bus accident
Mood:  lucky
Topic: news
THIS IS WHY I DO NOT DRIVE AT ALL WHEN TAKING ANY KIND OF MEDICINE. IT JUST SCARES ME. And this is a good example as to why.

BOISE -- A parent of a student on board a school bus involved in an accident Tuesday is upset now that the driver has been accused of driving under the influence. But a friend of the driver says alcohol was not involved.

"She put a lot of kids lives in danger and that bothers me," said Denise Walker, mother.

The driver of the bus, 48-year-old Charlet Bentzinger, was cited with driving under the influence of prescription drugs. Alcohol was not part of the citation.

Helen Elliott, a family friend of Bentzinger, wants to make that point clear.

There were no injuries in the crash, but it did scare the eight children on the bus.

Elliot says Charlet would never intentionally put the kids in harm’s way.

A small group of students from Lowell Scott Middle School was on board the bus when it collided with an empty, parked bus near Joplin Elementary School in Boise.

One student says the bus almost hit a fence and ran into a pine tree before the crash.

“She is one of the best drivers you would ever want to see, very cautious, just always tries to do the best she can, she is very careful with the kids on the bus, that's why I am upset this came out the way it did," said Elliott.

However, Bentzinger has been charged with DUI and police say taking legal prescription drugs can cause impairment.

The bus driver was cited at the scene, then taken to the hospital for evaluation. Toxicology tests will take several weeks to get back, meanwhile the police investigation continues.

bus crash hurts 33
Mood:  irritated
Topic: news
this kind of accident gives the rest of us drivers a bad name....SAFETY FIRST and DO NOT speed to get there on time.!!!!

Fung Wah bus crash hurts 33
By Casey Ross
Boston Herald Reporter

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - Updated: 01:19 AM EST

A packed Fung Wah bus that overturned and injured 33 people yesterday appeared to have taken a curvy highway exit at high speed - a mistake authorities said came despite increased scrutiny of the company’s safety performance.

The accident created chaos along Interstate 290 in Auburn as state police closed Exit 7 about 2:10 p.m. and ferried injured passengers to the University and Memorial campuses of the UMass Medical Center. Passengers waited for emergency vehicles while sitting or lying on a grassy roadside. Authorities said all the injuries appeared to be minor.



“It appears the bus was probably traveling too fast for the off-ramp, which caused the bus to roll over on its side,” Auburn police Chief Andrew Sluckis said.

Uninjured passengers on the New York-to-Boston bus were transferred to a new bus and taken to South Station. One man who was still waiting for that bus to arrive at 5:45 p.m. said it was further delayed when the new driver was found not to have a proper license.

“It’s ridiculous,” said the man, who declined to give his name.

The rollover comes one year after Fung Wah, a popular discount carrier from Chinatown, faced intense scrutiny when one of its buses burst into flames along Interstate 91 in Connecticut. There were no injuries, but passengers claimed the company refused requests for basic information following the incident.

Fung Wah officials declined to comment yesterday, saying no one was available to speak with the media. State police identified the driver as Chuandai Chen, 44, of Brooklyn.

State regulators began more rigorous inspections at South Station last year following safety concerns raised about the operation of Fung Wah and other discount carriers. Fung Wah drivers have been accused of speeding and lacking English language skills.

A top official with the state Department of Telecommunications and Energy said the bus involved in yesterday’s crash passed a safety inspection in May. The official, DTE executive director Tim Shevlin, said Fung Wah has performed well in recent inspections. He said investigators are probing the driver’s history and how fast he was traveling.

smartires
Topic: news
we already have these in some of our buses...


ABC Companies Selects SmarTire Products for Its Buses
Tuesday September 5, 11:48 am ET
Another Major U.S. Bus Manufacturer Selects SmarTire


RICHMOND, British Columbia, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SmarTire Systems Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SMTR - News) announced today that ABC Companies has selected SmarTire to supply tire pressure and temperature monitoring systems (TPMS) on Van Hool motorcoaches for the U.S. Headquartered in Minnesota, ABC is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Van Hool coaches, a global-leader in coach manufacturing.
ADVERTISEMENT



Tim Guldin, Vice President and General Manager of ABC Parts Source, said, "SmarTire is on the leading edge of sensing devices with its tire pressure monitoring system. We constantly strive to provide value and safety, and this agreement with SmarTire validates our reputation for delivering dependable, quality buses and coaches."

