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The driving conditions across the Blue Mountains were well-known and posted, according to Oregon State Police. (AP Photo/File)

Local bus driver raises questions regarding Oregon tour bus crash

BY Chris Sullivan  on January 3, 2013 @ 7:18 am (Updated: 10:24 am - 1/3/13 )

The Oregon State Police say it will take at least a month to finish the investigation into Sunday's deadly bus accident on I-84, but one of main focuses will be on the driver.

Charter bus drivers can only work 15 hour days, and only ten of those hours can be behind the wheel. That's to make sure that drivers aren't too tired to safely operate their buses.

Wendell Crim has been a local commercial bus driver for three years. He said those driving hours can be extended but only with specific conditions.

"If you do encounter unforeseen, and that's the word, unforeseen circumstances, a driver can get an additional two hours of driving time," Crim said.

But the Oregon State Police said there was nothing unforeseen about the conditions along I-84 in eastern Oregon. The conditions across the Blue Mountains were well-known and posted.

The other question: Was the driver going too fast for the conditions to make sure he made his destination?

Crim crunched the numbers, and the driver's trip for Sunday was around 630 miles. That would have taken him longer than ten hours allowed by law.

"Buses are limited to 60 miles per hour in Washington," he said. The posted speed on I-84 was 55 mph. "He had to average 63 miles an hour in order to complete that trip within his hour requirements." That calculation doesn't include any wiggle-room for the anticipated bad weather.

But Crim also said this bus driver was from Canada where drivers can go 12 hours behind the wheel, and he's not sure which rules would take precedence.

Crim also noted that some companies pressure their drivers to make the trips regardless of the time requirements.

The travel company's logs and history will be a major part of the investigation into this crash in Oregon.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (7)


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  • Hectic wrote...
    Canada?
    January 3, 2013 7:32 am
    Canada's rules would not apply in the US. What if he had a licence from Pakistan that allowed him to drive for 48 hours? He was on US roads, he has to follow US laws.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • taxslave wrote...
    Agreed...
    January 3, 2013 8:06 am
    Assuming this 15 hour rule is a law and not a guideline set by insurance or some tour bus union. Either way... some lawyers are getting rich off of this.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    taxslave
    January 3, 2013 9:38 am
    If the tour bus drivers had a union you can bet that the work day would not be near that 15 hr mark.Any lawyer who makes afortune on this is doing the general public a great service as it probably would lead to greater REGULATIONS (yes Regulation is not a dirty word) that may have prevented this horrible accident.
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  • CH wrote...
    What did you say when flounder Bush was behind wheel of the bus . . . .
    January 3, 2013 8:19 am
    and ran Us red, white & mostly blue Americans off thy Cliff?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    The Bus driver was from Canada.
    January 3, 2013 8:44 am
    This is the problem. Ever dive in Canada. U.S laws may have been side stepped.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Newton
    January 3, 2013 9:45 am
    No ,the water is way too cold.I too believe that US laws may have been side stepped because reports stated the diver was not wearing his wet suit
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    hectic
    January 3, 2013 11:39 am
    good point. reminds me of when u.s. authorities tried to tell france who should be disqualified from their bicycle racing competition.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }