| Author | Message | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 571 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 24.46.196.121  Rating: |
One quarter of 164 tour buses checked in a surprise statewide safety inspection were ordered off the road because of vehicle or driver violations that put passengers in imediate danger according to the NY DOT. Gov Andrew Cuomo ordered the inspections. State police issued 45 moving violations across the state. the surprise checks lasted between 45-60 minutes. The checks were mostely done at the point of departure or destination. This info from Jennifer Maloney, Newsday. | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1297 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.183.81  Rating: |
That is very unnerving to know that charters, due to the high costs of things,would sacrifice maintainence [?] for the lives of people just for a dollar. I feel that ALL states should inspect charters more like they do tractors and trailers. Everyday I see DOT with big rigs pulled over,not charters. I feel that private coaches are the best maintained because we have our life to think about let alone who is with us. Gomer | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 1479 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 69.19.14.35  Rating: N/A |
I have been to many of these small "charter" shops and am surprised that 164 were not found unuseable. Maint for many consists of getting it to run long enough to do the trip, PERIOD. "I feel that private coaches are the best maintained because we have our life to think about let alone who is with us." Wonderful dream. The last time you adjusted the slack adjusters , or lubed the chassis by Da Book was? Mine calls for 1500 miles for lube , even we stretch it to 3500 . FF | ||
| Kade (Kozycade)
Registered Member Username: Kozycade Post Number: 69 Registered: 7-2010 Posted From: 71.168.0.226 Rating: |
Ok lets straighten up some facts. Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered the sweeping statewide safety crackdown in response to the devastating March 12 bus crash in The Bronx, which killed 15 people. Theree were a total of 13 checkpoints statewide. Two school bus drivers who worked for the Little Richie Bus Service were arrested that had suspended licenses, but had received new ones from the Department of Motor Vehicles by using fake names and bogus social security numbers. A single stop in Manhattan in which all 14 tour buses pulled over were ordered off the road for nine "major issues" with the drivers, including lack of an updated log book required to show how long a driver has been behind the wheel,five buses in all were ordered off the road and put out of service for 10 major vehicle issues and 40 minor infractions. Another checkpoint had 54 criminal summonses issued against drivers in Manhattan, with eight buses towed away because of safety violations So in all there were from my sourses a total of 14 buses put out of service and ordered towed. The remaining buses were driver violations and allowed to leave when an alternate quliafied driver arived. Yes its all not good but lets not jump to the conclusion that the tour busses are not being maintained. As a business owner I find it very diffcult that a bus owner would willingfully turn the other check on safety concerns. I also know that a unit can be inspected before it departs and have a road issue and be order out of service for hissing air. All in all for the most part the buses were not the issue. THe drivers were...... | ||
| Len Silva (Lsilva)
Registered Member Username: Lsilva Post Number: 461 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 72.187.35.208  Rating: |
Whether the problem is equipment or drivers, it's still a management issue where the safety of the public is compromised. If a company cannot afford good equipment AND good drivers, they should not be in the business. | ||
| George M. Todd (George_todd)
Registered Member Username: George_todd Post Number: 1201 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 99.146.10.201 Rating: N/A |
Len, If I could vote you a ten for your comment above, I would! When a tour operator chooses between putting a dollar in his pocket, or spending it on his coach, we know where it will go, and its not in the coach. (The coach will make ONE more trip on those tires, etc.) When I purchased my bus from a dealer in South Gate Calif. it had air leaks so bad that at idle it would only maintain about 90 psi. The yoke was missing on the rod out of the brake chamber on the right tag axle. It can't fall out, the pin has to be removed from the slack adjuster, the lock nut loosened, and then the yoke unscrewed. The linings were brand new, and the drum was rusty, in other words, it had been run that way for a long time. The left tag oil seal was leaking a lot of oil onto the drum, they didn't fix it either, just kept adding oil. The drive axle slack adjuster was cracked at the worm gear, so the slack adjuster went to the end of its travel, and didn't apply the right side drive axle service, or the park/emergency brakes. The bus made 3 gamblers tours between the San Fernando Valley and Las Vegas a week, over Cajon Pass and the Baker grade in this condition. The dealer's driver overshot the driveway on the way back to the lot because the bus just didn't stop well, and why the charter company's drivers didn't refuse to take it, I don't know! It would have been easy to make an anonymous phone call, and get a surprise inspection which would have had the bus sidelined. G | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 572 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 24.46.196.121 Rating: N/A |
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/new_york_crackdown_takes_more.html There seems to be 16 out of service in the city and the 25 others in the rest of the state. All the news kept harping on today was the 2 school bus drivers and the illegal licences. Pretty much like when any kind of "truck" is involved in a horriffic (news worthy!) accident, they imply its a big truck with their wording. The papers had school bus drivers but at first the radios left that part out. For sure any charter co working china town is a big target right now. I talked to a truck driver who said he was paid $8.00 an hour 2 years ago driving a bus in North Carolina! Is that even possible! | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 1481 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 69.19.14.25 Rating: N/A |
