11-08. “(1) $30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision; (2) $60,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in one collision, subject to the amount provided by Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the persons; and (3) $25,000 for damage to or destruction of property of others in one collision.”
  26. Tex. Ins. Code § 1952.101(b)-(c), checked 2026-11-08. “unless the insurer provides uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage in the policy or supplemental to the policy. (c) The coverage required by this subchapter does not apply if any insured named in the insurance policy rejects the coverage in writing.”
  27. Fort Worth Police, Get a Copy of My Accident Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Effective December 15, 2024, requestors should use the website below to request an accident report(s)”
  28. Fort Worth Police, FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “for $6.00. If your search for a report returns no results, the report has not been approved.”
  29. Fort Worth Police, Get a Copy of My Accident Report, checked 2026-11-08. “It can take up to 14 days from the date of the crash for your crash to appear in the search results.”
  30. Fort Worth Police, Get a Copy of My Accident Report, checked 2026-11-08. “please call the Police Records unit at 817-392-4160 for assistance”
  31. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “FORT WORTH PD 107 110 468 555 2,668 3,567 2,314 3,643 9,519 32,438 597 2,356 15,673”
  32. NHTSA, checked 2026-11-09. “children are more at risk when approaching or leaving a school bus”

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