August 2009

FleetWatch is a trucking magazine and therefore does not usually cover issues pertaining to the bus and coach industry. However, given SA Roadlink’s sorry track record over the past year or so – especially in KwaZulu-Natal where at one stage the MEC for Transport ordered all their buses off KZN roads – we thought we’d give them a showing in our truck magazine. Why? Well, for a number of reasons....

Firstly, these buses share the roads with trucks and if the buses are not driven in a roadworthy and safe state, then our trucks are in danger of being whacked by one of them. And in our opinion, the coach depicted here is hardly being driven in a ‘safe’ state. 

The second reason is because the reader who sent these pics to us deemed what he saw on the road as being serious enough for him to label the operating company a ‘Moegoe’. Based on what he saw, that’s his reality. While his identity is known to us, he asked to remain anonymous. Here’s what he wrote: 

We have read so much lately of unroadworthy buses and bus accidents and on Monday, July 7th, I was travelling on the N1 towards Cape Town close to the N7 intersection at about 11h15 when I saw this. I had my camera close by and while slowly overtaking the bus at about 90kph, I took these pictures. I’m not sure if passengers were on board but surely this should have been behind a tow truck? Thanks for a great magazine Mr O L and team!

The third reason is because the situation here presents a case which we know all truckers will find of interest – especially to those who use tag axles on their trailers, as the offending right tyre shown here is on a tag axle. This introduces a new set of dynamics and in light of this, FleetWatch solicited expert opinion from one of our industry boffins on this case. Here’s what he said: 

“Tag axles are fitted for weight distribution purposes only. They are also called "dummy axles" on trailers and should carry no more than 8 tonnes. On buses such as this one, they are fitted for the additional weight of the toilet, coffee machine and other coach ‘necessities’ - and maybe for extra luggage. 

“Tag axles on a bus look slightly different to trailer tag axles and each bus manufacturer has a different idea about the fitment of tag axles. There is only one tyre on either side on the tag axle while the drive axle in front of the tag axle has dual tyres on each side. The whole construction of a tag axle looks fairly complicated with air bellows on each side, shock absorbers, stabilizers, joints, brackets and others paraphernalia. Everything is somehow connected to the chassis frame and is far more complicated than on a standard trailer. 

“The airbags (bellows) will keep the tyres - which are connected to the tag axle - on the ground and the driver in the cab can control the air pressure applied. For example, when the bus does a sharp turn, a knowledgeable driver will flick a switch on the dashboard which will release some of the air pressure in the airbag which is pushing the single tyres downwards. By doing this, he will transfer the load from the single tyre to the dual tyre on the axle in front of the tag axle. If he doesn't do it, there is the possibility of extensive scuffing, scragging and damage to the tyre/rim assembly. 

“On the supplied photos, it looks like most of the wheel nuts have come loose, the rim/tyre is about to come off and the maintenance was poor. But I don't think the latter is the case. I actually think the driver couldn't have activated the switch for releasing the air pressure on the tag axle. The bus must have hit a curb, culvert or pavement – and hit it hard - when cornering and the brackets on the inside are now buckled and bent. In other words, the driver made a "mess-up" and now the right outer tyre is running on the inner shoulder only. 

“I’m not sure if the driver can see the skew-seated, damaged tyre in his rear view mirror and because the tyre is running on the shoulder, it is still in contact with the road and there may be no "wobble" noticeable. If the wheel nuts were missing or the studs broken, the tyre would have been off already - or is seconds away from coming off. 

“To be fair, it is hard to say that this was due to bad maintenance and was more likely due to driver error. Maybe the driver knew about it and was on the way to the depot to get it fixed. Though there might not have been immediate danger to the public, I think the unit should have been towed at a slow speed rather than driven as is shown in the pictures.” 

So, that’s how our expert sees the situation. Here’s how I see it. 

I accept that given the circumstances as explained by our expert, we can’t immediately lay an accusation of ‘poor maintenance’ onto the company. So let’s leave that one out of the picture – although given the company’s track record on poorly maintained buses, I’m not too sure on this one. So, let’s then look towards the ‘driver error’ factor. If the damage was caused by the driver hitting a curb, culvert or pavement, he should have immediately stopped to inspect that all was OK. He must have hit whatever he did extremely hard to cause that type of damage and he certainly would have felt the ‘hit’ even if he hadn’t felt any ‘wobble’ while driving. Our expert says that “if the wheel nuts were missing or the studs broken, the tyre would have been off already - or is seconds away from coming off.” Were any wheel nuts missing or studs broken? We don’t know. 

The point is: I cannot comprehend – or accept – that this condition was unknown to the driver, especially given the fact that modern side-mirrors give superb all-round visibility to the side and rear of the driver’s position. Mirror positioning and functionality is an art in itself nowadays. 

Our expert says: “On the supplied photos, it looks like most of the wheel nuts have come loose and the rim/tyre is about to come off.” I cringe at that thought for that’s what it looks like to me as well – and that’s what it no doubt looked like to our reader and other road users who passed this bus, quickly I’d surmise.

The reader also says he wasn’t sure if there were passengers on board or not. If there were, that makes it even worse but the dangers posed to other road users by the potential of this wheel coming off and smashing into the windscreen of another vehicle is enough for me to bestow on SA Roadlink our ‘Moegoe of the Month’ award. This bus should have been behind a tow truck, not driving on the road. Finished and Klaar – as a famous ex-cop once said. 

And to the public-spirited reader who sent these pics to us as being a worthy nomination for the award, a bottle of our finest Chateau Collapso is on its way to you. Enjoy it. 

If you spot a malpractice or potential trucking disaster on the road, send your photographs with an accompanying comment to us at fleetwatch@pixie.co.za and you could win a bottle of our finest "Chateau Collapso".