Bus driver, 81, charged in 3rd Disney bus crash in 2 weeks

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/os-crash-disney-bus-chevy-20100403-5,0,1360155.story

 

[pwdebbie]

81 is a bit old to be driving a bus. I won't ride with my parents who are 79. There should be an age limit.

When we were there in April 2009, we saw two buses collide at one of the resorts. Our driver told us that happens all the time but doesn't get reported because it doesn't involve other vehicles.

Does kind of make you think twice about Disney transportation.

 

[MouseyMin]

Accidents happen - at home as well as on vacation.

However, what bothers me are the potential injuries that can occur simply because so many guests are standing on the bus. Or standing and holding a child. Or standing and trying to hang on to a stroller and diaper bag. All of these things could make a simple fender bender a lot worse - the busses are too crowded most of the time.

 

[hffmnheidi]

I agree that the buses are too crowded at times. They have enough buses that people shouldn't have to stand on them at all.

 

[ConcKahuna]

He "Didn't see" the SUV stopped at the stop light...and it was the 2nd car in line??

 

[DC7800]

81 is a bit old to be driving a bus. I won't ride with my parents who are 79. There should be an age limit

While many - and probably the vast majority of - persons in their eighties should not be driving a bus, there are exceptions. Clearly there are many people at any age - 20, or 30, or 50 - who are not safe drivers and should never be given the keys to a bus (and maybe not a car, either!). A persons driving proficiency (and hence safety) will deteriorate over advancing years, so for senior bus drivers that's something to regularly evaluate, but we cannot determine that a person is fit or unfit to drive a bus based solely on how many birthdays they've celebrated.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

This is getting kind of funny, in a sick and demented sort of way. Clearly Disney is not living up to their past standards of employment and in a time of such serious unemployment this is a bit confusing. Surely Disney "magic" doesn't involve multiple bus accidents or guest injury or death. Is this the beginning of capitalisim at its worst?

 

[Goopy]

Breaking News! Live tonight on WESH... My wife was rear ended by a female tourist from Rhode Island white she was stopped at a stop sign just outside of McDonalds on 192. (This actually happened last month)

Oh Wait Nevermind, Its not news worthy since it was my wife and some other random person and didnt involve a Major Company such as Disney. Now if it had been a Disney van that hit her Im sure we all would know about the incident.

My point is certain companies get thrust into the spotlight when something happens because of who they are and not if the story is really news worthy.
There are few places where a fender bender or minor accident that didn't result in any injuries would make news..

 

[doconeill]

Apparently this driver has had guest complaints recently...including from a DISer...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2435202

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Breaking News! Live tonight on WESH... My wife was rear ended by a female tourist from Rhode Island white she was stopped at a stop sign just outside of McDonalds on 192. (This actually happened last month)

Oh Wait Nevermind, Its not news worthy since it was my wife and some other random person and didnt involve a Major Company such as Disney. Now if it had been a Disney van that hit her Im sure we all would know about the incident.

My point is certain companies get thrust into the spotlight when something happens because of who they are and not if the story is really news worthy.
There are few places where a fender bender or minor accident that didn't result in any injuries would make news..

LOL! Disney is a major player in the tourist biz who brag and boast about the safe environment they provide their "guests". Do you and your wife do the same?

If they want to proclaim to be just another tourist destination, then OK, accidents happen. But if they want to continue to proclaim to be the best of the best then let them live up to that standard in every way they can.

These aren't just accidents out on Irlo Bronson, they're accidents on Disney property, some directly the result of Disney drivers.

The bulls eye is and always has been on Disney. They can either take the heat or get out of the kitchen but they can't have their cake and eat it too.

 

[ChrisFL]

Apparently this driver has had guest complaints recently...including from a DISer...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2435202

that's not good at all

 

[agnes!]

Actually, I'm surprised the media hasn't found the previous complaint here about Fred. If I were a reporter, I would be Googling my way around to see how many online 'vents' there were about Disney bus-drivers.

agnes!

 

[TisBit]

LOL! Disney is a major player in the tourist biz who brag and boast about the safe environment they provide their "guests". Do you and your wife do the same?

If they want to proclaim to be just another tourist destination, then OK, accidents happen. But if they want to continue to proclaim to be the best of the best then let them live up to that standard in every way they can.

These aren't just accidents out on Irlo Bronson, they're accidents on Disney property, some directly the result of Disney drivers.

The bulls eye is and always has been on Disney. They can either take the heat or get out of the kitchen but they can't have their cake and eat it too.

too funny, I mean a really good company would never have an accident

 

[Uncleromulus]

As someone on another "Disney Bus Drivers are Killing People" thread suggested, most major cities with bus transportation would be grateful to have as FEW accidents as there are at WDW---

 

[Oglet]

Disney simply cant terminate every Cast Member who might have had a complaint made against them by a guest. It is possible that Disney did investigate the issue and a safety reprimand may have been issued. Maybe they put an observer in the Bus and monitored his driving behavior and come to a conclusion that he appeared safe, It is also possible that the complaint was ignored (which I hope not)

Either way from the sounds of things Fred probably should not have been driving and probably wont be driving anymore just remember that Disney has to be careful how they handle internal issues due in large to a very strong union presence in the company.

