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Buses World News

In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry

31.1.07

DONATION * Nigeria - SPDC presents six buses to host communities

atomPort Harcourt,Niger Delta,Nigeria -The Tide -Jan 29, 2007: -- Six Hiace Toyota buses procured at the cost of N27 million have been handed over to six host communities by the Shell Petroleum Development Company as part of its policy toward the economic development of its host communities across the oil producing states of Nigeria...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:13 PM  0 Comments

Checking Drivers * USA - Background checks of bus ones requested

Cincinnati,OH,USA -The Cincinnati Post -26 Jan 2007: -- The Cincinnati Public School district has asked its three private providers of bus service to conduct new background checks on their drivers after a driver for one of the companies in Columbus was found to have had three prior DUI convictions... The prior arrests of the driver, Lawrence Battle, were unknown to his employer, First Student, but discovered after he was busted Tuesday and charged with possession of cocaine in Columbus...

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PURCHASE PROSPECTS * USA - HRT approves nearly $15 million for buses, vans

maiNorfolk,VA,USA -The Virginian-Pilot, by TOM HOLDEN -Jan 26, 2007: -- Hampton Roads Transit agreed Thursday to spend almost $15 million on new buses and vans to replace older vehicles and help the agency expand service along some routes... The board that governs the regional group agreed to spent $14.4 million on up to 40 heavy duty buses - 26 of which will be used to replace existing equipment and 14 to expand service...

* USA - Mason approves purchase of new buses
Cincinnati,OH,USA -The Cincinnati Enquirer -28 Jan 2007: -- Hundreds of Mason students will be riding to school this spring in new buses after the school board this week approved spending $721,360 to buy 10 buses... All of the buses will be able carry 65 students, and will be delivered in March. Nine of them cost $70,495 each, while one bus designed to transport physically challenged students cost nearly $78,000...

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posted by Unknown @ 4:31 PM  0 Comments

Languages * UK - No barrier to city tourist buses

Edinburgh,Scotland,UK -The Scotsman, by ALAN RODEN -26 Jan 2007: -- Russian and Mandarin commentaries are to be introduced on Edinburgh's sightseeing buses... The tour buses are Scotland's third most popular visitor attraction and are drawing in record numbers of tourists... Lothian Buses, which runs four sightseeing tours, now aims to tap into the emerging Russian and Chinese tourist markets. Wealthy Russians, often businessman with plenty of spare money to spend, are snapping up hotel spaces in the city and Chinese tourists are coming to Scotland to play golf... (Picture by Paul Parke - Edinburgh sightseeing bus)

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posted by Unknown @ 4:25 PM  0 Comments

Bigger Buses * USA - To hit the Orange Line

Sixty-five-foot-long vehicles to allow for additional riders on crowded route

Los Angeles,CA,USA -Los Angeles Daily News, by SUE DOYLE -25 Jan 2007: -- A futuristic, 65-foot bus will hit the road this summer on the Orange Line as MTA officials try to provide more room for current riders and entice others to get on board... With five extra feet, the megasize bus can hold at least nine more seated passengers and up to five more standing in the aisle than the 60-foot buses shuttling residents today from North Hollywood to Woodland Hills...

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posted by Unknown @ 4:19 PM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS DRIVERS * Mexico - At least 31 people dead in bus accident in Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico -Monsters and Critics.com (Glasgow,UK) -Jan 25, 2007: -- A bus accident in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca left at least 31 people dead and a further 20 injured, civil protection authorities said Thursday... The accident happened in the early hours of Wednesday, when a bus hurtled down a 200-metre-tall cliff, authorities said. The accident was reportedly caused by the vehicle's excessive speed...

* Syria - Children among 26 victims in deadly bus-truck crash
Damascus,Syria -The Ottawa Sun (Ottawa,Ont,Can) /Newspaper Al-Baath -28 Jan 2007: -- Six children were among 26 people killed when a speeding bus collided head-on with a truck in Syria... Al-Baath said the accident occurred Saturday on the Raqqa-Aleppo highway in northern Syria, when the passenger bus with the children, travelling at high speed, crashed into the incoming sugar-loaded truck... Six other people were injured in the accident and taken to nearby hospitals, the paper said...

* India - Traffic police to start drive against errant school buses
Sirsa,India -The Chandigarh Newsline (Chandigarh,India), by C B Singh /The Indian Express-Jan 29, 2007: -- “Comply with the directions of the Supreme Court on traffic rules and regulations or face action in the form of challan or impounding of vehicles.” This was stated in an official memo circulated to all private and public schools and colleges located in the Sirsa district... Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vikas Arora said that the traffic police’s drive against traffic violators would start on February 4, for which DSPs of area concerned and traffic staff of Sirsa district police had been directed to check documents of buses and other vehicles to enforce the traffic rules...

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posted by Unknown @ 4:12 PM  0 Comments

NEW BUSES' FLEETS

* India - SRTC fleet to be augmented by new 100 buses
Srinigar,India -The GreaterKashmir.com (press release) -Jan 25, 2007: -- Minister for Transport Hakim Muhammad Yaseen has told Legislative Assembly that various measures are underway to make Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation a profitable public sector unit... He said loss of the corporation has decreased by Rs. 2 crore during last four months... He said that during this year 100 new buses are being added to the existing 618 fleet of the Corporation to restore old SRTC buses on various routes and introduce new ones in the state...
* Jamaica - Passengers complain about decrepit buses - But cash-strapped JUTC says 50 new buses coming
Kingston,Jamaica -The Jamaica Observer, by Ingrid Brown -Jan 28, 2007: -- Faced with gaping holes in the floors of some buses, broken windows, leaking roofs and commuter concerns about their safety, the state-owned Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) says it will shortly acquire 50 new buses and renovate another 50... The 50 new Volvo buses should start arriving in the island by the end of this month, said senior vice president of operations, Desmond Creary. The other 50 now in the fleet will be completely renovated, he said...
* USA - School district rolls in buses to cut emissions
Hemet and San Jacinto,CA,USA -The Valley Chronicle, by VALERIE CLARK -26 Jan 2007: -- Hemet Unified School District's Mike Fogerty, the transportation director, saw the fruits of his labor on Monday when the district took possession of eight of the 16 school buses purchased through grant funds... The buses run on compressed natural gas instead of diesel fuel. CNG buses are better for the environment because they emit fewer smog-causing pollutants into the air... (Photo by VALERIE CLARK/The Valley Chronicle - OUT WITH THE OLD: The 1978 school bus, left, will be crushed and replaced by the new 2006 CNG bus, right)

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posted by Unknown @ 4:05 PM  0 Comments

Reclamation * India - PMT blames Tata Motors of supplying sub-standard buses

Defect spans chassis, engine, clutch and bus body; auto major says urgently addressing the problem

Pune,India -The Pune Newsline -Jan 25, 2007: -- The Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) has blamed Tata Motors of supplying 15 “sub-standard” semi low floor, 2004 model buses and said the transport body was facing a lot of problems - manufacturing and mechanical defects — due to it. General manager C K Anil said in a statement, because of these manufacturing and mechanical defects, the PMT had cancelled order for 50 buses... Tata Motors said it is looking into the issue and has offered factory-finished, fully-built buses of 2005 to the PMT. "... which are running successfully across the country in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad etc. Tata Motors has offered these buses to the PMT,” a Tata Motors spokesman told...

