Why a bus? Not much to say about this...

TomC · April 02, 2012, 03:39:13 PM

It looks like this was a toterhome pulling a toy box. Everything behind the cab was just a sticks and staples motorhome mounted on a truck. Good Luck, TomC

Zeroclearance · April 02, 2012, 03:42:57 PM

Tom, how long do you think the Toterhome was? It could have been a cross wind that caught the young driver. Per what Gumpy mentioned I can't believe the 17YO was driving.

usbusin · April 02, 2012, 03:58:08 PM

On another site it was mentioned that the "Toterhome" built on the Freightliner Class 8 chassis was of FRP construction.

This is exactly why Transport Designs http://www.transportdesigns.com/built my Truck Conversion. No FRP for me. Mine is 1-1/2" x 1/8" wall tubing on 16" centers. Aluminum skin riveted on the outside and plywood on the inside. The floor is 3" x 3" box tubing 24" on center. The roof, walls, floor and belly boxes are all one integral piece of construction.

Even though we drive or have driven buses we must remember we are driving a big heavy vehicle that does not handle like a car, nor does it stop like a car. We must drive at a speed that is comfortable for us and dependent on road and weather conditions. Don't let the surrounding traffic make you drive in such a manner that you are not in control.

We need to pray for the families involved in this crash. What a loss. And, yes I heard the driver was 17.

GaryD

belfert · April 02, 2012, 04:19:21 PM

The driver only had a driving permit, but not sure if that would have mattered. A 17 year old with a permit can have more driving experience than a 16 year who gets their driver's license on their 16th birthday.

There is some question on if this was a manufactured RV or simply a box truck with living quarters. I tend to think it was a manufactured RV because of the Columbia chassis and the fact that it looks like there may have been a slideout.

usbusin · April 02, 2012, 05:03:22 PM

Here is what Donnie Barnes on another site had to say:

"I *really* want to know what kind of conversion this was. I have an idea it was a Kibbi (Renegade) or similar FRP built rig. It looks like from the pictures that the box obviously pretty much disintegrated in the crash, though the trailer appears like it was *not* FRP and was a frame built unit and survived better. It also appears the truck had a slideout which was mostly in-tact beside the rig. Based on the sofa that's still bolted to the floor, I'd say it was a typical Renegade layout with sofa/dinette in a slideout behind the driver.

At any rate, the FRP construction was part of why I got *out* of my Renegade setup. Too many stories of guys having a trailer go on its side in a wreck and the thing just comes apart completely. I figured the same thing would happen if the truck went on its side, too."

I'm quite sure it was a factory built truck conversion (TC), not a "box truck".

Again, not like what Transport Designs builds.

GaryD

Jeremy · April 03, 2012, 02:48:41 AM

I'm slightly bemused by this implication that 'if it's FRP it must be weak'... airliners and Naval minesweepers are built of FRP nowadays - like any material, it can be as strong as you want it to be.

In any case, there's a point at which it ceases to matter how strong the outer structure of a vehicle is - if you drop it far enough, the soft and squidgy humans inside are going to get damaged. In some ways the danger is higher with an ultra-rigid vehicle body as it would actually cause the people inside to suffer greater impact forces than one in which some of the forces are dissipated by the vehicle body deforming - but if the impact is big enough you're not going to survive in either case.

Changing the subject slightly - here's a video on the BBC website of a couple of big vehicles going off a road in Norway:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17589298

Jeremy

Hobie · April 03, 2012, 07:38:23 AM

That is an amazing video Jeremy! Lucky for the driver(s).

What do you think happened; the tow truck swung too close to the edge and it gave way or the tow started to loose traction and slide back loosing control ( tension ) on the cable? I see brake lights applied. But I'm not sure if was truck service brakes, or the tow auxiliary light bar.

buswarrior · April 03, 2012, 02:28:28 PM

tow truck was a long way from the guardrail, you can see up the inside earlier in the clip.

The towed truck seesm to suddenly make for the guardrail, and over it goes.

Perhaps lulled into not holding the steering wheel, as it followed the tow truck, but then found something to grab it sideways?

Lots of lost capital in that clip.

happy coaching!
buswarrior