Team-BHP - volvo bus rams into truck and catches fire killing 22 people

Quote:

Originally Posted by ram

In the absence of safety regulations in our hapless country, any box can serve as a bus body. It is time that with state-of-the-art vehicles plying at state-of-the-art speeds, we also have state-of-the-art speeds safety norms.

.

b7r buses are made on true bus chassis's unlike the earlier tata or ALL buses which were built on truck chassis's...this was just an unfortunate accident ...nothing wrong with the bus as such ...mabbe a few changes on the insides so that escape from the bus can be easier

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedsatya

b7r buses are made on true bus chassis's unlike the earlier tata or ALL buses which were built on truck chassis's.

Sure, Volvo makes the bus chassis. But what I meant was the fibre-glass and sheetmetal body is put together rather clumsily. Where are the firewalls? How could fuel enter the cabin?

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedsatya

..this was just an unfortunate accident ...nothing wrong with the bus as such ...mabbe a few changes on the insides so that escape from the bus can be easier

All accidents are unfortunate.

We've come a long way from the wood-skeleton aluminium-sheet style of bus-construction of state-transport buses.

But is the "Azad"-built body on Volvo's bus chassis, good enough to export to Europe?
Or is it a compromise for us dumb citizens?
:confused:

I think the following are some of measures that should be given importance as a solution to this problem.

One is wheather there are enough Emergency Exits in each bus. I feel there should be atleast 2 emergency exits that are large enough so that a person should be able to easily get out of the bus without any effort.

Second point is creating awareness about these exits to the passengers (something similar to what happens in an air craft). Here again there are two aspects. The drivers themselves must be trained and then the passengers must be educated when they board the bus regarding the exits and what they can do in case of an emergency. May be a short video on the safety measures should help.

That said, unless the Govt initiates measures and give importance to Safety, nothing will happen.

I travel regularly from Chandigarh to Amritsar in a Volvo bus. The bus has two sun roofs which are not big enough for a person to get out. I don't think the windows could be opened, and the glass could definitely not be opened without a heavy sharp object as they seem pretty thick. These days this Volvo bus has gone to Pakistan to Gurudwara Nankana Sahib so in the meanwhile there is a replacement bus made by Sutlej.

Now guess what? I called up these from Amritsar a few days ago to book a tiicket and asked them of the bus was a Volvo - and the pat came the reply - Ji Volvo type hai.
I went to checkout this Volvo type bus and guess what have Sutlej boby makes have done ! They made exactly the similar bus to Volvo with sealed windows and leg rest pads but it lacks finish.
Now this bus being the Indian version of Volvo is made to its worst - God forbids, if something happens in this kinda bus - You cannot possibly escape. and this one doesn't even have roof openings + the passenger compartment is different from the driver's unlike in volvo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zzzehar

Man, you are yet to see the Volvo copies we have here in Mumbai. We have Volgo, Volga, Bolgo, Valvo and so on. Chassis comes from Ashok Leyand or Tata and local bodybuilders do the rest. Many of them look so flimsy that you are left wondering whether the bus will hold up after a slight tap.

Volvo buses bodies are built by Jaico Automotive in Bangalore. But it is built per Volvos design, drawings and specifications.

My question is why cant they design seats and headliners that do not catch fire?

As far as the glass, I think they are double pane for sound deadening.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aditya

and add to that DC's crapp and skyscraperlike Lextran ...about these lookalike's ...Volvo had put up a notice in all newspapers about the same

Quote:

Originally Posted by v1p3r

I don't mean to sound foolish here, but how difficult is it to punch through glass or use shoes etc to break through?

In the Patel Volvo’s tragic accident at Bharuch, Gujarat in the early hours of Tue. 27th Dec. 2005, 22 of 38 passengers burned to death, unable to escape out of the sealed airconditioned coach.

When I travelled Pune to Mumbai on the Maharashtra State “Shivneri” Volvo B7R, this afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to note actions taken.

There is a hammer with sharp metal ends available, chained to a support of the overhead rack.

There are now windows clearly marked as Emergency Exit. And there are prominently marked stickers in English and Marathi.

Way to go “Shivneri”.
When will Neeta Volvo wake up and take action?