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posted by Unknown @ 3:54 PM  0 Comments

Old buses * India - No more permits for, says Court

New Delhi, Delhi,India -India PRwire (Press Release) -26 Jan 2007: -- The Delhi High Court Thursday ordered the state government not to issue fresh permits for running old model buses till it came out with a new improved design of public transport vehicles... The bench also suggested to the government to think about carrying out certain changes to the design of buses to make them driver-friendly...

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posted by Unknown @ 3:47 PM  0 Comments

Laws * USA - Corzine enacts laws for safe vans

Trenton,NJ,USA -The New Brunswick Home News Tribune (New Brunswick,NJ) -25 Jan 2007: -- Gov. Jon S. Corzine on Wednesday signed into law four bills aimed at increasing the safety and security of commuter van services used by many day-labor employers... According to police reports cited in the stories, nearly 97 percent of the 209 commuter vans pulled over for roadside safety checks were either in violation of state registration and licensing regulations or simply deemed so unsound as to be unsafe to drive... The new laws focus on increasing the penalties for operating unsafe or illegally licensed and unregistered commuter vans, enhancing public awareness of van safety issues, and amending current laws to fix regulatory loopholes...

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posted by Unknown @ 3:36 PM  0 Comments

26.1.07

Online decision-support tool for bus fleets * USA

USA -Fleet Owner -Jan 24, 2007: -- The Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University has developed a new decision-support model that allows bus fleet managers and transit specialists to determine the best-cost alternatives for reducing fleet emissions... Called “Best Bus,” the model calculates the life cycle costs and life cycle emissions for either a full or partial fleet, and enables the user to compare the costs and benefits for different bus fuels and bus types on the market today, such as hybrids and clean natural gas... The model allows the user to alter any input entered, including the number of buses, average speed and current fuel prices, to yield case-specific results... The model can be downloaded free from the Nicholas Institute's Web site...

posted by Unknown @ 12:43 PM  0 Comments

25.1.07

BUSES' PURCHASE PROSPECTS

* USA - Manchester To Purchase Two Buses
North Manchester,IN,USA -The Warsaw Times Union (Warsaw,IN), by JEN GIBSON -25 Jan 2007: -- Two new buses will be purchased by the Manchester School Corp. for the 2007-08 school year... Tuesday night at the regular school board meeting, the school board approved a recommendation from Business Manager Steve Shumaker and Transportation Director Bill Reichhart to buy the two buses from Kerlin Bus Sales, Silver Lake. The base price for the buses is $152,532, and the school will receive $7,000 credit for two buses that will be traded in. The total price the school will pay for the buses is $145,532...

* USA - Better NJ Transit buses worth $433M on the way - New models will use clean diesel technology
Newark,NJ,USA -The Newark Star Ledger, by TOM FEENEY -Jan 24, 2007: -- NJ Transit will replace nearly half its fleet of buses over the next six years with 1,145 new vehicles it agreed to purchase yesterday at a cost of $433 million... The new buses, which the agency is buying from North American Bus Industries of Aniston, Ala., will have upgraded interiors and wheelchair lifts and other mobility aids. They will also use clean diesel technology that will reduce exhaust emissions to levels comparable to buses powered by natural gas...

posted by Unknown @ 11:53 AM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS DRIVERS * Mexico - Bus crash kills 20 people in Mexico

Huautla de Jimenez,Oaxaca,Mex -Reuters -Jan 24, 2007: -- A bus fell down a ravine in southern Mexico on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people and injuring 26, local government officials said... The bus, carrying more than the 40 passengers it was built for, was on its way to Mexico City from the town of Huautla de Jimenez in Oaxaca state when the driver lost control and it careened off the road, said local transport chief Ruben Castillo... A second official said the death count could rise to 25...

posted by Unknown @ 11:44 AM  0 Comments

Discrimination * Israel - Naomi Ragen fights segregated bus lines

Jerusalem,Israel -The Jerusalem Post, by DAN IZENBERG -Jan. 25, 2007: -- The Egged bus company operates 30 mehadrin (haredi) bus lines throughout the country where women are forced to enter the bus from the rear doors and sit in the back rows and are barred from boarding unless they wear "modest" clothing, according to a group of women who petitioned the High Court on Wednesday against the Egged and Dan bus companies and the Transportation Ministry... The petitioners included author Naomi Ragen and the Israel Religious Action Committee of the Progressive (Reform) Movement... The petitioners demanded that the Transportation Ministry stop running the mehadrin lines until they operate in accordance with the law and that it conduct a study to assess the demand for mehadrin routes, rather than acceding automatically to the requests of haredi rabbis and communities for more segregated bus lines... (Photo by Ariel Jerozolimski: SEPARATE SEATING for men and women on Egged bus lines is becoming more prevalent as haredi families increasingly move to outlying areas)

posted by Unknown @ 11:36 AM  0 Comments

24.1.07

Teen Lobbying * USA - Ramapo's one, wants school buses to use "green" fuel

Spring Valley,NY,USA -The White Plains Journal News (White Plains,NY), by ALICE GOMSTYN -Jan 23, 2007: -- A Ramapo High School senior is lobbying the East Ramapo school district to consider using biodiesel in its school buses... Levan Thomas, 17, says that biodiesel - which can be made from plant oils such as canola oil and sunflower oil - produces far fewer harmful emissions than traditional diesel fuel... Thomas plans to present his idea to the East Ramapo school board next month... (Photo: High school, Spring Valley, NY)

posted by Unknown @ 12:58 PM  0 Comments

Techno News * USA - Chattanooga buses going wireless

Chattanooga,TN,USA -The Knoxville News Sentinel (subscription -Knoxville,TN)/Associated Press -24 Jan 2007: -- Chattanooga buses will provide free wireless Internet access by next fall, a move aimed partly at filling seats... The Wi-Fi system is part of CARTA's long-term plan to turn its buses into ''intelligent transportation system,'' or ITS, vehicles that rely on computers — not people — to gather and distribute information... In the next five to six years, CARTA officials envision counting bus passes by automatic sensors, alerting mechanics before a bus's engine or transmission breaks down and allowing riders to see if their bus is on time from screens at bus stops...

