School Bus/Dump Truck Collision-I-80 Near Mount Olive,New Jersey

yeah, i cannot get up any sympathy for him, his injuries, etc,

the school district, may or may not have been actually involved in the hiring process, as the bus company could have been a bidder on the contract, that actually does all the hiring.

it will be up to the school district to fire that bus company, which they should do, and reform the school bussing system.

 

The driver situation for school busses is actually more tight than the truck industry. Because I've looked into it.

1.) It's all subcontracted. No fat school district pay & benefits. There might still be a few out there but it's now either going to lowest bidder or whoever has the most friends in the district. As a driver you're lucky to get $16/hr.

2.) Weird hours. You start early, put in 3-4 hours, then get a 4 hour break and work another 3-4 hours. The income isn't fabulous, but it makes it hard to get a 2nd job.

3.) Kids. Sorry but society is just too insane and litigious these days. Any time spent with minors that aren't your own as a male you run the risk of being accused of some sort of impropriety. You don't need proof, evidence or even a charge. An accusation can get you on Megan's List and ruin you for life. As bad as trucking is broccoli can't charge you with harassment. And there's just too much demand in trucking for any man to bother with school busses.

That being said, since the economy has been so crap for so long, I'm going to continue to drive as long as I can still clear my medical. 75 isn't unrealistic at all.

 

The driver was an employee of the school district, not from a contracted bus company. The school district will face all of the liability from this accident. NJ tort law is such that school districts are not protected from liability in such accidents. The driver will probably face two charges of vehicular homicide and 46 charges of of reckless indangerment.

 

Yeah, but the school district will still write it off on the taxpayers.

 

Exactly. Jury will be made up of taxpayers from the school district...the very people who would see their property taxes go up in order to pay whatever judgement they award. When the jury is made up of the people who will ultimately pay the judgement, you aren't as likely to get a ridiculous sum awarded.

 

I hesitated and really thought about allowing this comment to pass, but the more I thought about it the more anger built up. First, why did you have to "play the age card", reminds me of someone play the "race card". I am not defending this driver in the least, but to bring his age into the picture is unnecessary and steps into the field of being bias and prejudiced.

Yeah, I will agree that being 77 sounds old. But you cannot "judge a book by it's cover". This 77 year old man could be a picture of health, other than being stupid as ####. Not all 77 year old men are ready for the grave, I have seen some that could probably stomp your rear. You judge each person individually!!

Now, I am 83. I run 15000 miles per month. I will put my driving skills, my physical condition, my endurance, my health, my work performance and my dependability up against a 25 year old. YOU CARE TO TRY ME??? Been driving professionally since 1963, seen and heard "truck stops lawyers' such as you for over 55 years.

This school bus driver made a terrible mistake. He was stupid. But don't come around me and tell me that his age caused this tragedy.

 

i'll stand by my "age card" any day of the week...

just as YOU are still driving the miles YOU are does not mean all other SENIOR citizens can!

it is a FACT, that as we age, our reflexes SLOW DOWN.

https://www.radford.edu/jkell/Reaction Times.pdf

and

A Quick Look at Reflexes - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center

so go ahead and dispute.."FACTS"

FACT ALSO is that he has had SEVERAL license suspensions, AND A RECKLESS driving ticket.

there is a MANDATORY age retirement for airline pilots, why did you NOT talk against that and pick on my "age card", when all along, isn't it an "age card" to mandatory retire pilots,.>???

don't be so full of your self at YOUR AGE.

right now, i have to wonder, at YOUR AGE of 83..."How many near misses have you had"...???

 

"Near misses"? I

 

If you "nearly miss" something, doesn't that mean you hit it?