Another School Bus Accident

[jrt_ms1995]

I delivered many new busses, driving them from Arkansas to MD/VA, that were governed at 45. That would have been a long drive at that speed. So we learned how to remove the governor so our max speed became about 62, a much faster trip. We just had to remember to reconnect the governor before delivering the bus to the customer.

We knew how, too, but I never did it. That $90 - $100 per month was too valuable back then to risk. In fact, so valuable I learned to drive a manual transmission to do it (actually learned how during the bus driving test; I knew the principle but had to get the mechanics of it down).

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I delivered many new busses, driving them from Arkansas to MD/VA, that were governed at 45. That would have been a long drive at that speed. So we learned how to remove the governor so our max speed became about 62, a much faster trip. We just had to remember to reconnect the governor before delivering the bus to the customer.

Oh wow as a kid I remember many trips on school buses that took the interstate, they were slowish but nothing like that. High School was around the time the national limit of 55 went away.

 

[rio]

I chaperoned many a marching band trip when my girls were in HS. I'd say 95% of the time I loved the bus drivers and their ability to get us safely to and from competitions. But there were a few, most notably one trip to Towson University, when I seriously thought I was going to die. Stop and go traffic and the bus driver would tailgate, speed way up, slam on the brakes, swerve in and out of traffic, and then had to go down the shoulder to avoid rear ending a sedan. I think we all had stained drawers after that trip. And then we had to get back on that same bus to come home.

 

[RoseRed]

I chaperoned many a marching band trip when my girls were in HS. I'd say 95% of the time I loved the bus drivers and their ability to get us safely to and from competitions. But there were a few, most notably one trip to Towson University, when I seriously thought I was going to die. Stop and go traffic and the bus driver would tailgate, speed way up, slam on the brakes, swerve in and out of traffic, and then had to go down the shoulder to avoid rear ending a sedan. I think we all had stained drawers after that trip. And then we had to get back on that same bus to come home.

Not a school bus, but a chartered bus to/from Baltimore for a show. I seriously thought we were going to die, so much so, I told the driver to slow down because I had my then 7 y/o daughter with me. He just grumbled at me. AND he was on the phone complaining that he wasn't going all the way back down the road. So he stopped the bus around Annapolis and got off and left us all on the bus around 11pm. Got in his car and drove away. We had to wait for another driver to bring us back down the road.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I chaperoned many a marching band trip when my girls were in HS. I'd say 95% of the time I loved the bus drivers and their ability to get us safely to and from competitions. But there were a few, most notably one trip to Towson University, when I seriously thought I was going to die. Stop and go traffic and the bus driver would tailgate, speed way up, slam on the brakes, swerve in and out of traffic, and then had to go down the shoulder to avoid rear ending a sedan. I think we all had stained drawers after that trip. And then we had to get back on that same bus to come home.

We use to drive the bus drivers crazy on band trips. "Hey Eugene, can we see what's in the vomit kit?" "It's Mr Grayhouse, and no you can't open the throw up kit"

 

[3CATSAILOR]

And then once they start heading north on 235, you can’t keep up with them! 60mph all the way to GMR

I think Law Enforcement does what it can with a significant lack of manpower.

 

[RoseRed]

I watched a bus coming out from Hollywood Elementary pull right out in front of a car in front of me. I slowed down and was ready to hit the brakes in case the other two pulled out in front of me. They didn't.