posted by Unknown @ 12:57 PM  0 Comments

BUSES' PURCHASE PROSPECTS

* USA - New Jersey Transit to Purchase Over 1000 Buses with On-Board Camera Systems
NJ,USA -The Government Technology (Folsom,CA) -Jan 23, 2007: -- The New Jersey Transit Board of Directors today authorized the purchase of 1,145 transit and suburban-style buses equipped with closed-circuit camera systems to enhance customer and employee security. The $409.9 million purchase will renew the state's bus fleet over a period of six years and mark the first time that New Jersey Transit vehicles will be delivered with closed-circuit cameras as standard equipment...

* USA - School board OKs purchase of 4 buses
Muscatine,Iow,USA -The Muscatine Journal, by Cynthia Beaudette -24 Jan 2007: -- Sometimes one is better than none... And that’s what the Muscatine School Board decided Monday night when it comes to air-conditioned school buses... Bob Sunderbruch, District director of human resources, asked the Board to consider air-conditioning for one of the four buses the District will purchase this year...

posted by Unknown @ 12:44 PM  0 Comments

23.1.07

HERO * USA - Driver Helps Students Escape Fiery Bus

Benet Academy Students Removed From Bus Before Blaze Breaks Out

Lisle,Ill.,USA -NBC5.com (Chicago,Ill) -Jan 22, 2007: -- A school bus driver evacuated students from her bus mere moments before it burst into flames in western suburb Lisle on Monday morning... A bus carrying 12 Benet Academy High School students was just about to pull into the school parking lot at 2200 Maple Ave. in Lisle, according to Benet principal Stephen Marth, when the driver noticed smoke coming from the engine... Instead of pulling fully into the lot to drop the students off at the regular spot, she pulled over immediately and evacuated the bus, Marth said... Once the students were off the bus, the fire spread to the main compartment and completely engulfed the bus in flames, according to Lisle Fire Battalion Chief Jim Bateman...

posted by Unknown @ 7:32 PM  0 Comments

High-Tech News * USA - Tracking System Could Ease Bus Travel

A new high-tech system that could take the guesswork out of waiting for a city bus

New York,NY,USA -NY1 (NY,USA), by Bobby Cuza -Jan 23, 2007: -- Chances are you've had to wait and wait for a city bus some time – and chances are you've seen a bunch of buses show up at the same time... Peek inside the buses lined up in the 26th Street depot in Manhattan and here's what you'll find: Newly-installed tracking technology that lets dispatchers see exactly where a bus is, right down to the block. And soon, you'll be able to as well...

posted by Unknown @ 7:31 PM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS DRIVERS

* India - Private Bus Rams into School Vehicle Injuring Nine Persons
Udupi,Brahmavar,India -Daijiworld Media Network (Mangalore,India) –Jan 23, 2007: -- Nine passengers were injured when their bus collided with another bus near Uppinakotte here... A bus plying from Hunagunda taluk, Bagalkot to Kundapur met with an accident. On the National Highway 17 here the bus with school children who were on an excursion was hit by a private bus... In the head-on collision nine passengers were injured including 4 school children and five teachers...

* Uganda - 21 killed in bus crash
KAMPALA, Uganda -AP -Jan 22, 2007: -- A speeding bus overturned Monday in northern Uganda, killing 21 people and wounding nearly 30, police said... The driver lost control when he sped up to 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour to prevent another bus from passing him, according to William Okumu, the police chief in Akayi, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) northeast of the Ugandan capital, Kampala. Sixty people were on the bus...

* USA - 6 Injured In Bus, Truck Crash
Honololu,HI,USA -The Hawaii Channel.com -Jan 22, 2007: -- Six people were injured in a two-vehicle collision involving a city bus and truck on Monday afternoon... The driver of the truck was taken to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, but has since been upgraded, paramedics said...

posted by Unknown @ 7:18 PM  0 Comments

* UK - Greens groups fuming over buses running idle for a day

Edinburgh,Scotland,UK -The Scotsman, by MICHAEL BLACKLEY -22 Jan 2007: -- Enviromental campaigners have hit out at the city council after it used double decker buses as temporary shelters - and left the engines switched on spewing fumes all day... In order to keep the buses heated, the engines needed to be left idling - angering environmentalists who say that it is in contradiction to the city's own environmental policies... The station was closed ten days ago after huge chunks of debris came crashing down on to the bus concourse from a neighbouring building during storms...

posted by Unknown @ 7:15 PM  0 Comments

PRODUCTION * Uzbekistan - Japan Isuzu Motors starts producing small buses in

Tashkent,Uzbekistan -UzReport.com -22 Jan 2007: -- Japanese bus and truck maker Isuzu Motors Co has begun producing small buses in Uzbekistan through local car assembler and seller Samarkand Automobile Factory LLC... Isuzu Motors forecasts sales of 1,000 buses based on the Isuzu ELF in 2007 and 3,000 units in 2010. The carmaker is considering introducing its buses in other Central Asian countries in the near future...

posted by Unknown @ 7:06 PM  0 Comments

BUSES' PURLCHASE PROSPECTS

* USA - Purchasing buses now will save county board thousands
Pikeville,KY,USA -The Appalachian News-Express, by MARY MUSIC -21 Jan 2007: -- The Pike County Board of Education will save money by participating in a transportation program to replace old school buses... The Board of Education’s financial strain left bus replacement purchases out of the district’s budget, but a state program will help replace older buses with newer models... The district must replace 13 buses annually in order to receive state reimbursements for these costs, Johnson said...

posted by Unknown @ 7:01 PM  0 Comments

22.1.07

HERO * Canada - Matthew Gilmour, just 15 years old

How, calmly led others to safety after Friday's fiery school bus crash in Lanark County - "He got the kids off the bus"

