TIB bus drivers maintain that the fatal accident in Pollensa on Thursday can be linked to schedules and stress. The accident has been attributed to mechanical failure, but one driver says that behind this "are very tight, unrealistic schedules".
"Such tight schedules cause us chronic stress." Drivers are "under pressure". "We're forced to press the accelerator more, to go at higher speeds. We have less room to react. People who have never driven a bus set unrealistic schedules, endangering others and blaming the lowest link in the chain - the driver, who is also the victim." And the Mallorca Transport Consortium "is one of the main culprits".
"From their comfortable, air-conditioned offices, they set absurd and impossible-to-meet schedules, as if the buses were on empty roads rather than ones that are jammed. Who designs these schedules? Someone who has ever driven a bus? We doubt it, because if that were the case, they would know they are putting drivers, pedestrians, and passengers at risk every day."
A 48-year-old cyclist was killed when a bus hit a group of cyclists on the Pollensa to Puerto Pollensa road on Thursday. The accident was near the Cala San Vicente turning, itself a notorious blackspot. Two other other cyclists were admitted to ICU at Son Espases Hospital having suffered serious injuries.
On Friday, the Balearic Government spokesperson, Antoni Costa, said that the bus had last been inspected on March 31 and that no faults had been found. The Pollensa accident happened three days after a car driver was killed in a head-on collision with a TIB bus on the Portocolom-Felanitx road.
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The bus drivers are lunatics in the small villages. I think they feel a sense of I'll be ok if I hit something, not caring of the consequences. They need to slow down because they will destroy or kill anything they hit.
The Buses I travel on, are overloaded in the main Season. Tourists and Residents have to travel on ONE Bus. Passengers have to stand. They hang on for dear life. The drivers are bad. Up and down on the brakes. Buses going to and from Palma and the Airport pass by the stops empty. Many Buses suspensions and steering are in dangerous conditions. Banging and clanking along. I pointed this out to a driver. He ignored my complaint.
My Grandad drove double decker buses in the blackouts during wartime. That would have been stress.
The speed limit outside my house is 30 km/h and there is also one of those panels which displays the vehicle's speed. Virtually every bus passes at between 50 and 60 km/h totally ignoring the speed limit and the panel flashing in red.
Insane to blame such a tragic accident on office staff. Ultimately every drive is responsible for his own professional behaviour and judging by the fact that buses run late ALL the time I find it hard to believe.