Another Bus Crash 4/3

[rainfully]

I think the point is, why is this all of a sudden starting to happen? For so long, this wasn't an issue. Now, there 3 crashes in less than 2 weeks. Is there some sort of contest going on that we don't know about?

I promise you, this isn't an "all of a sudden" thing... bus crashes happen... and not all of them get reported.

I actually have a friend who got hit by a bus crossing a street on Disney property... she was in the hospital for quite some time... but the media never got wind of it. This was about 2 years ago.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Regardless of statistics, Disney needs to re-examine itself. Coincidence or not, this looks like it is becoming an issue for Disney.

I must agree that Disney would probably have been hit by age discrimination. I am not familiar with the way bus drivers are hired, but I would imagine that its state-based requirements make it slightly more then the average position that is just filled by Casting.

Well Houston's IAH airport has done that and it works quite well :wave:

The Houston WEDway just lacks the best part, constant motion.

 

[TimNRA757]

If I'm to believe what I read around here, airline accidents would never happen because of training. But then someone also brought up pay. If we're to believe paying higher wages will prevent accidents then I guess there'd be an airline crash every day...

 

[splashtest]

No, but the disney busses I have been riding on have never been involved in an accident either...

Actually....I have.

 

[wishesjake]

No matter what side of this you come down on, it really undermines the guest experience in a tangible way. One of Disney's main theme park principles dating back to the days of Walt is Safety. If the guests don't feel safe, how can they feel any of the other emotions they are supposed to feel during a day at the park like happiness and joy. Like it or not, the more often these accidents happen, the unhappier the average guest is going to be because of the psychological affects of vacationing in a snake-bitten accident-prone Kingdom that Disney is being portrayed as.

 

[kimmychad]

I think you guys are blowing this age thing way out of proportion. At 81 he has had a LOT more experience driving than most members of this forum have even been alive.

To dismiss somebody because of their age is not only discrimination and illegal, it's also rude.

many professions have mandatory retirement ages, why shouldn't a bus driver carrying mass amounts of people?
It's not unreasonable to believe that an 81 year old persons reflexes haven't diminished at least somewhat.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Perhaps if Disney purchased some decent well built European buses insted of the crop dusting yank tanks the mass transportation experience would be more comfortable and less life threatening. Also I do advocate the UK policy for ageing drivers to have compulsory medicals and reapply to maintain their driving licences as we all know doddery coffin dodgers are a liability driving a Little Micra far less a bus.

I blame the pie eaters in their ECVs all that extra mass on one side of the bus must make it harder to control, even balancing it out with Nimitz class strollers and the bloated kids sitting on the opposite side. To be fair if Disney built a fifth gate it would spread traffic around a bit more making it less likely to hit another vehicle. Or maybe build underground tunnels with electric walkways, with the option of jet packs for deluxe resort guests.

 

[wishesjake]

many professions have mandatory retirement ages, why shouldn't a bus driver carrying mass amounts of people?
It's not unreasonable to believe that an 81 year old persons reflexes haven't diminished at least somewhat.

How about testing those 81 year old reflexes and not just telling him to retire at a certain age no matter what. Also, usually jobs that have mandatory retirement ages are jobs that no 81 year old could perform, like being an astronaut.

 

[Lisalyn]

My car has never been involved in three accidents in one week. Has yours?

Forgive me but given the large amount of different bus drivers and the fact that once on property, most people (most people being the tourists/visitors to the World) I've encountered have absolutely no respect for motor vehicle laws, this doesn't surprise me and I'm surprised there aren't more accidents!

It's not always the bus drivers fault because it occurred on Disney property.

Maybe the Sentinel needs to focus more on real news then motor vehicle accidents. And while we are at it....why just accidents on Disney property. I mean fair is fair. If you find the need to report every accident on Disney property (and don't get your panties in a wad...of course this doesn't include something as serious or tragic as the young boy that died) BUT if you must single out Disney....then you need to single out every accident that happens in and around the Orlando area...no matter where it occurred. :hammer::hammer::hammer:

 

[Ziggie]

Meg Crofton seems to be a walking talking PR machine. The person with the real power is Erin Wallace.

Overall responsibility for the safety of the bus system falls on the shoulders of Jim Vendur, who took over transportation operations from Kevin Lansberry last September in addition to his existing oversight of transportation maintenance, utilities and telecommunications. http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=657

(also.. what happened to the other thread? did it get moved to another part of the forum )

 

[DiPSU224]

I blame the pie eaters in their ECVs all that extra mass on one side of the bus must make it harder to control, even balancing it out with Nimitz class strollers and the bloated kids sitting on the opposite side. To be fair if Disney built a fifth gate it would spread traffic around a bit more making it less likely to hit another vehicle. Or maybe build underground tunnels with electric walkways, with the option of jet packs for deluxe resort guests.