Dave Warkentin, Vice President Sales and Marketing of SmarTire, said, "We are proud to add ABC Companies to the list of companies providing SmartWave TPMS systems to the bus market. This marketing milestone builds on our recently announced Van Hool relationship and further confirms an increasing acceptance of our products in this sector as evidenced by SmarTire's strong recent penetration of the North America bus market."

The SmartWave(TM) TPMS improves vehicle safety and performance by providing drivers and fleet managers real-time tire pressure and temperature information while their vehicles are in motion. Fleet owners can realize improved operational efficiencies in the area of fuel and tire cost savings as well as increasing driver and passenger safety through early reporting of tire related problems including fires.

About ABC Companies

ABC Companies has long been a leader in the sales and leasing of new and pre-owned highway coaches. Expanding its product offerings to include the versatile M1000 Series mid-size as well as Van Hool transit coaches, ABC Companies now provides equipment for shuttle, transit, line haul or tour operations. ABC Service provides routine mechanical service or major repairs, collision repair service, and a parts inventory at each of five full-service facilities. ABC Parts Source supplies original OEM and quality aftermarket parts. Financing and leasing options are available from ABC Financial Services, one of the largest financial service providers in the motorcoach industry. For more information, contact ABC Companies at (800) 222-2875 or visit the company website at http://www.abc-companies.com .

About SmarTire Systems Inc.

SmarTire develops and markets proprietary advanced wireless sensing and control systems worldwide under the SmartWave trademark. The company has developed numerous patent-protected wireless technologies and advanced tire monitoring solutions since it was founded in 1987. The company's proprietary SmartWave platform provides a foundation for the addition of multiple wireless sensing and control applications. The initial product release on the SmartWave platform is SmartWave TPMS, which leverages on the company's background and knowledge in tire monitoring solutions. SmarTire has offices in North America and Europe.

A comprehensive investment profile regarding SmarTire Systems Inc. may be found at http://hawkassociates.com/smtrprofile.aspx .

An investment profile, a comprehensive online investor relations kit, SEC filings and other useful investor information regarding SmarTire Systems Inc. can be found at http://www.hawkassociates.com/smartire and http://www.americanmicrocaps.com . In addition, this press release is available for investor commentary, questions, near real-time answers and monitored discussion in the SmarTire IR HUB at http://www.agoracom.com/IR/SmarTire . Alternatively, investors may contact Ken AuYeung or Frank Hawkins of Hawk Associates at (305) 451-1888, e-mail: info@hawkassociates.com, or e-mail questions to SMTR@agoracom.com .

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. When used in this news release, the words "expects," "may," "will" and similar expressions identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance, or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward- looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of SmarTire and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on factors, which are, in many instances, beyond SmarTire's control. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with the effects of competitive pricing, SmarTire's dependence on the ability of third-party manufacturers to produce components on a basis that is cost-effective to SmarTire, market acceptance of SmarTire's products, SmarTire's ability to keep up with technological advances in the industry, the effect of competitive products and the effects of governmental regulations. SmarTire cautions that the foregoing factors are not exhaustive.

bus accident simulation
Topic: news
this is where you can go to watch different versions of simulation of the bus accident in omaha, ne, oct 13, 2001.
i wish they would do this for more bus accidents...they would all be great learning tools. Most accidents we never really know why they happen but can usually tell what route the bus took before it can to a stop. (until we are there and in that bus will we know what we would do and how we would react.)
.....just copy and paste this into your browser to see these.. you can click on seperate ones to watch. ----http://www.ntsb.gov/events/2004/Omaha/omaha_ani.htm

a list of bus accidents
Topic: news
this article only shows the well known bus accidents, one other one that i know of is the accident on w. dodge street in omaha involving a seward bus that accident killed 3 students and one adult....the blog that i will post after this will let you go to a site where you can watch simulations of the crash from different angles.