Ottawa,Ontario,Canada -The Ottawa Citizen (subscription), by Roger Collier & William Lin -Jan 21, 2007: -- At about 4:10 p.m. on Friday, Matthew Gilmour was sitting in the front-left seat of his school bus listening to his favourite heavy metal band on his MP3 player when he noticed an oncoming blue pickup truck that he says was "drifting into our lane."... A split-second later, the bus and truck collided. Matthew, 15, and the six other students on the bus, who range in age from 10 to 17, suffered a host of injuries, including a broken nose, cracked ribs, a punctured lip and a bruised knee. The bus driver, Nancy Sont, and the truck driver, a 50-year-old Balderson man, were also injured... Mrs. Sont noticed that a fire had started under the bus's hood. Matthew also noticed... According to Mrs. Sont, throughout the ordeal, Matthew yelled instructions, tended to bleeding schoolmates, and made everyone stay away from the bus...(Matthew Gilmour, 15, knew what to do when his school bus was in a collision Friday afternoon. The son of a volunteer firefighter had been training for it all his life. Photograph by : Jean levac, The Ottawa Citizen )

posted by Unknown @ 12:54 PM  0 Comments

Development * Singapore - Tired of waiting for buses?

Poly students invent system that lets commuters know where a bus is along its route

Singapore -TODAYonline, by Gracia Chianggracia -20 Jan 207: -- So are three final-year students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. That's why they developed a smart system that allows commuters to track where a bus is along its route... Collaborating with the Land Transport Authority (LTA), he and two electrical engineering teammates, Mr Du Si Jun, 25, and Ms Cheng Xi, 20, have come up with the Intelligent Bus User System (iBus), which extracts data from bus-operator servers... The system makes use of plasma screens installed at bus stops to indicate if a bus is six to eight stops away, and it is programmed to alert commuters when a bus is approaching... The aim is to help commuters — especially the elderly, who may not be able to see bus numbers from afar — flag the bus in good time... The operator has its own service that lets commuters check bus arrival times via their mobile phones... (Picture: Downtown Singapore)

posted by Unknown @ 12:53 PM  1 Comments

Pensioner * UK - Bendy buses are making my life hell

Birmingham,UK -Birmingham Mail ic/Birmingham.co.uk, by Neil Elkes -Jan 20, 2007: -- Retired factory worker Ted Whan's life has been made hell by queues of bendy buses blocking his drive... The 75-year-old of Stornoway Road, Castle Vale, says he has suffered abuse and intimidation from drivers, had his car hit twice and often cannot get in or out of his garage... He had enjoyed free access to his garage, off Turnhouse Avenue, for 35 years, but since last year has more often than not had to wait for a bus to move before he can come and go... The pensioner, who used to work for Hardy Spicer, was assured that buses would not block his drive or "inconvenience him in any way" when the road was chosen as a terminus. He claimed he had since been abused by and had rows with No 67 bus drivers when he asked them to move along...

posted by Unknown @ 12:34 PM  0 Comments

"We very much appreciate"... * USA - Oshkosh Truck drivers cautious around buses

It's nice to know that some people still care...
Oshkosh,WI,USA -The Oshkosh Northwestern/Letter from a driver -Jan 20, 2007: -- Thank you, Oshkosh Truck employees. We are the parents of three children who ride the yellow school bus... We live on a highway and at times it can be very scary watching the traffic when the school buses are present. So many drivers are impatient, they do not want to stop and wait for these young children to get on or off the bus, and I guess their time is more precious than the safety of our children... Except for the test drivers for Oshkosh Truck. They see the bus stop and the lights go on and they immediately stop and even put their hazards on, I guess a little extra aide for the bus to let other vehicles know what's ahead. So we would like to say "Thank you, thank you, thank you" to whoever you gentlemen are; we very much appreciate your extra effort. It's nice to know that some people still care...

posted by Unknown @ 12:21 PM  0 Comments

BUSES' PURCHASE PROSPECTS

* India - AMTS to add 1,003 buses to its fleet
Ahmedabad,India - The Ahmedabad Newsline -Jan 20, 2007: -- Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) will introduce 1,003 new buses in the next financial year when it will have added more routes to the existing ones as part of route rationalisation. An AMTS release issued on Saturday the next AMTS budges also provides for setting up of 130 decorative bus shelters to take their number to 230. Of the 1,003 buses being brought in, 342 will be diesel buses, 611 will be CNG buses and 50 low floor buses...

* India - SRTC to buy 100 passengers buses
Jammu,GreaterKashmir,India -GreaterKashmir.com (Srinigar,India) -Jan 20, 2007: -- State Road Transport Corporation contemplates to buy a fleet of 100 passenger buses to make the journey comfortable. This was stated by the Minister for Transport Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen, who is also Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC), while flagging off 3-passenger buses from Transport Yard Rail Head Saturday...

posted by Unknown @ 12:16 PM  0 Comments

20.1.07

TECHNONEWS * USA - TANK Testing Wireless Internet On 20 Buses

Cincinnati,OH,USA -WCPO/9News, by Laura Hornsby -19 Jan 2007: -- You'll soon be able to log on to the internet while riding the bus in Northern Kentucky... TANK is testing wireless internet on 20 buses this month... The project is being funded by a $1.6 million grant secured by Northern Kentucky University...

posted by Unknown @ 1:03 PM  0 Comments

Unapproved Bus Stops * Pakistan - The bus will be with you shortly...

* Traffic being hindered by buses and vans stopping at places other than approved stops
* Transporters blame passengers for random stops

Lahore,Pakistan -The Daily Times, by Rana Kashif -19 Jan 2007: -- A large number of unapproved bus stops on almost every road of the city are causing problems for pedestrians and motorists alike. Most of these stops are near traffic signals, which hinders the smooth flow of traffic... Daily Times has learnt that it has become common practice for vans and buses to pick and drop passengers anywhere, rather than at the designated bus stops...

posted by Unknown @ 12:51 PM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS DRIVERS


* Thailand - Bus plunge leaves 17 dead
Chiang Mai,Thailand -The Bangkok Post (Klong Toey,Bangkok,Thai) -19 Jan 2007: -- Seventeen people were killed and 33 injured in a road accident after a tour bus, taking teachers from Chanthaburi province on a study tour, took a bend too fast and plunged into a river in this northern province's Doi Saket district yesterday. Thirteen of the teachers were killed on the spot, while the other four died on the way to hospital... Police believe the driver, Kamron Bunrat, 48, was not familiar with the curves... (Photo by SUBIN KHUENKAEW - 17 killed in bus crash The wreck of a tour bus which carried teachers from Chanthaburi, following an accident which killed 17 of its passengers in Chiang Mai's Doi Saket district yesterday)

