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Bus Accident on Rte 347

 
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Hart Bus



Age: 73
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 5:20 pm    Post subject: Bus Accident on Rte 347 Reply with quote

Local news channels are reporting that a motorcoach bus was hit by a van at the intersection of Rte 347 and Southern Blvd, near the Smithhaven Mall.

The bus was making a turn onto SB when hit in front of the rear passenger side tires. The bus was empty and the driver not hurt. The passenger van had 10 or 11 people in it. The road was closed so that medivac helicopters could land to take the van passengers to the hosptital. From the news choppers, the buses were definitely MCI's. There was a trailing bus, who was still in the turn lane and was not involved. Both buses were all white, so it was hard to make out the company.

Lets hope the van passengers are okay.
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S-60 To Smith Haven Mall




Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 1757
Location: Suffolk County, NY

PostPosted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 8:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Bus Accident on Rte 347 Reply with quote

Hart Bus wrote:
Local news channels are reporting that a motorcoach bus was hit by a van at the intersection of Rte 347 and Southern Blvd, near the Smithhaven Mall.

The bus was making a turn onto SB when hit in front of the rear passenger side tires. The bus was empty and the driver not hurt. The passenger van had 10 or 11 people in it. The road was closed so that medivac helicopters could land to take the van passengers to the hosptital. From the news choppers, the buses were definitely MCI's. There was a trailing bus, who was still in the turn lane and was not involved. Both buses were all white, so it was hard to make out the company.

Lets hope the van passengers are okay.


Southern Blvd is like a mile from Smith Haven Mall, so its not within what i call near the mall.

i hope the people in the van are ok, but were they badly hurt?, cuz if not thats a waste to use the Medivac, since SCPD only has two i think.
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As seen in Today's Newsday paper and Newsday.com

Route 347 accident;

http://www.newsday.com/video/?slug=ny-libus0802-wn

I'll pray with you on this one!

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

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Pineywoodsbus




Joined: 26 May 2007
Posts: 68

PostPosted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 1:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What a tragic turn of events. Sad According to News 12, the bus "cut off the van", but channel 11 says the van slammed into the bus at a high rate of speed as it was making a turn. I dunno if the bus was doing LIRR shuttle work, but they use quite a few buses for the shuttle between Kings Park and points east.
The traffic jam caused by this accident was seriously messing up Suffolk Transit routes, many delays. I was shocked to see 5078 pulling into Smith Haven Mall at 6:40pm heading toward Riverhead on the S62. This bus is scheduled to LEAVE Riverhead at 7pm! It was running about an hour late (normally supposed to depart Smith Haven at 5:45pm..last bus to Riverhead). In addition I heard there was an accident on Rt.347 in Terryville causing a mess.
The S62 I was on earlier that day got caught in traffic in Calverton, Sound ave was closed off and all the traffic was diverted down Fresh Pond rd, took 30 min just to get from Fresh Pond Rd + 25 to by Tanger, it was bumper to bumper the whole way.
Bus ran 40 min late...total trip time between Port jeff and Tanger... 1 hour 15 minutes! A record longest.
I still dont know why a coach bus would be turning into a Smithtown road yard...perhaps it was lost?
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upperharlemline4ever




Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 60
Location: New York State

PostPosted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

All the photos that I've seen and videos show the van. Where was the bus struck, in the front or rear? If it was hit in the rear, then the van would have struck the bus. Anyone see any photos of the bus?
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Hart Bus



Age: 73
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:20 pm    Post subject: Further Update Reply with quote

Here are some more details on this horrific crash. I hope it answers some of the questions posed.


To Upper Harlem River and everyone else: If you click on this link, you'll see a picture of the point of impact to the bus. It is on the passenger side just before the rear tires, so clearly it was the van's fault.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-busvanacci-pg,0,5889155.photogallery

The actual site of the accident was 500 feet west of Southern Blvd. I think that there is a break in the center median for U-turns as well as for equipment to turn into a Town of Smithtown Highway Dept yard.

The bus was one of three empty buses in a convoy. The buses were being operated by AMROD ENTERPRISES of upstate Red Hook, NY (not the Brooklyn neighbood. That is probably why the above picture shows the impacted bus with a swoosh livery, while the bus behind it had a few narrow brown stripes.

The driver of the bus was is Stephen Zwerin of North Babylon. NB is only about 15 miles from the crash scene. One report had that his bus had Massacheusetts Plates on it. The bus driver was not injured.

His bus, like the van, was the second vehicle in a 3 vehicle caravan.

The vans were transporting workers from a vacuum manufacting plant near the crash site to their homes in Westbury. Most of the passengers were Haitian.

To S-60 : There were 10 injured passengers. 4 transported to St. Catherine of Sienna in Smithtown with non-life threating injuries, but 6 were taken to Stony Brook Hosp. with 3 in critical condition, necessitating the helicopters.

To S-60 : Please understand that the term "near the mall" is subject to interpetation. While you may live in the area and consider a distance of over a mile to not be near, to our dear friend Mr. Linsky and others who live far away it gives them some understanding of the location if they don't know Rte 347 (or Nesconset Highway) and certainly have no idea about Southern Blvd.

I'll post more details if I read or hear about them.
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upperharlemline4ever




Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 60
Location: New York State

PostPosted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Hart Bus. You know what was troubling, you had "an eyewitness" a nurse who stated on News12 that it was clearly the bus driver's fault. The point of impact on the bus clearly puts blame on the van driver not the bus driver as the "eyewitness" stated. Just hope everyone survives, that's the most important thing.
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have found that despite seeing a mishap occur, it is almost impossible to assess blame especially if you have no experience in accident investigation.

