Foxton96
ManaBus No. 1 through Foxton 25/11/2014
A reboot of double decker coach on Day 5 of the new ManaBus.com express service to Auckland, the 2014 Volvo B11R snapped at the corner of Purcell St. and SH1 in Foxton on the some 10 hour run from Wellington to Auckland on Tuesday, 25 November 2014.
After a couple of years on Manabus.com express work, three of the ManaBus coaches have been moved to provide excellent hop on/off tours of Waiheke Island.
One is ManaBus No. 1 (Waiheke Explorer No. 301) which had a snafu on the island in Carsons Rd. on Saturday, 11 March 2017. The bus slid off the road when the driver pulled over to execute a turn.
The other ex ManBus Volvo B11R double deckers on the island are ManaBus No. 3 (Waiheke Explorer No. 302) and ManaBus No. 4 (Waiheke Explorer No. 303).
The double deckers are now repainted in a blue AOA livery and provide a hop on/hop off service for Fullers on the island.
DOUBLE-DECKER ON PRECIPICE
Gulf News, March 16, 2017
A double-decker bus which slipped off the edge of Carsons Road on Saturday [11 March 2017] could not have come closer to disaster.
About a dozen people were on board the Fullers Hop On Hop Off service when the driver pulled the bus to the left before making a right-hand turn into a driveway.
The left wheels of the bus slipped off the road-edge above a steep bank and the bus ended-up balanced precariously on its chassis.
Shaken passengers escaped by dropping down on to the bank via the front door before clambering up to safety.
The drama happened at a turnaround point outside Waiheke Airfield, about 250m past the entrance to Batch Vineyard, which the buses have used without incident since the service began.
Passengers walked to Batch Vineyard’s restaurant to recover. Operations manager Felix Bijl said they were “a bit startled” on arrival but soon recovered.
“After a few minutes they were more amused than shocked -some of them thought it was a bit of an adventure,” Mr Bijl said.
“We offered them the use of our shuttle to get back to their destination.
“The bus driver was very apologetic.”
Fullers was still investigating as Gulf News went to press but CEO Douglas Hudson said there was no evidence that days of heavy rain had made the road unsafe.
“Pending the outcome of the investigation it’s fair to say the bus has moved too far to the left,” Mr Hudson said.
Mr Hudson said the driver was offered counselling but had returned to work.
The company was reviewing its use of the turnaround area. A crane was hurriedly brought from Auckland to raise the bus back on to the road. The bus was undamaged.
Mr Hudson said the company took the incident very seriously. Services were suspended on the Carsons Road route for the rest of the weekend before resuming on Monday.
But local residents say the road is simply too narrow for double decker and coach buses and the service should cease or be replaced with smaller buses. Warren Eade, who lives on Musson Drive, says the buses are far too big for several roads on the island’s winery trail.
“I, my wife and my neighbours have all had close calls,” Mr Eade says. “They come around corners well over the centre line. I’ve had two near accidents where I’ve had to come to a complete stop and pull off the road almost into the bank.
“I’ve spoken to Fullers and their response is that it’s a popular route. But those buses are not suitable for these roads.” - Geoff Cumming
WAIHEKE LOCALS ANNOYED AT DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES
NZ Herald, Monday, March 13, 2017
Waiheke locals are being driven crazy by the introduction of double-decker buses on the island, saying the towering vehicles are dangerously clogging the roads.
Since the two-storey "hop on, hop off" buses were introduced on 10 December 2016, locals estimated about five have come off the road and others say it's difficult to safely share the road when passing.
Bus company Fullers, which owns the buses, says the vehicles are legally compliant and no longer or wider than other urban buses and coaches on Waiheke.
Concerned local man Alan Knight said much of the community's frustration came from feeling they had not been consulted before the buses were brought over.
The buses clogged up the roads and annoyed residents who called Waiheke their home year-round, he said.
"We understand there's got to be a tourism industry.
"But the double decker buses, the sudden introduction of them to the island with no consultation with the locals, has been a tipping point.
"Tipping point being the main word as they have tipped off the road into ditches on a number of occasions."
The roads were too small for the buses and it was only a matter of time before "someone has to go home in an ambulance", Knight said.
Waiheke local board chairman Paul Walden said a petition signed by more than 1000 locals had been handed to the board, which fully supported the campaign to get the buses removed.
"The buses are all over the roads because of the size of them. They're not just presenting a risk to themselves but to other road users when they're on a road where there's just not enough room for two vehicles."
