Wheel Blocks

“Unbelievable, just unbelievable.” This is the statement of a resident nearby the La Playa bus terminal by the Ocean Beach Safeway. It was recorded for the Jon Stewart Show. This was a comedy show, and the occasion for the recording was based on the fact that this man’s garage was hit by motor coaches more than once. Motor coaches rolled away from the terminal and ran-in to his house. Not once, not twice, but three times. On the video, he replays the incident of how he fell out of his chair when the bus hit. Hilarious for a television show, not so funny for the operator of the bus, and in training class. Our training department shows this video to make a point about the importance of using a wheel block to prevent an unattended coach from rolling away.

Ocean Beach is not the only place where motor coaches rolled on the loose. Daly City, at the end of the 14 line, buses have also caused much damage to buildings and cars. The front wheels can roll over the curb and run in to parked cars, or if the wheel is not curbed, can roll all the way down the hill and in to a building at the first intersection after the pull-out from the terminal. One may wonder how this could happen. Inattention to detail is usually the first line on a disciplinary letter we receive when we are in trouble. There really is no excuse. I sometimes forget to use the parking brake when I am in the yard which is flat, when I am in a rush. If I am adjusting a mirror on track four, I sometimes only open the doors instead of setting the brake. But whenever the seat is vacated, the brake must be set. I can only imagine what could cause an operator to forget to set the brake. Perhaps there was a distraction from someone asking a question, or the rush to get to the bathroom. In any event, it is hard to justify any reason why the brake is not set. I have not found anyone who could agree this could be excused.

When I was out with an inspector being re-qualified (Requal) we came to the outbound terminal on the one line at 33rd and Geary. Requal occurs after we have a chargeable accident. We have to be graded and evaluated by a training inspector to make sure we are doing everything correct to insure safety. But every now and then, it is not the operator on the training coach who gets into trouble. Sometimes, a blatant error is found by another operator on another coach. Case in point. Out at 33rd and Geary at the One Cali lines.

A coach was all the way back in the zone, and had not moved up as other coaches had moved up. I could not clear the cross walk on the turn before the terminal, so the inspector grading me asked to be let out and to move the unattended bus up to the lead space in the zone. The door was closed, so he put his hand in the driver’s window to open the door from the door dial. As soon as he pushed it, the bus released the air brake and started to roll back in to my coach!

In one sweaty moment, the instructor was able to collect himself and rush to the open driver’s window and stop the coach by opening the front door using the door dial. The bus stopped within two feet of my bumper. After overcoming the initial shock, we waited for the operator to return. Although words were said, no write up occurred.

I later found out disciplinary action was taken, and I saw the operator one last time before he went in to the superintendent’s office for his hearing. I never saw him again. There is no excuse for not wheel blocking the coach, or for not using the parking brake. He had about ten years with the company at that time.

With good eyesight and hearing, it doesn’t matter how old you are to start working as a driver with any company. One important fact not too many people understand about driving jobs is that age discrimination is virtually non-existent. Because the testing of blood pressure, vision and hearing are mandatory for licensing, and demand is high, driving jobs are always available. But inattention or complacency can rear it’s ugly head at any moment, and with it comes the loss of the job.

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