Even when interviewing so called 'eye witnesses' and those actually involed in the event, stories will often conflict and must be left to professional decision making.

I can't count the number of times that I have come upon a crash scene and thought to myself - "how could this possibly have happened - it just doesn't make sense".

There's one other aspect to this 'eye witness' thing; usually, it's the bang that attracts the attention and that always happens after the fact!

Certainly, what the nurse stated on News 12 will be considered, but will be only part of what could be a very complicated picture!

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY
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S-60 To Smith Haven Mall




Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 1757
Location: Suffolk County, NY

PostPosted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Further Update Reply with quote

Hart Bus wrote:
Here are some more details on this horrific crash. I hope it answers some of the questions posed.


To Upper Harlem River and everyone else: If you click on this link, you'll see a picture of the point of impact to the bus. It is on the passenger side just before the rear tires, so clearly it was the van's fault.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-busvanacci-pg,0,5889155.photogallery

The actual site of the accident was 500 feet west of Southern Blvd. I think that there is a break in the center median for U-turns as well as for equipment to turn into a Town of Smithtown Highway Dept yard.

The bus was one of three empty buses in a convoy. The buses were being operated by AMROD ENTERPRISES of upstate Red Hook, NY (not the Brooklyn neighbood. That is probably why the above picture shows the impacted bus with a swoosh livery, while the bus behind it had a few narrow brown stripes.

The driver of the bus was is Stephen Zwerin of North Babylon. NB is only about 15 miles from the crash scene. One report had that his bus had Massacheusetts Plates on it. The bus driver was not injured.

His bus, like the van, was the second vehicle in a 3 vehicle caravan.

The vans were transporting workers from a vacuum manufacting plant near the crash site to their homes in Westbury. Most of the passengers were Haitian.

To S-60 : There were 10 injured passengers. 4 transported to St. Catherine of Sienna in Smithtown with non-life threating injuries, but 6 were taken to Stony Brook Hosp. with 3 in critical condition, necessitating the helicopters.

To S-60 : Please understand that the term "near the mall" is subject to interpetation. While you may live in the area and consider a distance of over a mile to not be near, to our dear friend Mr. Linsky and others who live far away it gives them some understanding of the location if they don't know Rte 347 (or Nesconset Highway) and certainly have no idea about Southern Blvd.

I'll post more details if I read or hear about them.



from what i heard, there was no Medivac, and to me it would have mad sence to transport by ambulance. but since i know Route 347, i can say that they would have needed to close the nearest intersection to do it. and none of the changes that SCPD only has two Medivac's

the accident didn't even happen at Southern Blvd, but 500 feet west.

i would not blame the driver, i would blame the road way. anybody that has traveled on NYS Route 347, or lived near it, would agree that it is very dangerous road.

the bus was owned by a company from upstate, and was returning to the base. the company has not said whatb the bus was doing down state, but i don't think it was on LIRR duty.
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Hart Bus



Age: 73
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:35 pm    Post subject: Update a/o 8/3 Reply with quote

According to a radio report, two of the victims are still unconscience in the hosptial.

One has been upgraded and one has been downgraded so that, sadly one victim may not recover.

According to today's (Sunday) Newsday, a detectiive said that the van had left a company that administers extended warranties, while most of the victims' relatives claimed that they worked in a factory. Perhaps, the last stop was to pick up one passenger and the majority of them worked in the factory.

The bus driver's age was reported as 41, not 51 as yesterday, so details are still emerging.

No mention about a safety check on the van. I remember several years ago there was a rash of these type vans having accidents in and around the Northern State parkway, due to a combonation of driver errors and mechanical problems, transporting people from poor areas to factories on Long Island. In one case the operators put milk cartons for passengers who didn't arrive early enough to get a seat. In other words, the van was overloaded. I wonder what the operating condition of the van and more importantly the van driver was prior to impact.?

I'll post more if anything significant is released.
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Hart Bus



Age: 73
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:24 pm    Post subject: TRAGIC UPDATE AS OF 8/5/08 Reply with quote

Hart Bus wrote:
According to a radio report, two of the victims are still unconscience in the hosptial.

One has been upgraded and one has been downgraded so that, sadly one victim may not recover.



Sadly Marie Labady, 45 of Westbury, a passenger in the van, succumbed to her injuries early yesterday. The other unconscience victim is said to be doing better and there is hope for survival.

Safety checks had not been completed as of press time.

Also bus driver's age is back to 51 not 41
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S-60 To Smith Haven Mall




Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 1757
Location: Suffolk County, NY

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:51 pm    Post subject: Re: TRAGIC UPDATE AS OF 8/5/08 Reply with quote

Hart Bus wrote:
Hart Bus wrote:
According to a radio report, two of the victims are still unconscience in the hosptial.

One has been upgraded and one has been downgraded so that, sadly one victim may not recover.



Sadly Marie Labady, 45 of Westbury, a passenger in the van, succumbed to her injuries early yesterday. The other unconscience victim is said to be doing better and there is hope for survival.

Safety checks had not been completed as of press time.

Also bus driver's age is back to 51 not 41



paper alao said that the van, hit the bus, which to me sounds like the driver of the van was at fault.

most likely either the bus or the van had its saftey check done, and the SCPD woun't comment til the other one is completed to.
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