* USA - School buses collide, injuring 12
Indianapolis,IND,USA -ABCX7 (Chicago,Ill) -Jan 19, 2007 - Two school buses taking children home collided just after leaving a middle school on the northeast side of Indianapolis today... Ten children and two bus drivers were taken to area hospitals after the accident about three p-m. near Fort Harrison State Park... Hodgin says the buses were carrying students home from Fall Creek Valley Middle School when one of the buses hit the other one from behind going down a hill about a half-mile from the school...

posted by Unknown @ 12:47 PM  0 Comments

19.1.07

SECURITY * USA - Deputies could police Detroit buses

But city cops union threatens to sue
Detroit,MI,USA -The Detroit Free Press, by ZACHARY GORCHOW -Jan 18, 2007: -- With the recent spikes in crime, Detroit police have focused their efforts on improving safety in the neighborhoods, meaning the end of once longtime functions for the department, like policing city buses... And that's given the Wayne County Sheriff's Office an opportunity to step in... A proposal by the Detroit Department of Transportation to have sheriff's deputies police city buses is the latest example of how local governing bodies are increasingly turning to the sheriff's office for help. But the DDOT proposal, which is scheduled to be discussed today before the City Council, is drawing strong opposition from the police officers union... Marty Bandemer, president of the Detroit Police Officers Association, is threatening to sue the city if it hires the sheriff's office to police the buses -- a move DDOT wants to make because officials there say it would mean a more consistent security presence...

posted by Unknown @ 12:56 PM  0 Comments

FREEZE TROUBLES * USA - Cold causes school buses to stall

Omaha,Neb,USA -AP/The Sioux City Journal (Sioux City,IA,USA) -18 Jan 2007: -- Dozens of school buses stalled or wouldn't start Tuesday because of subzero temperatures, causing thousands of children to be stranded at bus stops in eastern Nebraska. Officials said diesel fuel can gel in extreme cold, and that probably was the reason for the problems... The temperature was 12 below zero in Omaha shortly after 6 a.m. -- the coldest reading here since Jan. 23, 2003, the National Weather Service said...

posted by Unknown @ 12:55 PM  0 Comments

AT PASSENGERS' SERVICE

* UK - Competition on the buses
Norwich,England,UK -The Norwich Evening News, by PETER WALSH -18 Jan 2007: -- Bus passengers living in part of the city which has suffered reliability problems in the past look set to get an improved service - if rival operators go head-to-head as expected... Konectbus has already announced the launch of a new route 5 from the new Queen's Hills development and Longwater Retail Park in Costessey to the city centre along Dereham Road... Meanwhile First - which already operates the under-fire 19/20 service in Costessey - is believed to be looking at extending an existing service along Dereham Road to the Longwater Lane Retail Park...

* UK - Victory for Save Our Buses - Services rescued for most communities
Biggleswade,SG,UK -The Biggleswade Today -18 Jan 2007: -- Campaigners are today celebrating victory as bus routes across the district have been saved... County Hall has stepped in with a rescue package to ensure most towns and villages in the district will still have a bus service... A total of 21 communities were due to be left with little or no services after operator Stagecoach announced it was cutting key routes... That prompted the Save Our Buses campaign, run by the Biggleswade Chronicle and the Biggleswade & District Pensioners' Association... Yesterday Beds County Council confirmed that of those places affected, the majority will still have buses after Stagecoach withdraws services on February 18...

* Finland - Helsinki rolls out free WLAN on selected buses and trams
Helsinki,FIN -The Newsroom Finland - 18 Jan 2007: -- Helsinki City Transport (HKL) said in a statement Thursday it had begun a wireless local area network (WLAN) trial on a few buses on routes 52, 52A, 58, 58B and 59, as well as on a few trams running on various lines... HKL said in a statement the greatest benefit of mobile broadband was its ability to speed up public transport by giving vehicles linked to the system priority in traffic lights when needed. In addition, passengers with WLAN-enabled devices can access up-to-date public transport information and access the internet free of charge...

* India - Janshatabdi buses on five routes soon
Kanpur,India -The Hindustan Times (New Delhi,Delhi,India) -Jan 17, 2007: -- Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has proposed to introduce fully air-conditioned Janshatabdi buses on the pattern of ‘Garib Rath’ express trains started by the Indian Railways... According to chief transport manager of UPSRTC A K Srivastava, Janshatabdi buses would be introduced within the next three months...

posted by Unknown @ 12:23 PM  0 Comments

BUSES' PURCHASE PROSPECTS

* USA - School Board plans to sell old buses, lease new ones
Quincy,IL,USA -The Quincy Herald Whig, by Holly Wagner -Jan 18, 2007: -- The Quincy School Board voted Wednesday to seek quotes for the sale of used buses and for leases of new buses... The board voted unanimously to seek prices to lease 25 more buses so they arrive closer to the start of the next school year... The district will take delivery on 30 new leased buses sometime this spring. Thirty used buses will be offered for sale to the highest bidders. The buses include 23 71-passenger models, two 47-passenger units and five smaller ones...

* USA - Grants help buy cleaner-running school buses
Salt Lake City,UT,USA -The Salt Lake Tribune, by Chris Fraizer -18 Jan 2007: -- Grants and donations could help students in the Davis and Jordan school districts breathe a little easier... Chevron USA is giving the Davis School District a $200,000 grant to retrofit some of its 230 diesel-powered school buses with pollution-control devices. The Jordan School District is collecting grant money from the state and the Environmental Protection Agency to help buy 33 school buses that run on compressed natural gas (CNG)...

posted by Unknown @ 12:18 PM  0 Comments

Stricter criteria * USA - For school bus drivers

Wilton,CT,USA -The Wilton Villager, by A.J. O'CONNELL -18 Jan 2007: -- The same background checks administered to public school teachers will now be given to school bus drivers, the Department of Motor Vehicles [DMV] announced last week... In his first major announcement since replacing William Ramirez as the chief of the DMV, Commissioner Robert Ward announced that the DMV will now use the state Board of Education's criteria for screening teachers and coaches. This criteria would keep anyone arrested for a crime related to child abuse from driving a school bus...

