Class A CDL-Licensed, ER/ICU/Med-Surg Nursing Student, and

Houston Bus Accident Lawyer.

18 Wheeler Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander is licensed to drive big trucks and understands the cause when you are injured in a commercial motor vehicle wreck.

Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Definition of a Bus and Its Invention

Reshard Alexander serves the injured throughout the state of Texas. Call today: (713) 766.3322.

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry many passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers.^[2] The most common type of bus is the single-deck rigid bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are used for longer-distance services. Many types of buses, such as city transit buses and inter-city coaches, charge a fare. Other types, such as elementary or secondary school buses or shuttle buses within a post-secondary education campus do not charge a fare. In many jurisdictions, bus drivers require a special license above and beyond a regular driver’s license.

Buses may be used for scheduled bus transport, scheduled coach transport, school transport, private hire, or tourism; promotional buses may be used for political campaigns and others are privately operated for a wide range of purposes, including rock and pop band tour vehicles.

Horse-drawn buses were used from the 1820s, followed by steam buses in the 1830s, and electric trolleybuses in 1882. The first internal combustion engine buses, or motor buses, were used in 1895.^[3] Recently, interest has been growing in hybrid electric buses, fuel cell buses, and electric buses, as well as buses powered by compressed natural gas or biodiesel. As of the 2010s, bus manufacturing is increasingly globalized, with the same designs appearing around the world.

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Steam buses – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Regular intercity bus services by steam-powered buses were pioneered in England in the 1830s by Walter Hancock and by associates of Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, among others, running reliable services over road conditions which were too hazardous for horse-drawn transportation.

The first mechanically propelled omnibus appeared on the streets of London on 22 April 1833.^[9] Steam carriages were much less likely to overturn, they traveled faster than horse-drawn carriages, they were much cheaper to run, and caused much less damage to the road surface due to their wide tires.^[10]

However, the heavy road tolls imposed by the turnpike trusts discouraged steam road vehicles and left the way clear for the horse bus companies, and from 1861 onwards, harsh legislation virtually eliminated mechanically propelled vehicles from the roads of Great Britain for 30 years, the Locomotive Act of that year imposing restrictive speed limits on “road locomotives” of 5 mph in towns and cities, and 10 mph in the country.^[11]

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Motor buses – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

In Siegerland, Germany, two passenger bus lines ran briefly, but unprofitably, in 1895 using a six-passenger motor carriage developed from the 1893 Benz Viktoria.^[3] Another commercial bus line using the same model Benz omnibuses ran for a short time in 1898 in the rural area around Llandudno, Wales.^[15]

Daimler also produced one of the earliest motor-bus models in 1898, selling a double-decker bus to the Motor Traction Company which was first used on the streets of London on 23 April 1898.^[16] The vehicle had a maximum speed of 18 km/h (11.2 mph) and accommodated up to 20 passengers, in an enclosed area below and on an open-air platform above. With the success and popularity of this bus, Daimler expanded production, selling more buses to companies in London and, in 1899, to Stockholm and Speyer.^[16] Daimler also entered into a partnership with the British company Milnes and developed a new double-decker in 1902 that became the market standard.

The first mass-produced bus model was the B-type double-decker bus, designed by Frank Searleand operated by the London General Omnibus Company – it entered service in 1910, and almost 3,000 had been built by the end of the decade. Hundreds saw military service on the Western Front during the First World War.^[17]

The Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company, which rapidly became a major manufacturer of buses in the US, was founded in Chicago in 1923 by John D. Hertz. General Motors purchased a majority stake in 1925 and changed its name to the Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing Company. They then purchased the balance of the shares in 1943 to form the GM Truck and Coach Division.

Models expanded in the 20th century, leading to the widespread introduction of the contemporary recognizable form of full-sized buses from the 1950s. The AEC Routemaster, developed in the 1950s, was a pioneering design and remains an icon of London to this day.^[18] The innovative design used lightweight aluminium and techniques developed in aircraft production during World War II.^[19] As well as a novel weight-saving integral design, it also introduced for the first time on a bus independent front suspension, power steering, a fully automatic gearbox, and power-hydraulic braking.^[20]

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Types – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Formats include single-decker bus, double-decker bus (both usually with a rigid chassis) and articulated bus (or ‘bendy-bus’) the prevalence of which varies from country to country. High-capacity bi-articulated buses are also manufactured, and passenger-carrying trailers—either towed behind a rigid bus (a bus trailer) or hauled as a trailer by a truck (a trailer bus). Smaller midibuses have a lower capacity and open-top buses are typically used for leisure purposes. In many new fleets, particularly in local transit systems, a shift to low-floor buses is occurring, primarily for easier accessibility. Coaches are designed for longer-distance travel and are typically fitted with individual high-backed reclining seats, seat belts, toilets, and audio-visual entertainment systems, and can operate at higher speeds with more capacity for luggage. Coaches may be single- or double-deckers, articulated, and often include a separate luggage compartment under the passenger floor. Guided busesare fitted with technology to allow them to run in designated guideways, allowing the controlled alignment at bus stops and less space taken up by guided lanes than conventional roads or bus lanes.

