Public transportation buses, whether operated in San Antonio or wherever are mostly non-profits. They can count on only about one-third of their needed revenue coming from fares, with the remainder often from taxes.
Operating within the city limits, they are usually controlled by the city government and some other overseeing entity. The San Antonio Regional Transit Authority controls the Metro busses in the city limits. These companies define the specific routes and determine the charges, schedules and maintenance. They also are charged with the most important function – hiring the drivers who have great responsibility for the commuters relying upon them.
Passengers transported by municipal buses amount to only one-half the number of school children using bus service. As a general rule, city bus service is fairly safe. This is true in terms of the number of passengers per day, as compared to the number injured or killed. Buses are huge and heavy and must be navigated in tight, urban confines. When there is a collision, the passengers have no real internal protection. Public transit lacks airbags and seat belts, so the jolt of impact is felt directly by the victim. This amount of force can be devastating.
Interstate motorcoach companies include Greyhound and Trailways, although today there are over 4,000 such businesses. Many of them concentrate primarily within a specific geographical region.
All the companies in this industry account for nearly a billion traveling miles a year for passengers. These swift-moving behemoths are responsible for relatively few of the roadway mishaps in the United States. However, when there are wrecks, they tend to be catastrophic for all the commercial passengers.
Most private interstate drivers are hired by the bus company and are direct employees. Some contract out to other firms or hire independent contractors. In any case, the owner of the bus in responsible for any negligent driving misconduct. Buses are known in the law as common carriers. This is a shorthand way of stating that they have a very high legal responsibility. Many of the legal presumptions are against them because of the serious duty owed by the bus company to protect passengers and pedestrians.
Charter buses are privately retained forms of transportation, by a specific group for a specific destination. These particular-purpose forms of travel are hired to take a group of like-minded individuals to shows, concerts, sporting events, and other programs. Sometimes they are tour buses, which carry specific-interest travelers from out of town. However, except for major corporations bringing in tourists from South America and Asia, they are infrequent in the South Texas area.
Charter buses are almost always owned and managed by private companies. This usually makes it easier to identify who has control over the hiring, training and conduct of the drivers. When filing lawsuits, there often are fewer named defendants.
Theories of liability can focus upon the driver’s operational negligence. Sometimes the fault is poor maintenance – especially of the tires. If there has been noncompliance with specific safety regulations imposed by the government, this could be a meritorious claim as well.
Each year about 150 people are killed in the US as a result of larger-size vans, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). Of these, almost a quarter of the deaths are the result of these vehicles rolling over before crashing. When a heavily-loaded van quickly changes direction, even a slight amount, there is a danger of control loss. The center of gravity with these vehicles can shift to the side or rear and pull the van or access vehicle out of its lane.
Van accidents are common in South Texas. They offer an ideal form of transportation for smaller groups that do not require the expense of a bus. Of the larger sizes of vans, many are rented vehicles that may carry with them a number of hidden corporate defendants. Each one must be identified through careful detective work, as well as analysis of incorporation articles and other Texas state filings.
Commonly used for mid-sized groups are 15-passenger vans. All varieties of social groups can achieve geographic mobility - sports teams, religious groups, daycare centers, social and youth organizations and senior citizen programs. Rowdy individuals within groups, going to games and tournaments, can sometimes cause a wreck which injuries other group members who were in no way negligent.
Interestingly, nearly one-half of all fatal van involve one-vehicle crashes. Transportation experts have studied this significant number and debated the cause. It is believed that many groups are traveling long distances and the driver falls asleep. Others believe it is more the result of distractions inherent when a number of bored riders cause high-spirited, dangerous diversions.
Attention must be paid to investigating who in Texas hired the bus company and what is the corporate structure of that business entity. It is not uncommon for negotiated contracts to involve various side deals between certain businesses along the route. They benefit from patronage that is brought to them. This is standard practice for non-school bus hiring that involves commercial destinations.
Commissions are often derived from the bus company which promotes and encourages Texas customers to be funneled into an arranged destination. This is especially true if the Texas tour bus was retained by a contracted arrangement with another tour company, a hotel or a travel agency.