Deaths, injuries in past bus accidents

By CAROL DeMARE, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Wednesday, August 30, 2006

More than 20 years ago, a speeding Greyhound bus carrying 30 passengers smashed into the rear of a truck on the Thruway near Kingston, killing three people and injuring 21.

The crash on Jan. 21, 1983, was called the worst bus accident in the state in more than 10 years. The bus was heading to Montreal from New York City and was in the right lane, as was the truck, State Police said.

Troopers said the bus was traveling at about 75 mph when it plowed into the rear of the truck which was going 60 to 65 mph. The impact crushed one-third of the bus.

In February 1999, another Greyhound bus heading to Montreal from New York City hit a patch of ice and overturned in a Northway median, about 10 miles south of Plattsburgh, injuring 26 of the 35 passengers on board.

The driver, from Brooklyn, told police the bus fishtailed on the icy road and he lost control. It careened down the center median, spun around and flipped onto its side.

In February 2004, a Canadian charter bus rammed into the back of a tractor-trailer at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on the Northway in Essex County, injuring 55 people. The Canadian driver failed to stop when he approached a line of cars at the checkpoint.

And, in January 2005, a charter bus carrying members of a Canadian junior hockey team collided with a tractor-trailer in western New York, splitting the bus in half.

The bus rear-ended the truck, which was parked on the shoulder of Interstate 390, about 27 miles south of Rochester. The truck driver, who was outside his rig, and three bus passengers were killed.

then there was the Oct. 16 crash.

The accident occurred when a charter bus slammed into Kozlowski's overturned semi on I-94 near Osseo. The bus was filled with 44 students, teachers and chaperons from Chippewa Falls High School returning from a marching band competition in Whitewater. The crash killed five and injured 29.

and now---Monday, aug, 28th, 2006 bus crash near new york....cause still unknown. bus rolled twice into median--killing 5 people including the driver.

bus accident
Topic: news
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060829/bus_crash_060829/20060829?hub=CTVNewsAt11

please copy and paste this to see pics and video and read articles about the greyhound bus accident in new york yesterday

greyhound bus accident
Topic: news
5 die in Greyhound bus accident
Updated: 8/28/2006 10:44 PM
By: Staff

Police say five people have died in a Greyhound bus accident on the Northway between exits 30 and 31. The Director of Emergency Services for Essex County says 45 people were onboard bus number 4014.

Greyhound says the bus left New York City at 1 p.m., and made stops in Albany and Saratoga Springs. It was on its way to Montreal.

The driver reportedly lost control, crashed through guardrails and went down an embankment. It overturned at least twice before landing upside down on the median. There is no word yet on the cause.

The Northway remains closed to all traffic between exits 30 and 31. We have crews on the way to the scene, and will have more details as soon as they become available.

Greyhound officials have set up a phone number for those who believe their loved ones may have been on the bus. That number is 1-800-972-4583.

tracking buses----trailways for now
Topic: news

August 24, 2006
In an age when people look twice at rental trucks and consider airplanes to be loaded missiles, the motorcoach industry is taking its own precautions.
Wednesday, Randy and Stephanie Futral, who own the 15-bus Memphis Trailways and Starkville Trailways, showed off a global positioning system -- funded by the Department of Homeland Security -- that means anyone with Internet access can trace a Trailways bus on their computer screen.

"The driver can hit a panic button if the bus is overtaken, and immediately alert authorities where the bus is," he said.
Trucking companies and motorcoach lines have had GPS systems for nearly a decade. What they haven't had is a way to let law enforcement and the general public monitor the intelligence.

With a $1.5 million grant from Homeland Security, Trailways is wrapping up installation of an Internet-based GPS system that also monitors the speed the bus is traveling, direction, weather conditions, even how long the driver has been at the wheel.

Trailways, which has 70 franchisers across the nation, is the first motorcoach line with the capability.

"We all notice if a rental truck is parked in front of a building," said Mark Szyperski, sales director for Trailways Transportation System. "A bus is often stopped in front of a building. If you see the driver walk away, you don't think much about it."

