Cars for Seniors
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: news

Saw this today on Yahoo news.

Not sure what to think of it----right now the thought is HUH???

Toyota to develop cars for seniors

Bus accident prompts changes
Mood:  not sure
Topic: news

 

Senators Propose New Bus Safety Rules

By JOHN SEEWER – 2 hours ago

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Two U.S. senators, motivated by a bus crash that killed five college baseball players, on Thursday proposed requiring seat belts on long-haul buses.

The proposed legislation also would require changes to bus windows that would help prevent passengers from being thrown out of the vehicles during accidents.

Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, also want better training for drivers, stronger bus roofs that would hold up in rollover accidents and more protection against fire. The legislation would reduce deaths and injuries in bus accidents, they said.

They announced their proposal nearly eight months after a bus carrying Bluffton University's baseball team toppled from an overpass in Atlanta. Five players and the bus driver and his wife died.

Some of those killed or injured were thrown out of the bus and pinned underneath it. Only seats in the first few rows had seat belts.

In 2005, a bus in Texas carrying elderly people fleeing Hurricane Rita caught fire because of an unlubricated wheel axle, killing 23 passengers.

The senators' proposal applies to motorcoaches that travel from state to state, not city buses or school buses.

"There's no question this will save lives," said John Betts, whose son David was among the players killed.

John Betts examined the wreckage of the bus his son was riding in and came away convinced that seat belts would make buses safer.

"Every seat in the bus was intact," Betts said. "If you're in the seat, you're intact."

Bus industry representatives say more testing is needed to determine what would make the vehicles safer.

"If there's a better way to protect people on motor coaches, we're all for it," said Victor Parra, president of the United Motorcoach Association. "Let's look at the best way to do it."

Bus windows have been designed so that they open easily during an accident or fire to allow passengers to escape, he said. And there's no guarantee that those onboard will wear seat belts, Parra added.

Most of the players on the Bluffton bus were asleep and stretched out across their seats or in the aisle when bus crashed. "Obviously, seat belts wouldn't have helped them," Parra said.

About 631 million passenger trips are made by motor coach each year, according to the American Bus Association. Federal figures show an average of about 23 bus deaths per year over the past decade.

(This version CORRECTS that some seats on the players' bus had seat belts, instead of saying the bus had no seat belts.)

Watch what you take before you drive
Topic: news
WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration called on companies that make drugs that put you to sleep or keep you there to strengthen their label warnings.

The FDA said the risks from these so-called sedative-hypnotic drug products include severe allergic reactions and sleep-related behaviors, which may include sleep-driving.

Sleep-driving is defined as driving while not fully awake after taking one of the products, with no memory of the event.

Thirteen medications -- Ambien, Butisol sodium, Carbrital, Dalmane, Doral, Halcion, Lunesta, Placidyl, Prosom, Restoril, Rozerem, Seconal and Sonata -- are the focus of the revised labeling.

Atlanta bus accident
Mood:  sad
Topic: news
Here is a link to news video of the bus crash in Atlanta.
http://www.11alive.com/video/player.aspx?aid=68122&bw=
http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=93178

Copy and paste either of these into your browser or go to www.11alive.com to see video and news reports.

More info on SmartTires in Setras
Mood:  chillin'
Topic: news
DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses Plans to Offer SmarTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System for its Setra Motorcoaches
Tuesday January 16, 10:04 am ET


RICHMOND, British Columbia, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America announced today its planned partnership with SmarTire Systems Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SMTR - News) to supply tire pressure and temperature monitoring systems (TPMS) as a product upgrade.
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"Our customers are continually looking for ways to optimize the efficiency of their coaches and the addition of the SmarTire System will provide operators with yet another value added benefit on the S 417," said Tom Chezem, vice president of new motorcoach sales of DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America.

The SmartWave 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.

"The industry is beginning to recognize the value of the TPMS system and DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses is just one of a number of new prominent customers that we expect to announce in our current fiscal year," said Dave Warkentin, president and CEO of SmarTire. "We are extremely excited to add Setra motorcoach brand to our growing list of manufacturers that provide SmartWave(TM) TPMS systems to the commercial vehicle market."

About DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America

DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America (DCCBNA), headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., combines three trusted commercial bus brands under one corporate structure: Orion transit buses, Setra motorcoaches, and the Dodge Sprinter shuttle bus. Backed by the advanced technological expertise and financial strength of its parent DaimlerChrysler, the global leader in commercial vehicles, the division provides the commercial bus market with a powerful combination of product knowledge, resources, and service/support systems. For more information about DCCBNA please visit: www.dcbusna.com.