Sometimes a third party could be involved, and therefore subject to civil judgment for compensatory damages. This is almost always true if there is a subsidized benefit as part of the bargain. Fraternal associations, schools, civic associations, and retirement facilities are the most common variety found in tour bus accidents. For more information please visit this website
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If you have been in a truck accident, you know how devastating such an accident can be. Big rigs, tractor-trailers, commercial vehicles and semis are heavy, powerful machines. When they crash into a car , the people in the car are almost always injured. When the injury is severe or when a loved one dies because of truck accident injuries, you need an experienced trucking accident attorney on your side.
The truck crash lawyers at our Law Firm use all their experience and resources for one purpose – to help injured people.
At most law firms, the only focus is to recover as much as possible from the insurance companies and any third parties involved in the truck crash. At our Law Firm the truck accident lawyers go beyond the obvious goal of seeking the funds you need for a full recovery. The personal injury attorneys and the staff take a case management approach to every accident and every victim. The Law Firm will manage your case from the beginning to help you obtain full personal, medical and vocational recovery as well as the financial compensation you have a right to expect.
The San Antonio, South Texas, trucking accidents law firm will document every aspect of your injury, investigate your case, keep you fully informed of the progress on your behalf, communicate with insurance companies, and work closely with your medical providers, and others responsible for compensating you for your injuries or for a relative’s wrongful death.
Call us day or night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Someone will always be available to answer your call and ask questions about your injury or your relative’s wrongful death. Or send an e-mail about your case and our Law Firm will respond quickly.
Because of our statewide network of experienced attorneys, we are able to represent clients nationwide. Regardless of where you are located, we can help.
In a major motor vehicle accident involving big rigs or 18-wheeler trucks, the injuries are nearly always catastrophic. Those injuries can range from serious back and neck injuries to brain injuries, spinal cord injuries or even death.
Often the full impact of those truck accident injuries will not be known for a long time. Insurance companies pressure people to settle quickly. When families are being deluged with medical bills at a time when there may also be a loss of wages, there is a temptation to settle.
When you contact the personal injury attorneys at our Law Firm, they will bring together a wide range of resources to help you and your family cope with the immediate pressures of limited finances and a prolonged recovery.
If a loved one has died as a result of a truck accident, the wrongful death attorneys at our Law Firm will bring in experts who can help determine the extent of your loss. While no amount of money can bring your relative back to life, a fair settlement can assure that your family has the resources to deal with a devastating loss.
Our South Texas truck crash lawyers who care about you, your full recovery and your family’s future. Call the experienced personal injury attorneys at from our Law Firm at any hour, on any day.
Recently, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) indicated that it was hosting a public listening session to solicit ideas and information on the issues of entry-level training for commercial vehicle drivers. 
Entry-level driver training, or ELDT, is essential to ensure that drivers have the experience and information they need to safely drive a commercial vehicle. FMCSA will be implementing new provisions on ELDT in order to comply with the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).
Our San Antonio truck accident attorneys know that proper driver training can significantly reduce the risk of accidents while poor or insufficient training can make a crash far more likely to occur. FMCSA rules on driver training need to be designed to allow new drivers to get the experience they need to build careers in the commercial trucking industry while at the same time keeping the public safe from the risks presented by an inexperienced driver.
Entry-level driver training has become an issue of increasing importance in recent years as a result of the serious truck driver shortage that is occurring throughout the United States. As CNN reported in 2012, there are an estimated 200,000 truck driving jobs open nationwide for long-haul drivers that cannot be filled because there aren't drivers to fill them.
Further, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated a significant increase in the number of drivers needed. In the next few years, demand for trucking professionals is projected to increase 20 percent with 330,100 jobs added over the course of the decade. The shortage, therefore, is likely to just keep getting worse.
CNN identified the biggest hurdle for those interested in filing these jobs as getting a commercial driver’s license. However, the time and costs of completing the initial course are not the only issues that a driver needs to face.
Many commercial trucking companies have traditionally required two years of experience before hiring a commercial driver for large trucks. The expensive and difficult certification process coupled with the experience requirements, leave many finding it too difficult to get started.
The proposed FMCSA rules on ELDT are said to potentially make this whole problem worse. The new guidelines include, among other things, a requirement that truck drivers not only graduate from an approved/accredited CDL school but also that the program include both classroom training and road training. If you have been hit by an inexperienced truck driver and have suffered serious injuries call our Personal Injury Lawyer today!