Bus manufacturing may be by a single company (an integral manufacturer), or by one manufacturer’s building a bus body over a chassis produced by another manufacturer.

Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Reshard Alexander helps wreck victims receive the care and compensation they deserve.  

Accessibility – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Transit buses used to be mainly high-floor vehicles. However, they are now increasingly of low-floor design and optionally also ‘kneel’ air suspension and have electrically or hydraulically extended under-floor ramps to provide level access for wheelchair users and people with baby carriages. Prior to more general use of such technology, these wheelchair users could only use specialist paratransit mobility buses.

Accessible vehicles also have wider entrances and interior gangways and space for wheelchairs. Interior fittings and destination displays may also be designed to be usable by the visually impaired. Coaches generally use wheelchair lifts instead of low-floor designs. In some countries, vehicles are required to have these features by disability discrimination laws.

Configuration – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Buses were initially configured with an engine in the front and an entrance at the rear. With the transition to one-man operation, many manufacturers moved to mid- or rear-engined designs, with a single door at the front or multiple doors. The move to the low-floor design has all but eliminated the mid-engined design, although some coaches still have mid-mounted engines. Front-engined buses still persist for niche markets such as American school buses, some minibuses, and buses in less developed countries, which may be derived from truck chassis, rather than purpose-built bus designs. Most buses have two axles, articulated buses have three.

Guidance – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Guided buses are fitted with technology to allow them to run in designated guideways, allowing the controlled alignment at bus stops and less space taken up by guided lanes than conventional roads or bus lanes. Guidance can be mechanical, optical, or electromagnetic. Extensions of the guided technology include the Guided Light Transit and Translohr systems, although these are more often termed ‘rubber-tyred trams’ as they have limited or no mobility away from their guideways.

Propulsion – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

The most common power source since the 1920s has been the diesel engine. Early buses, known as trolleybuses, were powered by electricity supplied from overhead lines. Nowadays, electric buses often carry their own battery, which is sometimes recharged on stops/stations to keep the size of the battery small/lightweight. Currently, interest exists in hybrid electric buses, fuel cell buses, electric buses, and ones powered by compressed natural gas or biodiesel. Gyrobuses, which are powered by the momentum stored by a flywheel, were tried in the 1940s.

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Dimensions – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

United States:

Maximum Length: None

Maximum Width: 2.6 meters

Manufacture – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Early bus manufacturing grew out of carriage coachbuilding, and later out of automobile or truck manufacturers. Early buses were merely a bus body fitted to a truck chassis. This body+chassis approach has continued with modern specialist manufacturers, although there also exist integral designs such as the Leyland National where the two are practically inseparable. Specialist builders also exist and concentrate on building buses for special uses or modifying standard buses into specialized products.

Integral designs have the advantages that they have been well-tested for strength and stability, and also are off-the-shelf. However, two incentives cause use of the chassis+body model. First, it allows the buyer and manufacturer both to shop for the best deal for their needs, rather than having to settle on one fixed design—the buyer can choose the body and the chassis separately. Second, over the lifetime of a vehicle (in constant service and heavy traffic), it will likely get minor damage now and again, and being able easily to replace a body panel or window etc. can vastly increase its service life and save the cost and inconvenience of removing it from service.

As with the rest of the automotive industry, into the 20th century, bus manufacturing increasingly became globalized, with manufacturers producing buses far from their intended market to exploit labor and material cost advantages. As with the cars, new models are often exhibited by manufacturers at prestigious industry shows to gain new orders. A typical city bus costs almost US$450,000.^[21]

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Public transport – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Transit buses, used on public transport bus services, have utilitarian fittings designed for efficient movement of large numbers of people, and often have multiple doors. Coaches are used for longer-distance routes. High-capacity bus rapid transit services may use the bi-articulated bus or tram-style buses such as the Wright StreetCar and the Irisbus Civis.

Buses and coach services often operate to a predetermined published public transport timetable defining the route and the timing, but smaller vehicles may be used on more flexible demand responsive transport services.

Tourism – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Buses and coaches are also a common component of the wider package holiday industry, providing private airport transfers (in addition to general airport buses) and organized tours and day trips for holidaymakers on the package.