Since most buses can go about 1,000 miles on a full tank of fuel, a stolen or hijacked bus, he said, could be in New York or Washington before it had to refuel. "You can pack a lot of explosives on an empty bus," Szyperski said. "With this system, we're able to find the bus. We know exactly where it is."

In a milder frame, the system also means parents can track the charter bus that is carrying their children's soccer team or football team.

"It's a real selling tool for us. Now we can give the group leader a passcode and the bus number, and they can see where the bus is at all times. They don't have to call to find out when the bus will be home," said Stephanie Futral.

Drivers initially weren't crazy about the monitoring, Randy Futral said, until they realized it also meant they couldn't be blamed for being late when they weren't or cajoled into going out of their way to pick up extra passengers.

"If a whole busload of people misses a show because they say the driver was late, it's a little hard to be the driver," Szyperski said. "Now we can look and see that he in fact was there on time, like he said he was."

The Futrals bought the 20-year-old Starkville Buses in 2003. In 2004, they bought the Trailways franchise, and added the Memphis operation early this year.

Since then, they've added two coaches, including an executive sleeper coach that is large enough to accommodate university teams, for instance, that want to sleep on the road after a late game.

--Jane Roberts:

--------------------

Memphis Trailways

President: Randy Futral

Web: starkvilletrailways.com

greyhound pulls out---others take over---again
Mood:  cool
Topic: news


Indian TrMonday, August 14, 2006
By Shandra Martinez
The Grand Rapids Press
HOLLAND -- Greyhound Lines' loss is Indian Trails' gain.

On Tuesday, the same day Greyhound Lines stops rolling into Holland, Owosso-based Indian Trails Motorcoach will pull in.

"We recognized that many travelers would be left without daily bus service when Greyhound Lines announced the abandonment of service to Holland and South Haven," said company President Gordon Mackay in a press release. "Our mainline route between Chicago and Flint relies heavily on passengers transferring from other points. In order to preserve that connecting service and continue to provide service to the residents of the area, we felt compelled to add the best level of service we could."

indain trails is interested in adding more stops along the Lakeshore, said Ken Henry, vice president of operations for Indian Trails, which started in 1910.

"If Greyhound decides to abandon Muskegon, we may look at a route that includes Grand Haven," Henry said. "A lot of our primary east-west business depends on the feeder traffic from the north."

While Greyhound offered two daily round trips from Holland in recent years, Indian Trails will offer one from Grand Rapids to Holland then South Haven and Benton Harbor.

At Benton Harbor, this coach will connect to westbound service with stops in Gary, Indiana, Hammond and Chicago.

At the Chicago Greyhound station, passengers can connect to all points west and south. Eastbound connections are also available at Benton Harbor via connection to Greyhound service.

The fares are slightly less than Greyhound rates, Henry said. For example, a one-way ticket to Chicago from Holland is $32.25, about $5 less than Greyhound charged.

The company is primarily a charter bus service. Only 11 of the company's 46-bus fleet are used for regular route service.

As a result, the buses have the feel of charter buses, Henry said. All are wheelchair accessible, feature live satellite TV service, enhanced leg room and extra wide seating.

In its new territory, Indian Trails will operate from Holland's Amtrak Depot at 171 Lincoln Ave. and from the Phoenix Plaza on Phoenix Rd at Int. 196 in South Haven.

The new Indian Trails route will provide a link between Amtrak trains in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. Passengers arriving in Kalamazoo on Amtrak's Wolverine service will make a direct connection to a noon Indian Trails coach bound for Grand Rapids and then to Holland and South Haven.

Amtrak passengers traveling through Holland and South Haven on the Pere Marquette and arriving in Grand Rapids at 10:20 p.m. will be able to reach Kalamazoo via the returning Indian Trails coach departing Grand Rapids at 10:50 p.m.

"With gasoline and costs of driving one's personal vehicle constantly on the rise, we're we're confident that passengers will find this new service to be economical and useful for their travel plans," Mackay said.

bus fire
Topic: news
this is wicked
must watch this
link to video