If a company cannot afford good equipment AND good drivers, they should not be in the business. Sure. A good friend was in this business for a couple of decades. In NYC charter area. On the weekend he would NOT pay his drivers for a Friday charter ($200 for 8 hours) if he expected to have them show up on Sat and Sunday. The drivers feel ZERO responsibility to do anything. Including showing up! FF | ||
| Mel La Plante (Mel_4104)
Registered Member Username: Mel_4104 Post Number: 157 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 173.180.124.202 Rating: N/A |
the weigh scales in our area also have the DOT ven. inspection guys show every once in awhile, at least a day ever week,they did a surprise check on bus companies ,the ones that run day service had no buses taken out of service, however when they went to 2 charter company sites and the offices said all buses were in for inspection and being worked on so they were out of service. i did not hear if they went back to check them out. oh did i forget to say that these charter lines were owned by chines. , | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 1076 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.33.61.190 Rating: N/A |
I would like to see the buses some of the people drive as conversions in a weight station for inspection,no wait if Dot pulled a inspection on those they may never leave those guys can ground a bus or truck for a small crack in a weld you GM guys would be in trouble and think about a Eagle with the rust I have seen on some of those lol and BTW they can tag one for oil leaks good luck (Message edited by luvrbus on March 25, 2011) (Message edited by luvrbus on March 25, 2011) | ||
| Brian Evans (Bevans6)
Registered Member Username: Bevans6 Post Number: 25 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 184.151.127.188 Rating: N/A |
I don't understand why private conversion buses are not subject to DOT inspection. Here, all vehicles, personal, private, commercial, whatever, all have to meet the rules at all times and can be pulled into a roadside inspection at any time. The only break is in some provinces you don't nave to have an annual inspection, and you don't have to do monthly or daily inspections with a log book. Brian | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1307 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.183.81 Rating: N/A |
I had a friend that I drove with hauling Shavings. He was pulled over and inspected, The inspector found 1, rust trail on one lug nut.2,when sitting with about 40 bushells on it the frame at the steering box was moving. As all will do with that load on it. Red TAGGED!! Was told to have it repaired before moving. Solution; Tightned lug nut,wipe of rust.wiped and cleaned frame at sector box. ran back thru inspection and was released. Complaint was filed with DOT because of a 18 yr old inspector and was investigated, Person was reliever of duties. Moral of the story: Some DOT inspectors are not able to start a big rig,drive it and how can they be able to inspect them. My Story is true,names not revealed to protect ME!! Gomer | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 2066 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 174.89.177.63  Rating: N/A |
It has not been politically advantageous to focus attention on recreational vehicles. And there has not been a sufficient cost/benefit argument to suggest burdening gram and gramps with the financial burden of these inspections, taking the inspectors' attention away from "profit making devils" will change road safety in any measurable way. That is not to say that those political winds couldn't abruptly change direction and blow one big tornado in the other direction with just the right combination of stupidity on the part of a careless recreational vehicle user... The day will come, cuz, the baby boomers are not their parents, and they/we will simply not behave in unobtrusive ways, when they/we should. happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Debbie and Joe Cannarozzi (Joe_camper)
Registered Member Username: Joe_camper Post Number: 366 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 72.100.15.143  Rating: |
I can not believe anyone with an RV would actually want to be under the juristiction of the DOT. I am wondering about your sanity Im from the government and I'm here to help. Who would you feel safer with. A trucker with a late load on your rear bumper thru Atlanta because HE has a CDL and Is DOT certified OR The camper who has everything most important to him in the world in that bus with him...........wife kids grankids pets. I have all the respect in the world for someone who puts his life on the line for the public but it is not a given that these folks are always as professional as we would all hope. Be careful what you wish for. After driving tractor trailer for others for a couple of decades we bought our own and ran that for 15. My equipment was as good as any. I NEVER went over a scale for quite a few years before I gave it up. No doubt I saved myself counteless hrs and who knows how much money and aggrivation. I see this article is just as much a blemish on the DOT as the opporators. | ||
| Mark R. Obtinario (Cowlitzcoach)
Registered Member Username: Cowlitzcoach Post Number: 215 Registered: 4-2001 Posted From: 72.62.5.103 Rating: N/A |
I got caught up on the sweep here in WA state. The WUTC inspectors were waiting for the buses as they arrived in the ski area parking lot. The only items being inspected that day were the bus books, the driver log books, and the driver licenses and physical cards. No buses were red tagged but three drivers were because of expired physicals. And all because of a bus crash in NY. | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1483 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 97.213.33.64  Rating: N/A |
Hey Mark...good to hear from YOU, 2...  RCB | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 2072 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 174.89.172.231 Rating: N/A |
Checked in at the Big Coach Company... inspections in NY and NJ have been fierce, and against everyone, first line or tramp. A few of our guys have got caught in their careless administrative duties... being able to access your previous 7 days of electronic logs... enforcement officer not too patient with foolishness and excuses. Coach drivers aren't used to the scrutiny that the truckers have endured for decades. oh dear...$$$$ happy coaching! buswarrior |