I have only skimmed some of this thread so far, but I just wanted to say I *heart* you. :lol:

Love your wit and humor.

 

[wm49rs]

Overall responsibility for the safety of the bus system falls on the shoulders of Jim Vendur, who took over transportation operations from Kevin Lansberry last September in addition to his existing oversight of transportation maintenance, utilities and telecommunications. http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/blog.php?b=657

(also.. what happened to the other thread? did it get moved to another part of the forum )

Probably got shut down for being either too personal or too political.....

 

[hrcollectibles]

What happens if someone like Peter Ustinov finds a way to take shelter on Discovery Island or River Country with stray cats? That robot can't keep everyone from escaping.

True but the Smoke Monster can keep people from escaping

 

[Timmay]

Still think this is a coincidence?

Careful...your agenda is showing.

Bus accidents happen every day, in every city. All it takes is a simple search to see just how many there are. Look, here are two I found just while writing this post.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/03/arkansas-boy-falls-school-bus-dies/
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=135932&catid=339

Sticking your head in the sand and ignoring that accidents do happen, regardless of training, experience, etc., and then at the same time trying to turn what has happened at WDW into a pandemic and calling for heads to roll as a means to an end is simply disingenuous...at best.

 

[Plutofan1]

I agree that Disney's policies should perhaps be reviewed and changed, but Disney can't keep track of what every driver is doing at every single second. And if they hired the 81 year old when he was 70, would they then fire him eleven years later because he was to old? Nobody has any proof that Disney hired the man when he was 81. And people saying I'm never riding a monorail or bus again are not using a sense of logic. The average person is far more likely to get in an accident on their way to work or even driving themselves to a park than getting in an accident on a Disney bus, and especially the monorail (1 accident in 40 years).

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Sense and Logic? You are aware this is a Disney fan site?

 

[Wilt Dasney]

(also.. what happened to the other thread? did it get moved to another part of the forum )

It was zapped. There was no redeeming it by the end.

 

[wm49rs]

Sense and Logic? You are aware this is a Disney fan site?

Emotion and vacuity do seem to rule the day around these parts.....

 

[BigThunderMatt]

Start safety training Disney more.

They do. All the time. I can't tell you how many times I've had to log in to my learning plan to find yet ANOTHER safety-based training module.

They've beaten this dead horse so many times there's nothing left to beat. But no matter how much you plan and prepare, there is always a human element that is unpredictable. There is absolutely no way to completely eliminate risk.

Do I believe Disney is not to blame at all for this? No, there is certainly plenty of room for improvement. But WDW has a huge bus fleet with many drivers of varied ages and experience levels all expected to drive the same routes filled with, I'm sorry, but complete idiots (a.k.a. tourists) who freak out and pull dangerous driving stunts like pulling u turns, crossing lines at exit lanes, and driving over wet muddy grass medians, because they've missed their exit and frequently assume that's the ONLY EXIT in all of property.

I seriously hate driving to work every day because, honestly, half the guests driving here it seriously makes me wonder how they managed to get a license. Not to mention the fact that we haven't had MORE accidents up to this point. Let's face it, 99% of guests who drive here act like complete idiots on the road.

 

[TalkingHead]

They do. All the time. I can't tell you how many times I've had to log in to my learning plan to find yet ANOTHER safety-based training module.

They've beaten this dead horse so many times there's nothing left to beat. But no matter how much you plan and prepare, there is always a human element that is unpredictable. There is absolutely no way to completely eliminate risk.

Do I believe Disney is not to blame at all for this? No, there is certainly plenty of room for improvement. But WDW has a huge bus fleet with many drivers of varied ages and experience levels all expected to drive the same routes filled with, I'm sorry, but complete idiots (a.k.a. tourists) who freak out and pull dangerous driving stunts like pulling u turns, crossing lines at exit lanes, and driving over wet muddy grass medians, because they've missed their exit and frequently assume that's the ONLY EXIT in all of property.

I seriously hate driving to work every day because, honestly, half the guests driving here it seriously makes me wonder how they managed to get a license. Not to mention the fact that we haven't had MORE accidents up to this point. Let's face it, 99% of guests who drive here act like complete idiots on the road.

What's a "safety-based training manual"? Do you mean those worthless online videos and quizzes that allow you to answer questions over and over until you get them right? Or something else?