The majority of guests are great however there are always those who are after something free or after some excuse to complain be it they got cut off in a line, missed a bus or didn't follow directions and were redirected by a CM which might have upset them and Disney need to protect their CM's from these kind of guests.

I am in no way saying that the concerns about Fred were not valid as it appears the person had a valid reason for expressing their concerns however before someone is Terminated, Demoted or whatever Disney also needs to make sure that it will be able to stand up to union scrutiny.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

too funny, I mean a really good company would never have an accident

Who said that? Comprehension problems?

I said a Company who holds itself to the lofty standards that Disney ALWAYS has should not have ON GOING issues like this current Disney administration is having. No one can stop accidents from happening but things can be done to minimize the potential. From better driver evaluation to fewer busses on the road. They could have forsaw these issues and added more monorails or new transporation modes (lightrail, etc.), if this was truly important to them.

It's not my job to keep people safe at Disney but I have always trusted Disney to do the VERY best they can at keeping our families safe but today I think we're seeing Disney compromise, like every other company would, when it comes to all operations to better protect the bottom line. To me this is sad but from reading the posts here on the DIS over the past couple of years it's obvious that Disney isn't held to the lofty standards that many of us 'oldtimers' cling to. Yes, Disney is a business but they used to be the Company that wrote the rules on innovation both in the Parks and in the employment venue. Disney used to lead but starting with Eisner and now under Iger, following is the "prudent" thing to do.

It's just my opinion and it's no more valid than any of yours but it's no less valid either.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

I agree that the buses are too crowded at times. They have enough buses that people shouldn't have to stand on them at all.

They do have enough buses for people not to have to stand, but when people, like myself who have had to stand on the buses actually stand, it saves Disney money. They don't have to pay more drivers and they use less gas. Its ridiculous.

 

[iuki]

I agree that the buses are too crowded at times. They have enough buses that people shouldn't have to stand on them at all.

On occasion, when the buses were full, if we had to stand, we would tell the bus driver that we would wait for the next bus. We have had great-grandchildren with us and it is also difficult for me to stand. The bus driver would always say that's fine. Although I agree that the buses are overcrowded, we don't get on them when they are full.

iuki

 

[ChrisFL]

They do have enough buses for people not to have to stand, but when people, like myself who have had to stand on the buses actually stand, it saves Disney money. They don't have to pay more drivers and they use less gas. Its ridiculous.

That doesn't make sense to me, one bus is enough for people not to stand, if they don't mind waiting for a few hours. The problem is that they don't have enough of buses to get people everywhere, and more buses = more drivers to train = more chances for accidents too.

The problem is that WDW is just so big, 24 different resorts, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks and other areas to cover, and they're all totally spread out, unlike when MK, and even EPCOT Center opened.

 

[TisBit]

No one can stop accidents from happening but things can be done to minimize the potential.

Well, again, how many busses, how many miles a year and how many accidents do they have....that is the information you have to look at. I work at a place that we put lots of cars on the road for lots of mile and we have relatively few accidents, but that means about one a month or such.

From better driver evaluation to fewer busses on the road.

Yeah, fewer busses, then everyone will say if disney prides itself on customer service they woudl have more busses, oh wait, they are already saying that.

They could have forsaw these issues and added more monorails or new transporation modes (lightrail, etc.), if this was truly important to them.

Umm, yeah, that proved safer.

It's not my job to keep people safe at Disney but I have always trusted Disney to do the VERY best they can at keeping our families safe but today I think we're seeing Disney compromise, like every other company would, when it comes to all operations to better protect the bottom line.

Yep, bankrupcy isn't very good for a business. But who says they aren't doing their best.


Nope, no comprehension issues here, just another post that expects something that just isn't possible. Lets look at the bus accidents this week, we have a kid riding his bike off the sidewalk into the side of a bus, could disney have prevented this? Maybe, but you can't always protect people from themselves. We have Fred who rear ended a car at a traffic light, happens to the best of them. Sure, he has a history, but how extensive and how many complaints against him? We know of one, if I got fired every time someone complained, I would never have a job (for the record, not defending Fred or Disney, just saying more information is needed on this). Maybe they put him in Driver Ed or something, who knows. There are millions of traffic accidents every year in America, more people die in traffic accidents in America from heart disease and cancer combined.

For the record, for the oldtimers, times weren't that rosey at disney and Roy was the problem before Eisner. Real difference is that Disney could keep better secrets then.