posted by Unknown @ 12:15 PM  0 Comments

Stolen * Brazil - Ride the Bus and Lose Your Hair

Rio Janeiro,BRA -ShortNews.com (Regensburg,Germany) -18 Jan 2007: -- Mirna Marchetti, 22, had her beautiful long hair, which she grew for 4 years, lopped off and stolen while she rode the bus to the city in Rio de Janeiro. Her mobile phone and handbag were also stolen. Her friend tried to assist her but failed... It is believed that the braid of hair is worth 250 dollars and will probably be used for hair extensions in a salon. Police said that this act was deliberate and calculated. "They really did mean to steal her hair"...

posted by Unknown @ 11:59 AM  0 Comments

Leaving children * USA - In vehicles, could become a crime in Missouri

USA -Land Line Magazine -Jan 17, 2007: -- Truckers and others have seen it before. They pull into a store parking lot and while walking to the door notice a youngster, all alone, sitting inside a closed vehicle with the driver nowhere to be seen... A state lawmaker in Missouri would like to punish people who leave children in vehicles... Rep. Kevin Threlkeld, R-Washington, has filed a bill that would create the crime of leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle...

posted by Unknown @ 10:11 AM  0 Comments

18.1.07

FUTURISTIC BUS * UK - The driverless bus you hail with your mobile

Scotland,UK -The Scotsman, by IAN JOHNSTON -18 Jan 2007: -- A model of a futuristic "driverless" bus that promises to cut air pollution and traffic congestion was unveiled at the Science Museum yesterday... The state-of-the-art vehicle will use the latest technology to navigate the streets, using magnets embedded in the road as markers... Passengers will be able to hail a bus or "pod" using their mobile phone to pick them up from a specified location, to take them to a chosen destination. The bus has been developed by leading bus engineering designers Capoco Design in collaboration with the Royal College of Art...

posted by Unknown @ 6:47 AM  0 Comments

Discrimination ? * USA - Greyhound bus drivers at odds over Spanish-speaking routes

Dallas,TX,USA -The Dallas Business Journal, by Jaime S. Jordan/The Charlotte Business Journal (Charlotte,NC) -18 Jan 2007: -- A union representing Greyhound Lines Inc. employees says contract negotiations with Greyhound have stalled following fallout over company plans to create bus routes staffed by Spanish-speaking drivers... "Greyhound insults the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. by proposing separate service for Spanish-speaking riders," the union, ATU National Local 1700, said in a statement released Monday...

posted by Unknown @ 6:36 AM  0 Comments

17.1.07

VIP BUSES * USA - Dignitaries deliver standing ovations for bus line

Rapid transit hits the street

Eugene,OR,USA -The Register-Guard, by Andrea Damewood -Jan 15, 2007: -- It all came down to one VIP-packed bus ride at 11:40 a.m. Sunday... Twelve years of planning and $24 million in funding for the Lane Transit District's EmX system culminated with a 60-foot-long bus jammed to its ground-level doors with dignitaries... The 44-seat rapid transit bus welcomed transportation higher-ups, including James Simpson, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., all waiting to see if the transit would indeed be rapid... (Photo by Wayne Eastburn/The Register-Guard: Rep. Peter DeFazio -left- and Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken -right- enjoy a VIP run of the new EmX system on Sunday)

* UK - Plymouth buses get CDs, TVs and leather seats
London,UK -Transport Briefing -15 Jan 2007: -- Double decker buses with leather seats and CD players have been introduced by First Devon and Cornwall to provide a park and ride service in Plymouth... The nine new Enviro 400 buses, built by Alexander Dennis, are said to represent the highest quality rolling stock currently available to the UK bus market. They are also the only double deckers in Britain to meet recently introduced EC legislation on Euro 4 emissions. Additionally, they comply with more stringent low-emission standards specified by Transport for London... Each vehicle is fitted with 80 luxury leather seats, CCTV, real-time information and on-board televisions which will be capable of broadcasting BBC news updates, promotional information about the city as well as next stop information...

posted by Unknown @ 11:48 AM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS ROADS


* USA - 70 TriMet buses get stuck in snow
Portland,OR,USA -kgw.com (subscription), by ANTONIA GIEDWOYN -Jan 16, 2007: -- Unexpectedly thick snow Tuesday morning brought chaos to Portland streets and highways, stranding 70 TriMet buses, in addition to numerous cars, throughout the Metro area, officials said... Meteorologists had predicted a light dusting of snow with up to an inch in the Portland area. Instead, by noon, about three inches of snow had accumulated in most parts of Portland. Hillsboro and Clackamas had even more snow and there were reports of about four inches in Vancouver, Wash... (Photo by Michael Bartlett - A Tri-Met bus slid off the road on 99w at Bull Mountain Road in King city)

* Canada - Winter weather wreaks delays, keeps emergency crews busy
Ottawa,Ontario,Canada -The Ottawa Citizen -Jan 15, 2007: -- Ottawa paramedics and police were kept busy Monday morning with more than a dozen accidents on area roads, and 20 calls for injuries caused by falls... Monday morning’s snowy weather turned roadways and walkways into icy surfaces, resulting in injuries ranging from sprains and strains to fractures...

posted by Unknown @ 11:41 AM  0 Comments

PRODUCTS * Canada - DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses Plans to Offer SmarTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System

For its Setra Motorcoaches
Richmond,BC,CAN -PRNewswire-FirstCall/Yahoo! News (press release - USA) -Jan. 16, 2007: -- DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America announced today its planned partnership with SmarTire Systems Inc., to supply tire pressure and temperature monitoring systems (TPMS) as a product upgrade... 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...

posted by Unknown @ 11:34 AM  0 Comments

"Transit Now" * USA - Speeds Up Bus Traffic

Seattle,WA,USA -The Ballard News Tribune, by Tim St. Clair -Jan 16, 2007: -- City and county transportation officials are figuring out how to create a "bus rapid transit" system that will speed up Metro buses with traffic-signal control devices, in-lane bus stops and maybe more bus-only lanes in West Seattle and Ballard... Bus rapid transit, or "Rapid Ride" as King County Metro calls it, is part of the county's "Transit Now" program, which voters approved two months ago. It includes money to start five bus rapid transit routes around the county. West Seattle and Ballard are first in line...

