Archives for National Bus Trader

I know just what you are thinking: These words do not belong in the same sentence. Or even the same article. For the motorcoach industry, this is clearly not the case. In the past 20 years, enormous progress has been made in the understanding of sleep, alertness and fatigue. Similarly, a number of approaches, methodologies and tools have been developed to predict fatigue-related safety problems and mitigate them. Many of these tools have been refined for, and applied to, a mix of freight and passenger transportation services around the world. However, the application of these principles and tools to motorcoach

My experience analyzing scores of accidents has convinced me that the preparation for, and presentation of, a case generally counts more than the facts. Yet even in analysis, the lack of common sense can be astonishing. Seeing the Tree Through the Bark When the traffic signal turned green, a transit bus accelerated into a left turn. Before the bus even left the intersection, three passengers (including an elderly standee) were pitched through the closed rear door into the street. Representatives from the bus manufacturer (which I assisted), the city and its contract operator all examined the bus and accident scene.

Recently, I conducted a workshop on safety and liability for transportation directors. I asked innocently, “What do you do after training?” Several attendees shouted out, “More training!” Were these individuals merely being cute? Or were they being naïve? Regrettably, my experiences in forensic accident analysis suggest the latter. This common misconception has devastating consequences for transportation systems and their passengers. The Training Conundrum Contrary to popular belief, the importance of training can be overstated. This is because, without the presence of certain other system elements, even the most appropriate, thorough and insightful training may not provide the benefits for which

Little in public transportation is as challenging as driving load upon load of wheelchair occupants, with unique needs (and often unique chairs), in all directions, with last-minute one-of-a-kind trips dispatched into tight schedules created days, or even weeks, in advance. Yet this is precisely what paratransit drivers do – hour after hour, day after day. Such routines are demanding for even career drivers. They are often overwhelming for new ones: On his first day of solo operations, a paratransit driver picked up a wheelchair occupant 90 minutes behind schedule, spent an hour trying (unsuccessfully) to secure her chair, got lost,

My sister is a high school art teacher. Several Summers ago, I toured her classroom. It was ringed with near-perfect drawings of animals. Surprised by my sister’s apparent callousness toward students with lesser skills, I initiated this dialog: Me:      “How can you do this?” Her:      “How can I do what?” Me:      “How can you plaster your best student’s drawings all around the room?” Her:      “These aren’t my best student’s drawings. They’re all my students’ drawings.” Me:      “Come on! You can’t tell me you can teach every single kid how to draw!” Her response overwhelmed me: “I don’t teach any of them how to draw. I

The explosion of digital technology has triggered increases in vehicle costs, purged small and medium-sized companies from the transportation landscape, and contributed to a nationwide shortage of qualified drivers. But it has taken its greatest toll on management, where supervisors with a genuine understanding of transportation are gradually being replaced by armies of “templeteers.” While transportation systems absorb the costs of this technology, their passengers clearly pay the price: A 28-year old mentally-retarded paratransit passenger was raped, on several occasions, by her driver – on the floor of the minivan. Finding day-to-day variations in his performance completely unmonitored, the driver

No, this is not an article about NBA rule changes. Its about defending yourself in a law suit. Tort cases are almost always presented man-to-man: Plaintiff’s attorneys devise a game plan (complaints, interrogatories and discovery), try to break down opposing players (depositions), try to force concessions (settlement) and – if all else fails – try to influence the referees (judges and juries). Along the way, they might consult an assistant coach (expert witness). But rarely do they consult the players. Why don’t they? What happens when they don’t? What happens when they actually do? Letting Your Opponent Call the Plays

You’re a personal injury lawyer. You’re sitting at your desk. A near-sighted, potential client wheels himself into your office and declares, “The other day, I didn’t look where I was going … and walked into a bus mirror.” Would you take this case? When asked to serve as the plaintiff’s expert, I had the same thoughts: “What case!? The plaintiff admits he wasn’t paying attention … and walked into a bus that wasn’t even moving. How is this even a case? Sounds frivolous to me.” I took the case. We settled out for $330,000 against the coach manufacturer, and $900,000

Public transportation-related law suits are growing, and damage awards are skyrocketing. Apart from raising premiums and possibly threatening your business altogether, law suits are also taking more and more time – especially for the “person most knowledgeable.” Defending oneself against law suits has effectively become a critical operating, manufacturing or dealership function. As in most legal arenas, the plaintiff in a civil suit must prove his or her case. As a practical matter, however, the criminal standard for guilt – beyond a reasonable doubt – is not necessary in civil cases. Often, the plaintiff’s attorney may simply persuade jurors that