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Bus Driver Worked At Least 90 Hours Without Relief

Seattle Times -- Two survivors of an Eastern Oregon tour bus crash that killed nine passengers allege in a lawsuit that the driver was tired, didn't heed warnings and was going too fast on a road with patches of snow and ice.

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Submitted Jan 08, 2013 By: erikk77

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,599 Points:1,607,570 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jan 12, 2013 6:00:20 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse gs: driver probably did what he was told to keep a job that's not paying a lot. Company boss(es) need to be getting a kick in the tail so hard they land in the slammer.
gs7101 Champion Author San Antonio Posts:5,513 Points:387,470 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 5:04:14 AM Ignore gs7101 Report Abuse The bus driver should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,599 Points:1,607,570 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jan 10, 2013 10:02:15 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse the disregard for the paying passengers on the part of the company is appalling. Hopefully some crackdown on this type of slavery (bus drivers as modern wage slaves) will happen soon. Not the first deadly bus crash. Sadly, won't be the last one either.
gs7101 Champion Author San Antonio Posts:5,513 Points:387,470 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Jan 9, 2013 5:11:36 AM Ignore gs7101 Report Abuse Absolutely insane actions by the bus driver; completely disregard for passengers' safety!
dave27johnson Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,787 Points:406,700 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jan 9, 2013 12:03:54 AM Ignore dave27johnson Report Abuse The company's fault.
obimerrill Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:1,430 Points:287,765 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 11:06:34 PM Ignore obimerrill Report Abuse Sad...and it could have been prevented, but both the company and driver were feeling pressured by our economy. Fix Washington politics!
crreed1 Champion Author West Virginia Posts:1,975 Points:2,524,385 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:31:51 PM Ignore crreed1 Report Abuse trucks here so many hrs you can drive cross country 4 hrs on & 4 hrs off
Number43 Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,686 Points:1,636,220 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:18:56 PM Ignore Number43 Report Abuse When I drove a cab, our company would tell us in no certain terms to go home. This was on a daily basis. Our hours were watched carefully to meet Government regulations. This driver might have been pressured into driving or whatever but the company will pay, one way or another.
GAS1251 Champion Author Texas Posts:5,138 Points:1,624,280 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:15:10 PM Ignore GAS1251 Report Abuse This relates to "you want to be in the bigger vehicle in a crash" article.
naspa Champion Author Cleveland Posts:1,261 Points:350,200 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:13:58 PM Ignore naspa Report Abuse How does this article relate to gas?
Mowerman08 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:4,750 Points:1,216,045 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:12:50 PM Ignore Mowerman08 Report Abuse I guess I have seen that, the relief driver drives a car to the change point, having started at the same time the bus left. But they are only driving the bus the regulated hours.
Number43 Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,686 Points:1,636,220 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:12:35 PM Ignore Number43 Report Abuse I blame the company.
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,459 Points:661,095 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:12:16 PM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse I hope the bus company has great insurance or deep pockets.
tedjm1 Champion Author New York Posts:5,609 Points:800,300 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:11:44 PM Ignore tedjm1 Report Abuse In most cases, the company forces drivers to work a lot extra. However, there are some drivers who do these many extra hours to make more money. TBoth these ituations should be stopped. Should be enough staff on hand to do the job.
rsox67 All-Star Author Connecticut Posts:702 Points:264,810 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:11:43 PM Ignore rsox67 Report Abuse A sad story
10k Champion Author North Carolina Posts:21,235 Points:2,252,070 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:11:19 PM Ignore 10k Report Abuse some people have jobs where they can get away with 60 hrs/week, others need a definite 40-48 hour limit.. [Edited by: 10k at 1/9/2013 12:13:54 AM EST]
LCSTEELERBOB Champion Author Gary Posts:2,961 Points:720,130 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:11:15 PM Ignore LCSTEELERBOB Report Abuse how dump can this person bee????????
CarefreeVT Champion Author Burlington Posts:1,801 Points:257,080 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:10:58 PM Ignore CarefreeVT Report Abuse I blame Bush... Wait, Society and our work week, no wait that guy over there, no wait the economy and the need for as much money as you can get at the present juncture? Old News. Personal responsibility and accountability?
regout Champion Author Quebec Posts:2,946 Points:830,850 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:09:07 PM Ignore regout Report Abuse They should drive only 8 hours.
scrounger Champion Author Vancouver Posts:9,777 Points:3,042,535 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:08:24 PM Ignore scrounger Report Abuse owners taking advantage of short staffing and underpaid drivers in order to pad their own pockets
mpg611 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,322 Points:567,895 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:06:01 PM Ignore mpg611 Report Abuse This bus company has as much sense of Romney, Obama and GW Bush combined.
boatfloyd Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,708 Points:386,025 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:05:14 PM Ignore boatfloyd Report Abuse Who is in charge of that operation?
skysteve1 Champion Author Victoria Posts:1,132 Points:374,285 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:05:06 PM Ignore skysteve1 Report Abuse Bus company to blame