Tour buses can also be hired as chartered buses by groups for sightseeing at popular holiday destinations. These private tour buses may offer specific stops, such as all the historical sights, or allow the customers to choose their own itineraries. Tour buses come with professional and informed staff and insurance and maintain state governed safety standards. Some provide other facilities like entertainment units^{[clarification needed]}, luxurious reclining seats, large scenic windows, and even lavatories.

Public long-distance coach networks are also often used as a low-cost method of travel by students or young people traveling the world. Some companies such as Topdeck Travel were set up specifically to use buses to drive the hippie trail or travel to places such as North Africa.

In many tourist or travel destinations, a bus is part of the tourist attraction, such as the North American tourist trolleys, London’s AEC Routemaster heritage routes, or the customized buses of Malta, Asia, and the Americas. Another example of tourist stops is the homes of celebrities, such as tours based near Hollywood. There are several such services between 6000 and 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Student transport – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

In some countries, particularly the US and Canada, buses used to transport school children have evolved into a specific design with specified mandatory features. American states have also adopted laws regarding motorist conduct around school buses, including large fines and possibly prison for passing a stopped school bus in the process of loading or offloading children passengers. These school buses may have school bus yellow livery and crossing guards. Other countries may mandate the use of seat belts. As a minimum, many countries require a bus carrying students to display a sign, and may also adopt yellow liveries. Student transport often uses older buses cascaded from service use, retrofitted with more seats or seatbelts. Student transport may be operated by local authorities or private contractors. Schools may also own and operate their own buses for other transport needs, such as class field trips, or transport to associated sports, music, or other school events.

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

The History of Two Texas Truck Wrecks

The Sherman Bus Wreck

A bus chartered by Vietnamese pilgrims crashed in Texas on Friday 8 August 2008, killing at least 17 people and injuring dozens more, police said.^[1] The bus, carrying 55 people, drove off an overpass bridge of northbound U.S. 75 shortly after midnight and crashed near the town of Sherman, Texas, some 64 miles (103 kilometers) north of Dallas.^[2] Sherman police said a blown tire on the bus may have caused the driver to lose control.^[3] Local media said that the group was from the Vietnamese Martyrs’ Church, Our Lady of Lavang, and Our Lady of Lourdes of Houston, Texas. The bus was one of three buses carrying Vietnamese Catholics on their way to the annual Marian Days celebration in Carthage, Missouri in honor of the Virgin Mary. The bus tire was apparently recapped; the bus charter company had a history of safety violations, and the driver had a criminal record. The bus owner was identified as Iguala BusMex Inc.

Following the crash, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration temporarily stopped issuing new bus company licenses.^[4][5] The bus did not have seat belts. Some people have called for mandatory seat belts and safety glass in highway coaches.^[6]

The Alton, Texas Bus Crash

A school bus crash occurring on September 21, 1989 in Alton, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley region, resulted in the deaths of 21 junior and senior high school students by drowning or causes related to being asphyxiated. A bottling truck collided with the school bus, causing the latter to enter a caliche pit filled with water. The driver of the truck was acquitted of negligent homicide charges. The payoffs from lawsuits compensating for the deaths of the students caused division in the Alton community. A middle school that was built in Alton was named in honor of the deceased.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS), the Alton crash was the sole school bus accident in the United States in the period 1979-1989 in which passengers died due to submersion-related causes.^[1] As of 2010 it was the deadliest school bus accident that had ever occurred in Texas.^[2]

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Private charter – Houston Bus Accident Attorney Reshard Alexander

Due to the costs involved in owning, operating, and driving buses and coaches, many bus and coach use a private hire of vehicles from charter bus companies, either for a day or two or a longer contract basis, where the charter company provides the vehicles and qualified drivers.

Charter bus operators may be completely independent businesses, or charter hire may be a subsidiary business of a public transport operator that might maintain a separate fleet or use surplus buses, coaches, and dual-purpose coach-seated buses. Many private taxicab companies also operate larger minibus vehicles to cater for group fares. Companies, private groups, and social clubs may hire buses or coaches as a cost-effective method of transporting a group to an event or site, such as a group meeting, racing event, or organized recreational activity such as a summer camp. Schools often hire charter bus services on a regular basis for transportation of children to and from their homes. Chartered buses are also used by education institutes for transport to conventions, exhibitions, and field trips. Entertainment or event companies may also hire temporary shuttles buses for transport at events such as festivals or conferences. Party buses are used by companies in a similar manner to limousine hire, for luxury private transport to social events or as a touring experience. Sleeper buses are used by bands or other organizations that tour between entertainment venues and require mobile rest and recreation facilities. Some couples hire preserved buses for their wedding transport, instead of the traditional car. Buses are often hired for parades or processions. Victory parades are often held for triumphant sports teams, who often tour their home town or city in an open-top bus. Sports teams may also contract out their transport to a team bus, for travel to away games, to a competition or to a final event. These buses are often specially decorated in a livery matching the team colors. Private companies often contract out private shuttle bus services, for the transport of their customers or patrons, such as hotels, amusement parks, university campuses, or private airport transfer services. This shuttle usage can be as transport between locations, or to and from parking lots. High specification luxury coaches are often chartered by companies for executive or VIP transport. Charter buses may also be used in tourism and promotion.

