Hi Joann, been a while.
In CA (and likely Fed law), the driver is solely responsible for the safe operating condition of the vehicle. It is REQUIRED to make a full vehicle inspection before each run. (We’d do it at the start of each tour of duty with a quick inspection the next day; 48 hour shift.) The commercial licensing examination makes it clear that there are hundreds of reasons that a driver can red tag (mark as unsafe) the vehicle. Cracks in the rims, leaks, tire wear, rusty lug nuts (means loose), loose, missing or sheared bolts, frame cracks, brakes out of adjustment and the list goes on. A real inspection can take significant time (a half hour minimum if you’re really good at it). Not every driver is diligent. [The licensing exam is a cast iron ...]
Some (not many thankfully) companies will release (fire, not give assignments to) drivers that red tag vehicles. Yet they will point to their documentation showing no complaints from the driver, so it MUST be driver at fault, no? At some point, a mechanic may be called in and if there is um, a difference of opinion, the mechanic is taken as the expert (even if s/he doesn’t actually drive, “Aw, it’s good enough, we’ll catch it on your return”) which puts the driver in a bad situation. Not many buck the system, jobs are hard to get. Dice are thrown etc.
But wait; it gets better. Enter the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); one of the blistering boils on the highway today. We are now required to allow foreign vehicles with ‘licensed’ (at age 14, really? hopefully commercially rated) drivers on our roads, with no testing, examination of vehicles, nothing. The CONTENTS of the vehicles are inspected, but not the vehicles (other than for drugs etc) or drivers.
Changing gears (a pun) a bit here; the bus almost certainly has air brakes. Air brakes do not apply pressure to the shoes. Springs apply pressure to the shoes and the operating air pressure offsets that spring pressure, releasing the brakes. Applying the brakes releases the air pressure offsetting the spring tension which causes the springs to apply pressure to the shoes. Yeah, it sounds backwards, but in the event of total air loss, the brakes (hopefully) lock up and stop the vehicle. (Air pressure recovery rate is one of the trip inspection tests so leaks don’t suddenly stop the vehicle.)
This is why, when a truck/bus is parked, the ‘maxi brake’ dumps all the air in the lines, which locks the brakes ‘on’ (and why the drums often crack because this doesn’t allow them to cool properly with the shoes pressing on them; inspection item).
For the springs to apply pressure to the brakes shoes, they must be adjusted so that this actually happens. Yes, there is a way to measure this on the trip inspection and while modern vehicles use a self-adjusting system a visual check is still required. Excessive brake throw (travel) is a sure red tag item and shows that the brakes are dodgy or the shoes are worn.
The old (20+ years ago) brake system has an “S” cam, which is purely mechanical, prone to problems and requires a different inspection method (pure 100% PITA). When that failed, it got ugly in a hurry. I don’t miss them.
Again, I’m not on scene, have no facts from qualified folks from the scene and I’m casting no aspersions on anyone. I’m simply responding to unsubstantiated reports on a blog from unqualified observers.
Be very thankful that the bus wasn’t fully loaded (typical load is 65 passengers).
If I have caused someone to be concerned about what is happening on a highway, good. Be very concerned (more so in light of the often crappy road conditions we face in CA). Compared to most non-commercial drivers, I drive a LOT each year (my commute alone was some 25k miles a year and often that much again on road trips) and now tow the fifth wheel for much of it (20k miles in the last year); I’m always alert and tense when driving these days; there are too many things/drivers that can go wrong. Ignorance is bliss, so I’m trying to forget some of what I know, but not so much that I’m unsafe. ;o)
Rick
From Joann Lavis
thanks Rick.. last report on channel 2 news has 38 people were on board the bus with some children but unknown on their condition at this time. and they had said it was
possibly a mechanical problem also..we will know more in the morning.. ( not sure if i told you working on 2 other websites.. but one of the folks on kcal9news comment blog mentioned
that one person actually saw this happen and the bus was coming down the mountain from big bear at a high rate of speed . the bus almost hit him and another driver
Joann
To:
From: HappyMoosePhoto@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2013 22:56:19 -0800
Subject: RE: [californiadisasters] Not A G'Day MAIT
My personal survey of the wrecks I managed or attended in my career (enough that I didn’t bother to count them anymore) indicates that a number approaching 90% involved an intoxicant (frequently alcohol, sometimes other mixtures) and/or fatigue. Around 5% were not quite ready for the road new drivers and a very small percentage were mechanical failures with the remaining wrecks just people being people (DOH!) i.e. pure accidents. Note: I only went to wrecks that were serious, not simple fender benders so this non-scientific data is already skewed. I also maintain that mechanical failure is preventable if one is a careful driver/owner.
If my numbers are correct; there IS an element of crime in most of the wrecks I attended. Only a few were distracted driving; many were speeding and most involved illegal or excessive product usage (again, illegal). Less than a dozen were truly weather related (couldn’t see the road was flooded type of accident which amounts to too fast for conditions). Well more than plenty were felony stupid.
Outrage? Outrage is for amateurs. I would actively (and legally) make sure that THIS driver was placed behind the wheel for any LE involved and it would make my WEEK to see some of them hooked and booked. My crews knew this and we treated the involved appropriately but often with the goal of getting them off the road. We don’t like seeing folks hurt and impaired drivers are the worst.
I’d LOVE to take some judges on a ride along so they could see why penalties should actually be enforced, not blown off.
Given enough exposure, it isn’t hard to trace a wreck backwards to find the causes; they leave plenty of evidence (well, ok, we caused significant damage on a rescue, but even that’s traceable evidence). There is AMPLE opportunity for exposure to gain experience because there are plenty of wrecks. The MAIT is among the best we have for just that reason; they’ve seen plenty.
Retired now; I’m feeling MUCH better and I don’t miss the job at all. This kind of wreck is a potential career ender for the responders; you don’t always get to leave it at the scene. MAIT carries the same burden and it’ll eat you up over time. But it provides closure and answers some of the questions for those left behind, like “What happened?” It rarely answers the “Why”.
I’m not saying that any of this was the cause of this accident (I don’t have the facts or first hand view), but there is a high chance that some impairment is involved or too much speed for conditions on an unfamiliar road. I will submit that NAFTA has increased the accident rate because some of the imported drivers are, well, potentially licensed but not up to our standards.
Prayers for the involved and their families; there are no winners.
Rick
From Kim Noyes
Accidents interest me more than crime as they are in some ways more tragic and while being usually less outrageous (with some exceptions) given the lack of criminal intent (in most cases).
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