TriMet driver and DMV have explaining to do

PORTLAND, Ore. – The TriMet bus driver caught behind the wheel with a suspended license isn't the only one with explaining to do. A KATU investigation calls out Oregon's Department of Vehicles for its role in not catching the driver sooner. 

Oregon's Department of Motor Vehicles was contracted by TriMet to update the mass-transit agency if any TriMet drivers fell out of DMV compliance. That notification did not take place.

DMV officials admit the department failed to give TriMet information about the bus driver's suspended license.

TriMet has paperwork showing the driver was registered with Oregon DMV as a transit employee. TriMet pays the DMV to send it notices when any bus driver's license status has changed.

A DMV agent admits that notice was never sent: "We don't have the driver notice on her record to inform the employer," said a DMV agent over the phone. Why isn't it there? "We don't know."

The agent said this is the first time over this agent's eight years at the DMV that "something fell through the cracks and they were not informed of these suspensions."

Meanwhile, Nancy Amburgey isn't driving a TriMet bus anymore – like she was when a KATU camera caught her earlier this week.

"The operator's on administrative leave during this process," said TriMet spokesperson Mary Fetsch. "...There are a lot of holes, a lot of questions, and we're going to investigate this."

That's because the bus-driver-on-leave has some explaining of her own to do - about the answer she gave a police officer during the traffic stop that started all this.

Amburgey was stopped by a Portland police officer on Dec. 24 for running a red light, according to police reports. She was driving TriMet bus No. 14 at the time.

Officer, reading from Amburgey's DMV license: "Is ... Southeast 91st your correct address?"

Amburgey: "Yeah."

A KATU news crew went to that address. The woman who answered the door said Amburgey has not lived there for several years. The only way the woman at the door said she had to contact Amburgey was by cell phone.

That number was called several times, with messages left. However, there was no response as of late Friday night.

DMV's notification to TriMet aside, federal law requires bus drivers to tell the agency they work for about any incidents affecting their driver's license.

Again, Amburgey won't be driving a bus – at least until this is all cleared up.