Comments

To get it right wrote on Dec 4, 2008 11:17 PM:

" Cited means received a ticket. "




jp wrote on Dec 2, 2008 7:32 AM:

" i don't know about the rest of you, but i see a bus, and i want to head for the ditch, or just totally avoid the same path as the bus! those drivers scare me.
where i drive to go to work, it's a posted 35 MPH zone, and all the buses are doing 50+. cutting all the corners, and not stopping completely for stop signs.

note to bus drivers:

Just because your bus has numbers on it, does not make you a NASCAR driver!!! "




Get it Right wrote on Dec 2, 2008 6:52 AM:

" For all of you who think the driver is the main fault of this accident, get your facts straight before you judge. There is a reason the driver was only cited and wasn't given an actual ticket (not entirely her fault). All of you who are quick to judge the driver of the car would be singing a different tune if it were you who collided with the bus! Bus drivers are sometimes the worst drivers on the road. "




Edens wrote on Dec 1, 2008 3:35 PM:

" JoeBloe, I will give you that some drivers drive too fast on Seward Meridian. However, the bull about a bus driver waiting for 1 mile in each direction to be clear, is just that, bull. I have not observed one bus wait for that much clearance. They drive their buses like they drive their regular cars, cutting people off and then taking the 12 minutes to get up to speed. The 'tailgaters' are probably trying to stop before hitting the bus that cut them off. "




Shaking my head wrote on Dec 1, 2008 9:42 AM:

" I was quite surprised to learn that the driver of the vehicle was cited rather than the driver of the bus. At least three times I have been cut off by this same driver on the same corner because they were rushing and completely cut the corner into my lane. I see this bus driver daily and they are always driving too fast and often crowding the oncoming traffic lane. In my opinion, based on 9 years of experience, Mat-Su bus drivers are generally some of the most inconsiderate drivers on the road. "




Judge and jury wrote on Nov 29, 2008 9:28 PM:

" Bus drivers are underpaid, this is no news flash.
So this means quality may not be the best but it gets the kids to school.
I happened to drive by when they were pulling the vehicle who hit the bus out. I looked at the tires and they were summer tires, who ever was driving this could not of had good control, there was snow and ice on the road. This is a major factor, people use the correct tires wear seatbelts and save lives. "




Anne wrote on Nov 27, 2008 7:58 PM:

" To Speed : The buses should follow the law like everyone else. When I say they are flying by my house I mean they are flying . My drive way is the 3rd one from a stop sign. I sometimes wonder how they stop in time for the stop sign especially in winter. What if someone was walking to meet their bus at the stop sign when another bus comes flying by. There are several different buses at different times coming in here. There are two little girls that have to walk home after let off bus, no side walk. "




Star wrote on Nov 27, 2008 6:18 PM:

" This comment is for speed. You say to Anne that these drivers have to speed because they are understaffed...lol I understand that its hard being uderstaffed but it doesnt give them the right to break the law and speed ...i have 3 speical needs children who ride the bus and as a mother i would rather have these bus drivers start there routes maybe alittle earlier. Either that suck it up and be LATE!!!! This is no exuse to speed ....i mean these are children on these buses and alot of them are not even buckled in. "




JOEBLOE wrote on Nov 26, 2008 9:28 PM:

" As a former bus driver who incidently enough drove a route on the seward meridian, I can say that the majority of the drivers out there drive way too fast and tailgate way too close especially to school buses. Those buses take exactly twelve minutes to get up to speed and even if ti is clear for a mile in both directions, the second they get out into traffic there is a leech tailgating right on their butt. So shut up, back off, quit complaining and show some patience! "




Rex in Wasilla wrote on Nov 26, 2008 4:04 PM:

" When First Student bought out laidlaw's operation, who approved the contract? How could an agency with this many problems be allowed to haul our children. Who now does the training for them? We didn't have these problems with such frequency last contract. Could it be bad management decisions? What changed? Who is responsible? One accident every month since school started. Does this mean we should expect 6 more before school is out? I believe the bus drivers are committed to safety, so is it "corporate culture?" Folks we used to do much better, let us return to sanity. "




Michelle W wrote on Nov 26, 2008 10:57 AM:

" I have to agree and disagree with some comments..the buses do need to slow down....I have a child on a special needs bus and a child on a regular bus. First of all we do need more bus drivers and attendants. I have come across a couple of situations about safety on the bus like the speed....driver talking on the cell phone....3 to 4 kids in a seat....all the yelling ect.ect... Have you sat your kids down and asked what goes on....The buses are very noisy ,kids jump from one seat to another things are being thrown ect.. "




Speed wrote on Nov 26, 2008 10:20 AM:

" Hello Anne, you have to understand that Laidlaw/First Student is severely understaffed, has a hard time retaining new drivers and kicking senior drivers out of the system, that driver "zooming" past your house actually has to drive more than one route to cover the lack of drivers and so he has to speed. "




Boo wrote on Nov 26, 2008 9:39 AM:

" There is a 'several hour' school zone at the charter school on old Glenn out of Palmer, hours of 20 mph, ridiculous and a waste of the public time, come on school gets out and starts, not for over 3 hours! This school provides no bus service. And of course the only ones that speed are, THE BUSES! Get behind one of them and it is 35 right through the zone, buses and school zones are rather rude. "




LJ wrote on Nov 26, 2008 6:47 AM:

" People need to slow down and pay attention. I mean honestly, is getting somewhere 5 mins faster really worth your life or someone elses? "




Spankles wrote on Nov 26, 2008 12:19 AM:

" We need to pay bus drivers a lot better. they have our children's lives in thier hands. better pay would bring better drivers. How come kids don't wear seat belts on the bus? "




Anne wrote on Nov 25, 2008 11:25 PM:

" I have grandchildren that ride the school buses like so many other children. There has been way to many accidents with buses. I agree with Edens that wrote before me. I live in a subdivision and the speed limit is 25 and the way those buses zoom by my house like a flash I know it is faster then 25. Please bus drivers slow down and every other driver out there be alert or stay home. "




jp wrote on Nov 25, 2008 10:02 PM:

" these people should not be allowed to drive , ever again, a bright yellow school bus/flashing lights, well lit roads, good contrast with fresh snow, what on earth? are they allowing blind people to drive now?
count the number of students, and make that the count of wreckless endangerment charges against the driver!!! "




what gives wrote on Nov 25, 2008 7:39 PM:

" It's a BIG yellow box people should just pull their heads out and pay attention you won't get there any faster "




Edens wrote on Nov 25, 2008 2:56 PM:

" I follow or pass at least 4 buses when I leave Wasilla for Anchorage in the morning. I don't know how many times the bus on Seward Meridian between Sears and the electronic store has pulled out in front of cars on icy roads. I don't know many times I've seen buses turn without turn signals or running yellow/red lights. I know the bus on Seward Meridian has almost caused 2 cars to go in the dtich (myself included) this winter alone. Perhaps this accident wasn't all the other drivers fault! "