I-95 Bus Crash Caused By TT?

[cheri1122]

The USA Today article mentions a restriction "imposed by Congress in 2005, barring roadside safety inspections unless there is an imminent hazard". It must apply solely to buses, because I've had several roadside inspections, with no violations found. Yet the buses transport people, without seatbelts! And the number of drivers found recently that didn't even have a log is indicative of their concern for the law, and the odds of getting caught breaking it.

 

[ATeam]

In the news today are reports that the NY Department of Motor Vehicles is doing a sweep to bust bus drivers who wrongfully obtained bus driver licenses by using false names. Their licenses are being suspended. Their companies are firing them. The police are arresting them (at least some of them) and they face felony charges and up to four years of jail time for making false statements on their license applications.

Facial recognition software is being used in this crackdown. Photos taken for present and past license applications are compared. (Big brother is watching)

I wonder how many truck drivers are running today on wrongfully obtained CDL's?

 

[ATeam]

From NBC News:

"A tour bus that crashed on I-95 in the Bronx, killing 15 people, was traveling as fast as 78 miles per hour before the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday."

Full story

 

[jansiemoo]

From NBC News:

"A tour bus that crashed on I-95 in the Bronx, killing 15 people, was traveling as fast as 78 miles per hour before the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday."

Full story

I don't know why that doesn't shock me. I don't know how they stay wheels down more than not!

 

[ATeam]

More details are coming out as the crash investigation proceeds. It seems clear now that there was no truck involved. There is no evidence that supports the bus driver's claim that he was clipped by a truck before the crash.

 

[Doggie Daddy]

We, as drivers who have to share the road with these busses, should be more active in reporting the unsafe actions of these drivers.

Just as I would if I saw unsafe driving practices of trucks, I have called in on an unsafe bus before.

The bus that I called about was a Vermont Trailways bus being driven on the New York state thruway. This driver was speeding up then slowing down, and attempted to exit the thruway where there was no exit. What finally did it for me to make the call, was when he (her? ) made a u-turn thru the median.

This bus was labeled with the 1-800- SAFE BUS sticker, and that is who I called.

See something, say something.

 

[ATeam]

The investigation of the New York City bus crash continues as does the law enforcement crack down on tour buses that the crash inspired.

Several raw statistics are included in this New York DOT press release. In 1,286 inspections, 96 buses and 124 drivers were "taken off the road." I presume "taken off the road" means the same thing as put out of service but the article does not make that clear. More detail about the particular violations are in this story.

Since the crackdown began on March 17, "New York State Police have issued more than 150 moving traffic violations to bus drivers."

"In addition to the bus safety crackdown, investigators with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) continue to look for bus drivers who may be fraudulently obtaining multiple driver licenses using aliases. DMV uses facial recognition technology to identify individuals who have a valid Commercial Driver License in one name and additional driver license documents in another, and recently announced the arrests of 13 bus drivers charged with submitting false paperwork."

Do these numbers seem shocking to you? Or do you think they are similar to the number of out of service orders, moving violations, and fraudulently obtained CDL's that might found if trucks were targeted in a similar crackdown?

I mean, if I wanted to write 150 moving violations on trucks in New York, it would not be a problem finding them. That would take about 10 minutes watching from a bridge on I-95. The problem would be finding the manpower to write the tickets. It would take longer for buses simply because there are fewer buses than trucks.

 

[ATeam]

The NTSB released a preliminary report on Friday about this crash. While the bus driver has changed his story slightly about a truck, no evidence has been found to support it. He first said he was clipped by a truck. He now says a tractor-trailer passed him and swerved, forcing him off the road.

"In its continuing investigation of a fatal motorcoach accident in New York City last month, the National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary factual report.

"On Saturday, March 12, 2011, at about 5:45 a.m. EST, a 1999 Prevost motorcoach, operated by World Wide Travel of Greater New York LTD, collided with a roadside barrier while traveling south on route 95, resulting in 15 passenger fatalities and numerous injuries.


"The information being released is factual in nature and does not provide any analysis. The report may be accessed on the NTSB website at http://go.usa.gov/TEi.


"Analysis of the accident facts, along with conclusions and a determination of probable cause, will come at a later date when the final report on the investigation is completed.
This is a document release only. No interviews will be conducted."


NTSB Report


NY Times Article