posted by Unknown @ 11:28 AM  0 Comments

* Colombia - Collision between bus and transport truck kills 20

Bosconia,César,Colombia -CBC News (Canada) -Jan 16, 2007: -- Twenty people died on Monday in northern Colombia after a passenger bus collided head-on with a tractor-trailer, officials said... Four people were injured in the crash, which left the bus in a ditch. The accident occurred near the town of Bosconia in Cesar Province, about 570 kilometres north of the capital Bogota... "It looks like the truck, because of a mechanical failure, crossed into the path of the bus carrying passengers who were travelling to the province of Antioquia from the tourist port of Santa Marta," traffic police deputy director Col. Luis Alberto Perez said...

posted by Unknown @ 11:11 AM  0 Comments

15.1.07

OPINION * UK - Buses may be better than trains, says rail chief

Edinburgh,Scotland,UK -The Scotsman, by MURDO MACLEOD -14 Jan 2007: -- The head of the UK's rail infrastructure system has suggested that some railway services could be replaced by buses, or even taxis... John Armitt, the out-going chief executive of Network Rail, has claimed that transport planners should not always opt for a conventional train service in order to move passengers... Armitt said: "Simply asking to provide a railway, which in transport terms is not value for money, is probably not the best way forward. We have parts of the network where we have trains running around empty for most of the day"... Across the UK, there are seven routes, four in Scotland, where the typical user would do the environment less harm by driving a 4x4... And while the majority of train services in Scotland are still better for the environment than all the passengers driving off-road vehicles, some travellers might help the environment by opting for a small car rather than a train... While cars have become greener because of tough new rules, trains can only rival their on-road counterparts for greenness by packing in the passengers... (Picture: The Grampian Mountains dominate the skyline)

posted by Unknown @ 9:55 AM  0 Comments

State audit calls for fines * USA - Instead of addition of needed buses


York,SC,USA -The Rock Hill Herald (Rock Hill,SC), by Monica Chen -Jan 15, 2007 - When Adena Hamilton's 5-year-old daughter goes to school in the morning, she gets on a bus just a few feet from their Pelling Drive home... Hamilton, who often looks out the window as her daughter steps onto the bus, said Friday that this makes her feel safe. "It's so cold in the morning now. I like that after this stop, they go straight to the school," she said... But the state recently billed the York school district $45,000 for violations of state busing policies, and the district might have to stop picking up some young students close to or in front of their homes... (Photo by Jim Stratakos /The Herald - Hunter Street Elementary School students in York are dropped off at their school early Friday morning)

posted by Unknown @ 9:46 AM  0 Comments

* China waterfall? - Heavy rains cause havoc in S'pore and M'sais again

Singapore -Electric New Paper /New Straits Times-Jan 15, 2007: -- Five busloads of students from the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) were forced to turn back when floodwaters again engulfed Johor yesterday... The 150 students were en route to Desaru for a five-day camp when surging waters made the Jalan Kulai-Kota Tinggi road impassable... 'We didn't want to compromise the safety of the students,' the principal of ACS (Independent), Dr Ong Teck Chin, told On Sunday last night... Rail services to Singapore have also been disrupted by the resurgence in flooding... (Pictureby LIANHE ZABAO, TNP READER YEOW - IT'S FLOODED BUS STOP IN S'PORE - Pretty as a picture: It looks like a scenic picture from a travel calendar, but it's really flood water cascading down a stone wall at a bus stop opposite Thomson Plaza during Friday's downpour)

posted by Unknown @ 9:34 AM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS TRIPS

* China - Bus accident kills 5 in
Xinjiang,Uygur,China -Shanghai Daily (Shanghai,China) -14 Jan 2007: -- Five people died and 48 others were injured after a bus overturned on highway this afternoon in northwest China's Autonomous Region, local police and witnesses said... The accident occurred at 4pm. In Fuyun County, 300 kilometers from the autonomous regional capital Urumqi, when a bus with 53 people on board turned over at Fuyun section of No. 216 highway... Local officials rushed to the site for rescue effort and the accident is under investigation, police said...

posted by Unknown @ 9:28 AM  0 Comments

BUSES' PURCHASE PROSPECTS

* USA - Faster commute in store for bus riders
Dallas,TX,USA -The Dallas Morning News (subscription), by Tony Hartzel -Jan 14, 2007: -- Dallas Area Rapid Transit hopes to eventually make a ride on some of its buses a little more rapid... Several months ago, as the transit agency adopted its long-range plan, debate about future rail lines across the northern suburbs and in southern Dallas grabbed most of the attention. But the plan also includes a $160 million plan to create 100 miles of "bus rapid transit" corridors throughout the area... Planning is still being done on the potential routes, costs and opening dates. Once a route is picked and money is available, a bus rapid transit line can be built in about two years. The key, Doug Allen, DART executive vice president said, will be getting the necessary equipment installed at intersections...

posted by Unknown @ 9:19 AM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS DRIVERS

* USA - 7 students hurt in school bus crash
Richmond,VA,USA -The Richmond Times Dispatch -Jan 13, 2007: -- Seven Manchester Middle School students suffered minor injuries yesterday when their school bus collided with a work van in Chesterfield County... Chesterfield police Capt. Dan Kelly said the students were taken to local hospitals to be checked and were released.The bus and van drivers also received minor injuries, he said... Kelly said the wreck occurred about 3 p.m. at Newlington Drive and Walmsley Boulevard when the bus driver apparently pulled into the van's path...

posted by Unknown @ 9:17 AM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS BUSES

* USA - 17 Students Hurt When Bus Goes Out Of Control
Fairless Hills,Pa,USA -NewsNet5.com (Cleveland,OH) -Jan 12, 2007: -- It was a shocking and frightening scene Friday afternoon outside a Bucks County high school after a school bus seemingly careened out of control and into a group of students... A total of 17 students had to be rushed to hospitals, and two were still being treated Friday night, according to local affiliate station WCAU... "He tried pushing the brakes, used the emergency brakes and he even shut off the bus entirely, but it just kept going," Hunter (Danielle Hunter was a front-seat witness to the crash), said... The driver ultimately rammed the bus into a retaining wall a half-mile away and it finally came to rest... Hunter said it was an out-of-control ride she wishes she could forget. Some of her closest friends were among the injured. But she believes it was the bus that failed students, not the driver... "He did everything in his power to protect us and make sure we were OK," Hunter said... Denise Nakano of WCAU said it was the third bus the students rode this week, as the other two reportedly had mechanical problems...