PrinceLH Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,682 Points:536,095 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:04:50 PM Ignore PrinceLH Report Abuse That's the norm for many in the transportation business these days. Cab drivers are expected to work 72 hours, or more a week. Of course their pay doesn't reflect the hours worked.
FrankTA2 Champion Author New York Posts:4,293 Points:1,093,810 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:04:40 PM Ignore FrankTA2 Report Abuse Need to put speed limiters on the bus.
cheaper0ON All-Star Author Ontario Posts:973 Points:396,105 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:01:52 PM Ignore cheaper0ON Report Abuse WoW.
JamesCalvin Champion Author Lancaster Posts:3,176 Points:517,505 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:01:37 PM Ignore JamesCalvin Report Abuse Sounds tiring!
Jmac2008 Champion Author Missouri Posts:2,264 Points:879,190 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 10:00:54 PM Ignore Jmac2008 Report Abuse they should levee a big fine on the bus company.
nwsynthetics Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,014 Points:345,075 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:57:05 PM Ignore nwsynthetics Report Abuse Tri met in Oregon is in same boat, some working 22hrs. no good
jackson661 Champion Author Columbus Posts:3,764 Points:1,475,085 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:56:26 PM Ignore jackson661 Report Abuse Ok
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:7,917 Points:1,574,005 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:53:37 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse Unbelievable
KhelbenArunson Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,436 Points:715,915 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:51:21 PM Ignore KhelbenArunson Report Abuse That is horrible.
BREW9 All-Star Author Tampa Posts:876 Points:2,910,980 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:47:48 PM Ignore BREW9 Report Abuse terrible
lesndave Champion Author Texas Posts:3,032 Points:699,430 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:47:12 PM Ignore lesndave Report Abuse Wow
WIWalt Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:1,719 Points:413,780 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:46:48 PM Ignore WIWalt Report Abuse 90 hrs in 8 days in not excessive that is 11.25 hrs per day I know many people that work 12 hr days weneed to wait for the facts to be weighed on excessive speed & road conditons.
stpatrickbday Champion Author Albuquerque Posts:1,516 Points:565,475 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:42:15 PM Ignore stpatrickbday Report Abuse Just another excuse to raise gas prices.
C.Carpets All-Star Author Oakland Posts:543 Points:2,088,260 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:38:29 PM Ignore C.Carpets Report Abuse Guy must of been peeing coffee.
Dragnet Champion Author Arizona Posts:15,401 Points:2,907,785 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:37:44 PM Ignore Dragnet Report Abuse I think the company should be sued as well.
RNCII Champion Author Michigan Posts:2,476 Points:641,260 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:37:21 PM Ignore RNCII Report Abuse I have worked more hours than that sense the January 2 till now about 105 hours and have at least 30 more days like this ahead. Working 12 hours a day and caring for my livestock another 3 hours a day.
sydb7 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,552 Points:1,918,030 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:32:49 PM Ignore sydb7 Report Abuse I thought drivers were not to go more than 8-10 hrs w/o a break?
myambro Champion Author Sacramento Posts:3,199 Points:1,051,200 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:31:49 PM Ignore myambro Report Abuse Hmmm.
cssco Champion Author Virginia Posts:7,316 Points:1,749,580 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:31:25 PM Ignore cssco Report Abuse This is a good article to keep in mind while shopping for the cheapest tour you can find.
rx7racerca Champion Author Calgary Posts:4,192 Points:1,111,145 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:31:16 PM Ignore rx7racerca Report Abuse The hours worked don't seem that excessive - and I doubt illegal for a professional driver. Whether he was driving appropriately for the conditions is another matter, likely to be argued by accident reconstruction experts, although the bus may have had some gps logging too that would shed a lot of light on speed, if not conditions. [Edited by: rx7racerca at 1/8/2013 11:33:38 PM EST]
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,562 Points:1,770,920 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:28:31 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse Glad 38 folks survived. Nine did not. Ambulance chasing lawyers found two that are lining their pockets. "...the bus driver doubled as a tour guide and worked at least 90 hours without relief over the first eight days..." I don't know what regulations are, but that does not mean the man was sleepy or working too long. That is an avg of 11.25 per day. Depends on how that was spread out and many other factors we don't know. Going too fast on slippery roads may have been the thing that he could not handle. .
sehonda Champion Author Honolulu Posts:2,028 Points:914,060 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:25:29 PM Ignore sehonda Report Abuse many drivers fall into that category on the road...
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,212 Points:871,115 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:24:54 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse These companies need to use common sense.
jnseyeongas All-Star Author Milwaukee Posts:750 Points:593,185 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:24:14 PM Ignore jnseyeongas Report Abuse Stupidity costs lives
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,615 Points:3,493,730 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:24:05 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse The driver obviously has the most culpability. Did the company try to prevent these violations?
ericbcire Champion Author Nevada Posts:4,515 Points:1,265,660 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:22:06 PM Ignore ericbcire Report Abuse Not good.
Carol7777 All-Star Author Houston Posts:717 Points:146,260 Joined:Dec 2012	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 9:21:39 PM Ignore Carol7777 Report Abuse Obviously, there are regulation already un place, so it is definitely the responsibilty of the tour company that their drivers & guides adhere to them. Good luck to the survivors with their lawsuit. I'm assuming the driver is also being held criminally liable.