About SmarTire Systems Inc.

SmarTire develops and markets proprietary advanced wireless sensing and control systems worldwide under the SmartWave(TM) 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. For more information about SmarTire Systems Inc., visit http://www.smartire.com.

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 speak with D.P. Martin and Associates at (561) 514-0194 or e-mail info@dpmartin.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 DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America and SmarTire agreeing to mutually acceptable terms and conditions governing their planned partnership, SmarTire's ability to obtain additional financing and to continue as a going concern, SmarTire's dependence on key personnel, 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, acceptance of SmarTire's products by prominent customers, 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. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please refer to SmarTire's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-KSB and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-QSB. SmarTire expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

When Someone with a CDL get tickets
Mood:  surprised
Topic: news
When Truckers Get a Ticket
by Aileen Cho
Monster Contributing Writer

No trucker can work without a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), and most would rather not have black marks on their driving record. But what if you're on the road making a delivery when you get a ticket? Where do you find a local attorney quickly?

This road reality combined with the Internet age has prompted a plethora of Web sites offering connections to legal services for truckers. These resources can be helpful, but in the end, it's up to your judgment combined with a realistic perspective of what to expect. Check out the options.

Free Resources

"If you have a commercial driver's license and you get a ticket, the ramifications are above those of a normal driver," says transportation attorney J. Scott McMahon. "They're far more costly to you and your company." Rules vary by state, but typically you'll get a 30-day suspension after 12 points on your license or a 120-day suspension for three tickets in three years. A drunk-driving arrest will generally get you suspended for a year.

If you get a ticket far from home, several Web sites offer quick access to local legal representation. TixNix asks you to fill out a form with information about your ticket -- such as where you received it and what it was for -- and has an attorney contact you as quickly as possible. It's up to you to decide whether to have that attorney represent you.

"You set a rate with the attorney," says TixNix spokesman Richard Jenkins, who began working for the site, which also offers services to the general public, after it helped him beat a ticket. The attorney may go to court on your behalf.

TixNix doesn't charge for its services; its revenues come from attorneys who pay to be part of the network, Jenkins says. Attorneys in TixNix's pool are located in 39 states. The site owners try to bring the best attorneys on board but won't hesitate to drop those who don't prove satisfactory to customers, he adds.

As the potential client, you have the ultimate say over whether to hire that attorney. "Picking a lawyer is a personal decision based on facts and circumstances," says McMahon.

As must anyone seeking legal representation, truckers need to have a realistic sense of what they expect the attorney to accomplish and their level of liability for their situation. Most trucking attorneys will handle federal trucking violations, driving infractions and even drunk-driving cases. But "the attorneys are the ones who set the limits on what cases they'll handle," Jenkins says.

Paid Coverage

Another new site offers access to lawyers who handle CDL challenges. "We are affiliated with 200 law firms around the country and a select group of 57 firms" that handles the highest-risk or most difficult cases, says Raymond Miller, president of Save My License. The site also caters to doctors, teachers and other licensed professionals facing action from a state licensing board.

The service offers plans starting at $49 per year. The plans offer $25,000, $50,000 or $100,000 in legal fee coverage as well as protection against ordered fines and restitution up to $5,000. Miller says the plan for CDL coverage may range from $699 to $899. "If you had a retainer lawyer for your CDL, the fee generally costs $2,500," he adds.

Why these Web site options instead of the prepaid legal plans trucking companies offer? "Our response is that with a prepaid legal plan, you are paying as you go," says Jenkins. "You may never use it. With us, you only pay when and if." And when you're in a different region of the country, you may not have time to resort to prepaid representation.

No Surefire Solution

These sites and others offer the chance to do more than just pay a ticket and suffer a blow to your record. But again, you must be realistic. "We're not saying we can save people who deserve to lose their licenses," says Miller. "We're saying when you're threatened with losing your license, that is worse than being sued."

McMahon's advice: "If you know you're prone to getting tickets, I don't know that signing up is the best policy. Your money would be better spent on a training course in public safety."

McMahon also notes that when sorting through the many Web sites offering trucking attorney links, use common sense. "Beware of the pop-up ads," he advises. "The ads that appear reflect the quality of the site. The better sites are the ones that promote AV-rated (a designation akin to a gold star) attorneys."

McMahon adds that every state Department of Motor Vehicles also has a Web site with a section linking to traffic and trucking lawyers and recommends Speeding Ticket Central to discover what speed traps lurk in which areas of the country.

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.
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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