* Mexico - Bus flips over; 11 dead, 39 injured
OAXACA, Mexico -International Herald Tribune (France)/AP -Jan 13, 2007: -- A passenger bus flipped over in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca early Saturday, killing 11 passengers and injuring 39, including the driver, authorities said... Regional state police commander Lazaro Rendon said the bus, with 50 people on board, was speeding when it veered out of control and rolled over near the town of Ojitlan, 220 miles (350 kilometers) from the state capital of Oaxaca City. The bus was traveling from Jalapa de Diaz, near the border with the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, to Mexico City... The driver was taken into custody and was being questioned, but had not been charged with a crime pending further investigation, Rendon said...

* Saudi Arabia - 22 Died In Bus Collision
Abu Dhabi/Saudi Arabia -All Headline News (USA), by Som Patidar -Jan 13, 2007: -- At least 22 Hajj pilgrims were killed and another 24 injured in a collision between two buses near the Saudi Arabia-United Arab Emirate Border on Friday. The victims were from Syria, Egypt, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan... The accident occurred between Al Zesu and Batha areas of Saudi Arabia, some 30 miles from United Arab Emirate border. Poor visibility or fog reported to be the reason of the collision...

posted by Unknown @ 8:57 AM  0 Comments

13.1.07

DEBATE * USA - About seat belts on school buses

Charleston,WV,USA -The Charleston Daily Mail: Editorial -Jan 12, 2007: -- CHARLESTON City Councilmen Harry Deitzler and John Miller have been after the Kanawha County Board of Education to order school buses with seat belts from now on... It sounds logical, but sometimes things are not as simple as they seem... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration commented on seat belts on school buses in May 2006. Among its findings: "School buses are one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States," it said. "Every year, approximately 450,000 public school buses travel about 4.3 billion miles to transport 23.5 million children to and from school and school-related activities. Yet, on average, every year, six school-age children (throughout the U.S.) die in school bus crashes as passengers."... The agency said that because large school buses are heavier and distribute crash forces differently, the best way to protect their passengers is compartmentalization -- "a protective envelope consisting of strong, closely-spaced seats that have energy-absorbing seat backs."... A 2002 study found that lap belts could increase the risk of serious neck and abdominal injuries...

posted by Unknown @ 9:00 AM  0 Comments

Bus crash * Saudi Arabia - Kills 22 pilgrims

Riyadh,SA -The Peninsula On-line (Qatar)/REUTERS/* Saudi Press Agency -Jan 13, 2007: -- Twenty-two Muslim pilgrims leaving Saudi Arabia by bus were killed in a road crash near the border with the United Arab Emirates, reported on yesterday. It said those killed and the 24 injured were from Syria, Egypt, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan... Some 2.5 million Muslims finished performing the annual Haj pilgrimage earlier this month in Saudi Arabia...

posted by Unknown @ 8:56 AM  0 Comments

Stricter Standards * USA - New DMV head wants for school bus drivers

Hartford,Conn,USA -The Boston Globe (Boston,MA), by Susan Haigh /Associated Press -Jan 12, 2007: -- Potential school bus drivers must undergo the same criminal screenings as teachers, administrators and coaches under a policy announced Friday by the state's new motor vehicles commissioner... The move stems from the death last year of a West Hartford pedestrian hit by a school bus. Police said the driver, Robert Fountain, had a misdemeanor criminal record that should have disqualified him from getting a provisional school bus driver's license. Police say he also had cocaine in his system... The new policy will prevent the DMV from issuing school bus and van licenses to anyone convicted of or arrested for a major felony or crime stemming from child abuse and neglect...

posted by Unknown @ 8:49 AM  0 Comments

12.1.07

DANGEROUS BUSES

* South Africa - Cape Town road blitz hits buses
Cape Town,South Africa -The Independent Online, by Sipokazi Maposa -Jan 11 2007: -- More than 100 unroadworthy buses and taxis have been hauled off the province's roads and 45 drunk and reckless long-distance drivers arrested over the festive season in a zero-tolerance crackdown... According to the latest Arrive Alive figures, since December 1, 2006 at least 107 buses and minibus taxis travelling on the N1, N2 and N7 highways were found to be unroadworthy when traffic officials stopped them...

posted by Unknown @ 10:18 AM  0 Comments

Free Ride * Australia - Shuttle buses’ for all

Albury,New South Wales,Australia -The Border Mail, by HOWARD JONES -12 Jan 2007: -- ALBURY’S free shuttle buses may be used by passengers between any of the six designated bus stops, Albury council said yesterday... The blue buses run every 15 minutes from 7.30am to 6.30pm weekdays and to 1pm on Saturday... Although they were introduced to ferry people between a new Young St car park and the city centre, they are available to anyone wishing to board at any of the stops... Mayor Amanda Duncan-Strelec said yesterday the council wanted people to use the service as a quick means of getting from one shopping destination to the next...

posted by Unknown @ 10:11 AM  0 Comments

"GREEN" NEWS

* Germany - Four new hydrogen buses
Berlin,GER -GasWorld.com(subscription -Cornwall,UK), by Kelly Cadwell -Jan 11, 2007: -- The German capital, Berlin, has added four new hydrogen-fueled buses to its fleet. As part of a European Union sponsored project, the four buses help Europe on its way to the hydrogen economy... These hydrogen-fueled prototypes roamed the streets during the world cup when Berlin's passenger volume was at an all-time peak. Klaus Wazlak, spokesman for the Berlin Transportation Company (BVG) said: "The buses proved their worth very nicely during the world cup."...

* UK - West Country gets eco-friendly buses
Weybridge,UK -Environmental Transport Association -11 Jan 2007: -- Bus passengers in two West Country towns can now travel on vehicles hailed as the most eco-friendly in the world... The new park and ride buses use around a fifth less fuel than conventional vehicles and are also cleaner, producing fewer harmful greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, and are being put into operation between Roborough and Plymouth...

posted by Unknown @ 10:10 AM  0 Comments

DANGEROUS DRIVERS

* Iran - Truck slams into bus, killing 14
Tehran,Iran -AP/KRGV (Westlaco,TX,USA) -Jan 11, 2007: -- A truck smashed into a bus in central Iran, killing at least 14 people, state-run television reported Thursday... The truck driver lost control of his vehicle before it slammed into the bus Wednesday night on the highway linking the cities of Arak and Malayer, located about 185 miles southwest of Tehran, state TV said... Fourteen bus passengers were killed, and the 16 injured were hospitalized in serious condition, the report said...

posted by Unknown @ 10:01 AM  0 Comments