Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The bus driver, a 28-year veteran, was pulling a bus into a traffic lane on the large lot behind Vancouver-based C-Tran’s administrative office when they struck another driver who was on foot walking toward another bus.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The driver was caught on video filling out paperwork while rarely touching the wheel during the video's 57 seconds. The video received more than 130,000 hits, since it was posted on YouTube last month.

The man pleaded guilty in May 2010 to aggravated assault for punching the driver in the face, pulling him off the bus and stomping his face 15 times during the morning rush hour on Dec. 3, 2009.

When hired, RTA operators receive 48 hours of classroom and on-the-road training. New paratransit operators get an additional 80 hours of training on the road. All operators at RTA also must take a one-day course in which they go through the paces of people with cognitive and physical disabilities.

Jesse Estrada has driven more than 262,500 miles and safely transported more than 73,631 passengers throughout the city of Watsonville and around the County of Santa Cruz.

Although Port Authority officials deny the firing of the employee, a grievance has been filed by the local Amalgamated Transit Union on the operator's behalf.

The clash stems from two recent incidents, which ended up in arbitration following the disciplining of drivers.

The system provides a high-accuracy GPS-based position of the bus within the authorized shoulders and gives feedback to drivers through physical and visual enhancements.

The "Safety, Mobility and Aging Drivers" forum, led by Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman, will be held on Nov. 9 and 10, in Washington, D.C. Panel topics will include safety risks of aging drivers and occupant protection for aging drivers and passengers.