by Jennifer O'Connell | Sep 11, 2019 | Bus Accident, Colorado
Late for Work? Blame the Bus.
In a time when the Mayor’s office, City Council, and the member-organizations of the Downtown Denver Partnership are working to increase ridership for public transport, RTD is announcing a driver shortage for both light rail and busses that is causing major delays for Denverites. RTD’s assistant general manager of communications, Pauletta Tonilas, told The Denver Channel’s Russell Haythorn that the shortage is due to low unemployment and a competitive job market, as well as failure of applicants to pass drug tests and background checks. And with a deficit of 80 bus drivers and 50 train operators, the problem has reached critical status. According to Tonilas, RTD has reached the point of daily disruptions, including canceled and delayed routes. Tonilas also admitted to receiving a plethora of emails from riders complaining of missed work due to the disruptions. Haythorn interviewed several RTD customers who rely on the bus and light rail systems for their daily commute. The riders noted instances of doors being closed on riders attempting to board, as the strain of added stops to the already over-worked drivers causes them to spend less time at each. Others noted buses and light rails leaving ahead of schedule for the same reason. One rider drew attention to the problem of routes cancelled altogether with little to no notice, meaning a lack of opportunity to make arrangements for alternate transportation.
Rest assured, if you – like many of us – rely on the rail or bus system to get to work, RTD is more than aware of your plight. They are actively working to find qualified drivers and operators to fill the void and get things back on track. It’s vital to our sanity to avoid traffic, to our family time to get to work and home as quickly as possible, and to our job security to arrive on time every single day. It is also vital to our safety that drivers and operators are not overworked, working too long hours to make up for deficits, and are fresh and focused on their jobs. We know from the medical and airline industries that long hours and heavy workloads can lead to mistakes. And when those mistakes are made by the operator of a multi-ton vehicle at speeds of 45 mph or more, the results can be catastrophic. Help RTD better address your concerns by contacting them with your issues and ideas. And allow us to help you or your loved one should the worst happen and an injury occur. Commutes are important, but safety should always be the number one concern.
by Queener Law | Jan 19, 2015 | Bus Accident, Tennessee
Out of the 43 people who were traveling on two buses that were involved in a tragic collision in November of 2014, 24 people were injured, three lost their lives and 16 escaped without harm, according to Local 8 Now News. As the Knoxville Police Department continues to investigate this bus accident, they have released information stating that both bus drivers were wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident.
Although both drivers have been tested for alcohol and drugs, officials will not find out whether these substances were involved in the accident until they receive the results from the tests, which may take weeks to complete. It is unclear as to what caused one bus to make an unexpected left-hand turn and crash into an oncoming bus traveling in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, these tragic occurrences are all too common to an accident attorney Cookeville.
Ensuring passenger safety on buses
Local 8 Now reported that both buses involved in the accident had received recent inspections, ensuring that all parts on the large vehicles were working correctly. While state school buses are not currently required to have seat belts, state officials are now looking into passing legislation which would require all new buses purchased after July 1, 2015 to have seat belts. The Southeastern Transportation Center and the University of Tennessee explains how buses are designed with high-backed seats, which function to cushion and protect passengers if the bus should collide with a smaller vehicle. When the bus crashed into another large bus while traveling at a high rate of speed, the safety mechanism was simply not enough to protect passengers from serious injury and death.
Bus accidents can cause serious injuries
With no safety restraints available, a large impact with a massive object may cause children and adults alike to fly out of their seats. Not only are they susceptible to broken bones and lacerations from flying objects, but they may develop a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage or internal organ damage from the impact. In some cases, mild brain injuries or certain spinal cord injuries may not show symptoms for several days after the incident occurs. A knowledgeable accident attorney in Cookeville knows that these injuries can cause severe damage if left unattended. All of the medical expenses, including surgical intervention, therapy and medication can become quite expensive.
Fortunately, an accident attorney Cookeville may be able to help the injured victim receive compensation to cover these expenses.
