By Tim Blanchard, Ottawa Citizen, January 16, 2019
As a retired transit operator in Victoria, B.C., my heart and condolences go out to the family and friends who lost a loved one in the horrific OC Transpo bus crash last Friday. Also to the injured who witnessed the chaos and trauma that transpired on that bus; I hope for a speedy recovery for all.
I drove all models of transit vehicles in my 20-year tenure in Victoria, as well as highway coaches over the years previously, and briefly after retirement. My favourite bus to drive was the double-decker buses – that are exactly like the OC Transpo type.
Two things stood out to me as an operator of double deckers: the extra height to be mindful of, our course; and, obviously, the extra weight. We had to trim many low-hanging trees and even raise a bridge on one route to eliminate any contact when the deckers first arrived.
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/blanchard-thoughts-from-a-retired-bus-driver-on-the-oc-transpo-crash