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Private ownership – Houston Bus Accident Lawyers Reshard Alexander

Many organizations, including the police, not for profit, social or charitable groups with a regular need for group transport may find it practical or cost-effective to own and operate a bus for their own needs. These are often minibusses for practical, tax and driver licensing reasons, although they can also be full-size buses. Cadet or scout groups or other youth organizations may also own buses. Specific charities may exist to fund and operate bus transport, usually using specially modified mobility buses or otherwise accessible buses. Some use their contributions to buy vehicles and provide volunteer drivers.

Airport operators make use of special airside airport buses for crew and passenger transport in the secure airside parts of an airport. Some public authorities, police forces, and military forces make use of armored buses where there is a special need to provide increased passenger protection. The United States Secret Service acquired two in 2010 for transporting dignitaries needing special protection.^[22] Police departments make use of police buses for a variety of reasons, such as prisoner transport, officer transport, temporary detention facilities, and as command and control vehicles. Some fire departments also use a converted bus as a command post^[23] while those in cold climates might retain a bus as a heated shelter at fire scenes.^[24] Many are drawn from retired school or service buses.

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Promotion – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander

Buses are often used for advertising, political campaigning, public information campaigns, public relations, or promotional purposes. These may take the form of temporary charter hire of service buses, or the temporary or permanent conversion and operation of buses, usually of second-hand buses. Extreme examples include converting the bus with displays and decorations or awnings and fittings. Interiors may be fitted out for exhibition or information purposes with special equipment or audio visual devices.

Bus advertising takes many forms, often as interior and exterior adverts and all-over advertising liveries. The practice often extends into the exclusive private hire and use of a bus to promote a brand or product, appearing at large public events, or touring busy streets. The bus is sometimes staffed by promotions personnel, giving out free gifts. Campaign buses are often specially decorated for a political campaign or other social awareness information campaign, designed to bring a specific message to different areas, or used to transport campaign personnel to local areas/meetings. Exhibition buses are often sent to public events such as fairs and festivals for purposes such as recruitment campaigns, for example by private companies or the armed forces. Complex urban planning proposals may be organized into a mobile exhibition bus for the purposes of public consultation.

Goods transport – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

In some sparsely populated areas, it is common to use brucks, buses with a cargo area to transport both passengers and cargo at the same time. They are especially common in the Nordic countries.

Health risks of diesel buses – Houston Bus Accident Lawyer

Diesel-powered buses are predicted to lose almost all their market share during the 2020s,^[25] in part due to their health risks such as cancer,^[26] and many cities are phasing them out in favor of cleaner alternatives such as electric buses.

Big Rig Bull Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Bus Accident Lawyers? Call the Houston Bus Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

It is advisable to consult Houston bus accident lawyer Reshard Alexander who will help determine liability and the right compensation amount that you should get for your injuries. The insurance company of the at-fault driver may not be willing to pay for damages and we can help you with the negotiation process. Call us today at (713) 766-3322 for a free consultation.

Houston Bus Accident & Injury Guide

Private Carrier Texas Bus Lines
Greyhound Lines
Grupo Senda
Jefferson Lines
Megabus (subsidiary of Stagecoach Group)
METRO Bus
Shofur
Stagecoach Group
Thruway Motorcoach (Amtrak)
Vonlane

Types of Bus
Articulated
Double Decker
Guided
Gyrobus
Hybrid
Low Floor
Metro
Minibus
Motor Coach
Open Top
Police
Prison
School Bus
Shuttle
Single Decker
Step Entrance
Training
Trolley

Types of Truck
18 Wheeler
Ambulance
Agricultural Hauler
Auto Hauler
Box Truck
Bulk Hopper
Bus
Cattle Truck
Cement Mixer
Delivery Truck
Dry Van
Dump Truck
Flatbed Truck
Garbage Truck
Grain Hauler
Gravel Truck
Heavy Hauler
Hotshot Truck
Intermodal Truck
Logger Truck
LTL Truck
Milk Hauler
Mobile Crane
Oilfield Truck
Refrigerator Truck
Semi-Trailer Truck
Tanker Truck
Tow Truck
Tractor-Trailer