According to Trucking Info, Commercial Driver’s License Schools (CDL schools) have reported that a number of problems will arise because of the new mandate. Issues include:
-Difficulty in determining how much practice time should be devoted to each skill since some drivers are better at different aspects of commercial driving than others.
-Small schools being unable to bear the additional expense of new training that wasn’t previously required.
-Large schools facing increased costs and thus becoming unable to grow and train more drivers.
Because of these and other problems, the new standards and driver training requirements may restrict U.S. job growth and make it even harder still for employers to find qualified candidates.
Yet, of course, there is also the issue of safety. Drivers of a large commercial truck have many things to learn and even a single mistake or error could result in a deadly crash. More on-the-road training could hopefully help to reduce these risks, saving lives in the process.
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Texas law allows injured drivers and passengers, and the families of the loved ones who have died or were injured in car accidents, to file a lawsuit against those responsible for the accident.
Legal responsibility, called “liability,” for a car accident often depends upon proof that another driver was at fault. The other driver, however, does not have to intentionally cause the crash. Proving the other driver operated the vehicle in an unsafe and unreasonable manner under the circumstances, known as negligence, is sufficient evidence to demonstrate liability.
In certain cases, non-driver factors lead to a car accident. These factors can include roadway hazards, poorly-marked construction sites, construction site debris, sand, or gravel on roadways, and other dangerous road conditions. Keep in mind, the deadline under Texas to bring a lawsuit, known as the statute of limitations, can be as short as six months for claims against governmental agencies.
When should you contact a car accident lawyer?
If you or a loved one has been involved in an automobile accident, you should discuss your case with an experienced auto accident attorney immediately. If too much time goes by before an injury lawyer takes on your case, certain evidence in your case may become impossible to acquire, witnesses may become out of reach, and insurance companies may disadvantage you. Our law firm handles exclusively personal injury claims and wrongful death claims.
Once we accept your automobile accident injury claim, we immediately begin working to obtain for you the maximum compensation allowed by law. We will:
Conduct a thorough investigation
Acquire all available evidence needed to prove and maximize your claim
Work with auto accident reconstruction experts to prove that the other party is at fault
Utilize medical experts to support your claim for the full extent of your injuries
Common Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can be extremely traumatic. While some of the more fortunate accident victims are able to walk away from crashes without injuries, the sad truth is that many people don’t. In fact, too many car crashes that occur on Texas roadways are catastrophic—some of which result in death.
Because car crashes are usually violent, injuries are common. In fact, across the United States, there are about 1.6 million injury-causing car crashes every year. Whatever your injury and whatever the resulting cost, a San Antonio car accident lawyer from our firm can help you seek compensation to pay for your recovery.
Brain Injuries
Some of the most serious injuries resulting from car accidents are traumatic brain injuries. Symptoms of a brain injury can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on several factors involved in the accident.
Unfortunately, brain injuries don’t always show symptoms immediately. If left untreated, even a minor brain injury can cause permanent damage; this can happen when the brain swells and creates too much pressure inside the head.
Spine and Back Injuries
Spine injuries can leave victims paralyzed. Typically, these types of injuries are caused in conjunction with injuries to the vertebrae, discs, or the spinal cord itself. In fact, broken bone fragments and disc material can damage the spinal cord, which carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body.
These injuries often lead to a severely decreased quality of life. This—in addition to your medical expenses—should be factored into your final settlement. With the help of a San Antonio car accident lawyer from our firm, it will be.
Neck Injuries and Whiplash
Neck injuries are some of the most common injuries that happen in car accidents. In many cases, whiplash, injury to the soft tissues of the neck, is unavoidable and results from the head’s forward momentum during a crash.
Other neck injuries include cervical dislocation, disc injury, and neck strain.
Internal Injuries
Seat belts, airbags, and other parts of the interior of a vehicle can all cause internal injuries during a wreck. The most at-risk organs include the bowels, kidneys, liver, lungs, and spleen.
Internal bleeding and injuries to your internal organs are all but certain to carry a heavy financial burden and long-term medical implications. Your San Antonio car accident lawyer will ensure that your medical needs, both current and future, are fully factored into your financial award.
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