Megabus Crash In Indiana: Highway Collision With Semi-Truck Leaves 19 Injured

A bus carrying dozens of passengers Monday crashed into a semitractor-trailer truck that stopped on a highway in Central Indiana, leaving nearly 20 people injured from the collision, according to news reports. The bus -- which was operated by "low-cost, express bus service" company Megabus and heading toward Atlanta when the crash occurred -- ran into the back of the truck, setting off a chain reaction with two other vehicles, WTHR reported. The bus, which departed from Chicago, was not able to stop quickly enough, crashing into the stationary truck at about 5:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of Interstate 65 near Edinburgh, Indiana.

“We were braking and we didn’t brake fast enough,” a Megabus passenger told reporters, according to the Chicago Tribune. “We tried to swerve off, but she didn’t swerve fast enough I guess, which is actually good because the front right of our bus hit the back left of the semi, and I think that kept us from flipping.” It is unclear why the truck had stopped.

Nineteen people were taken to local hospitals, with multiple outlets reporting that none of the injuries were life-threatening. The Indianapolis Star reported that Monday marked the third Megabus accident since October on Interstate 65, which spans between Indianapolis and Louisville. The prior two accidents occurred in October and December of 2014.

The bus company said in a statement it is cooperating with investigators. "Safety is our number one priority," the company said in a statement, according to NBC.

There were 63 passengers on the bus, the Chicago Tribune reported. The accident caused a four-mile backup, with just one lane able to pass by the scene, according to WTHR. IndyGo, the Indianapolis public transportation system, sent buses to pick up the passengers stranded at the crash scene, taking them to a truck stop where a new Megabus was expected pick them up.

Megabus has serviced more than 30 million customers in 100 North American cities since its 2006 launch, according to the company's website.