IL: double decker “Megabus” on sb I-55 crashes into overpass

[Lyon Wonder]

A double decker bus on I-55 sb at mile marker 57 just north of Litchfield in Montgomery county crashed into an overpass bridge piling.  I can hear this on the police scanner, and it's all over the local news and even CNN.  There's 20 ambulances and even medivac helicopters on the scene.


http://www.kmov.com/traffic/Dou-164778076.html

(KMOV) — Several people were injured after a double-decker Megabus slammed into a bridge support in Montgomery County, Illinois on Thursday.

Illinois State Police said the bus slammed into a concrete bridge pillar on southbound Interstate 55 at mile marker 57, located just north of Litchfield.

Authorities said 18 ambulance and at least three helicopters were on the scene to take victims to the hospital. Officials confirmed 10 of those ambulances were headed to St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield.

Firefighters could be seen putting up at least four ladders to help rescue victims who were trapped on the top level of the bus.

Other emergency crews were treating passengers on the side of the highway.

The victims' conditions were not immediately clear.

The Litchfield School District sent three school buses to transport uninjured people back to Litchfield, which is about five miles away.

The bus suffered extensive damage to the front and the cause of the wreck is unknown.

Officials say northbound and southbound traffic was backed up for at least five miles on Interstate 55. Northbound traffic was being diverted to exit 152.

[huskeroadgeek]

I've considered taking a trip on one of these buses. I know Megabus had one other accident with a double-decker bus in Syracuse, NY when a driver had to take an unfamiliar road at night because of a detour and ran the bus into a low clearance bridge. This however sounds different because any interstate highway bridge should have high enough clearance-it sounds like the driver just lost control and ran into a bridge pillar.

[roadman]

Current reports indicate the bus likely blew a tire, which caused the driver to lose control.  The NTSB will probably investigate this one because there was a fatality, the bus company was an interstate carrier, and because of possible roadway design issues (inability of guardrail/barrier to prevent out of control vehicle from hitting a fixed roadside object).

[cpzilliacus]

This however sounds different because any interstate highway bridge should have high enough clearance-it sounds like the driver just lost control and ran into a bridge pillar.

Except perhaps on I-95 in North Carolina, which features about 12 bridges spanning I-95 that are lower than standard (and the NCDOT has spent a lot of money installing overheight detectors).

[cpzilliacus]

Current reports indicate the bus likely blew a tire, which caused the driver to lose control.  The NTSB will probably investigate this one because there was a fatality, the bus company was an interstate carrier, and because of possible roadway design issues (inability of guardrail/barrier to prevent out of control vehicle from hitting a fixed roadside object).

Tire failures (in other words, retreads coming apart) are all too common on heavy-duty trucks and trailers.

I know that buses are not supposed to have retreads on the steering axle - I don't know if they are allowed on  the drive or tag axles or not.

I recall a bus wreck in Lousiana that was investigated by the NTSB (report summary here) - in that crash, the  bus was equipped with retread tires intended for low-speed use (under 55 MPH) on city transit buses (though the NTSB determined that the tires were not the cause of the wreck).

[Brandon]

Apparently, the bus just had an inspection last week, and it was built recently, in 2011.  There has been speculation that the bus may have hit or run over some debris on the road.

[golden eagle]

I had never heard of Megabus until my I was visiting my cousin in Nashville, who was telling me how cheap the fares are. He said he and his friends were thinking of taking a trip somewhere because of it.

My thoughts go out to the families of the dead and injured.

[huskeroadgeek]

I had never heard of Megabus until my I was visiting my cousin in Nashville, who was telling me how cheap the fares are. He said he and his friends were thinking of taking a trip somewhere because of it.

I really think Megabus has a great way to do bus fares-fares are based on how many tickets have been sold on your bus at the time of purchase, and how far in advance you buy your ticket. The fewer tickets sold on your bus at the time of purchase, the cheaper they are. If you buy far enough in advance-usually like about 6 weeks, you can get fares for $1. The one drawback is Megabus doesn't have their own terminals and just pick up and drop off directly off the street(which is one way they save money). So in poor weather, there is not always a good place to wait for the bus-although in many cases there are nearby buildings were passengers can wait.
One of the things too that make Megabus somewhat better than Greyhound is Megabus attracts a slightly different clientele. Megabus seems to be very popular with the elderly and college students-whereas Greyhound attracts more of the drifter-types. Megabus keeps many of those people out by requiring all tickets to be purchased online and with a credit card.

[Mr_Northside]

The one drawback is Megabus doesn't have their own terminals and just pick up and drop off directly off the street(which is one way they save money). So in poor weather, there is not always a good place to wait for the bus-although in many cases there are nearby buildings were passengers can wait.

That's been something of an issue in Pittsburgh.  For a couple of years they'd been operating at the convention center (under a roof), but now they have to find somewhere else.  And it hasn't been easy....

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/transportation/megabus-back-at-pittsburgh-convention-center-for-now-642237/

[adt1982]

Apparently, the bus just had an inspection last week, and it was built recently, in 2011.  There has been speculation that the bus may have hit or run over some debris on the road.

I live in Litchfield, which is just a few miles from the accident.  I would not be surprised at all if it hit debris in the road.  With the long summer heatwave 55 has been littered with pieces of tires lately. 

[Brandon]

Apparently, the bus just had an inspection last week, and it was built recently, in 2011.  There has been speculation that the bus may have hit or run over some debris on the road.

I live in Litchfield, which is just a few miles from the accident.  I would not be surprised at all if it hit debris in the road.  With the long summer heatwave 55 has been littered with pieces of tires lately. 

I've seen a lot of pieces of truck tires even up this way.  I'm always concerned that I could puncture one of my tires if I hit what appear to be the pieces of steel sticking out of the ends of the treads left by the trucks.

[NYYPhil777]

There was a Megabus that caught fire I-85 between Atlanta and Charlotte.
I bet Megabus will be getting sued out the ying-yang, and my thoughts go out to the people and families who had their lives disrupted or ended.