Report On SF Tour Bus Crash Shows Company Had Unfavorable Safety Record
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A new report on the tour bus crash in San Francisco's Union Square that left twenty people injured shows that the company operating the bus had an unfavorable safety record, and had hired unqualified drivers.
After the CHP inspected the entire City Sightseeing fleet, more than 20-percent of the company's buses were pulled out of service.
Other problems included emergency exits on two buses that didn't work, and two buses that had broken wheel fasteners. One bus had a leaky fuel tank, and another bus had passenger seats that weren't properly secured to the floor boards.
The attorney for the bus driver involved in the crash says he isn't surprised by the CHP's report.
"There are lots of laws that are in place to protect the public. Unfortunately, we have to depend upon these companies to self-regulate and follow the law and to take their busses in and properly license them, properly inspect them, get the CHP inspections done each year, all of the drivers properly licensed and trained - follow the rules regarding how many hours they drive. This is all routinely violated and we have to depend upon the honesty of these tour operators," Attorney Robert Cartwright said.