It was "blatantly obvious" the buses were not fit for Waiheke's roads. Walden said he was concerned about what would happen with the heavy buses over winter, when the island's many dirt roads became wet and muddy.
The board had spoken to Fullers' chief executive Douglas Hudson about the buses.
"It's fair to say they need to be considering their relationship with the Waiheke community and whether this is in their best commercial interest to keep running their business given such widespread opposition in the community," Walden said.
Hudson said the buses were an environmentally friendly solution to the increasing number of Waiheke visitors who expected quality service.
Waiheke had become a top island destination and its transport should reflect that, he said.
"Initially, we will reduce the frequency of service over the winter, and are looking into some possible changes to the route to minimise and mitigate some of the concerns raised."
Hudson said a formal investigation was undertaken when buses crashed or went off the road and "any learnings are built into risk assessment procedures and training".
Auckland Transport (AT) is undertaking a review of the tour routes after concerns were raised by some residents.
AT spokesman Mark Hannan said the review's findings would be presented to the local board next week, but added recent wild weather would have some impact on the findings.
"If we find there is an issue we will report it to NZTA," Hannan said.
AT did not have the power to take legal vehicles off the road, he said.
ManaBus No. 1 through Foxton 25/11/2014
A reboot of double decker coach on Day 5 of the new ManaBus.com express service to Auckland, the 2014 Volvo B11R snapped at the corner of Purcell St. and SH1 in Foxton on the some 10 hour run from Wellington to Auckland on Tuesday, 25 November 2014.
After a couple of years on Manabus.com express work, three of the ManaBus coaches have been moved to provide excellent hop on/off tours of Waiheke Island.
One is ManaBus No. 1 (Waiheke Explorer No. 301) which had a snafu on the island in Carsons Rd. on Saturday, 11 March 2017. The bus slid off the road when the driver pulled over to execute a turn.
The other ex ManBus Volvo B11R double deckers on the island are ManaBus No. 3 (Waiheke Explorer No. 302) and ManaBus No. 4 (Waiheke Explorer No. 303).
The double deckers are now repainted in a blue AOA livery and provide a hop on/hop off service for Fullers on the island.
DOUBLE-DECKER ON PRECIPICE
Gulf News, March 16, 2017
A double-decker bus which slipped off the edge of Carsons Road on Saturday [11 March 2017] could not have come closer to disaster.
About a dozen people were on board the Fullers Hop On Hop Off service when the driver pulled the bus to the left before making a right-hand turn into a driveway.
The left wheels of the bus slipped off the road-edge above a steep bank and the bus ended-up balanced precariously on its chassis.
Shaken passengers escaped by dropping down on to the bank via the front door before clambering up to safety.
The drama happened at a turnaround point outside Waiheke Airfield, about 250m past the entrance to Batch Vineyard, which the buses have used without incident since the service began.
Passengers walked to Batch Vineyard’s restaurant to recover. Operations manager Felix Bijl said they were “a bit startled” on arrival but soon recovered.
“After a few minutes they were more amused than shocked -some of them thought it was a bit of an adventure,” Mr Bijl said.
“We offered them the use of our shuttle to get back to their destination.
“The bus driver was very apologetic.”
Fullers was still investigating as Gulf News went to press but CEO Douglas Hudson said there was no evidence that days of heavy rain had made the road unsafe.
“Pending the outcome of the investigation it’s fair to say the bus has moved too far to the left,” Mr Hudson said.
Mr Hudson said the driver was offered counselling but had returned to work.
The company was reviewing its use of the turnaround area. A crane was hurriedly brought from Auckland to raise the bus back on to the road. The bus was undamaged.
Mr Hudson said the company took the incident very seriously. Services were suspended on the Carsons Road route for the rest of the weekend before resuming on Monday.
But local residents say the road is simply too narrow for double decker and coach buses and the service should cease or be replaced with smaller buses. Warren Eade, who lives on Musson Drive, says the buses are far too big for several roads on the island’s winery trail.
“I, my wife and my neighbours have all had close calls,” Mr Eade says. “They come around corners well over the centre line. I’ve had two near accidents where I’ve had to come to a complete stop and pull off the road almost into the bank.
“I’ve spoken to Fullers and their response is that it’s a popular route. But those buses are not suitable for these roads.” - Geoff Cumming
WAIHEKE LOCALS ANNOYED AT DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES
NZ Herald, Monday, March 13, 2017
Waiheke locals are being driven crazy by the introduction of double-decker buses on the island, saying the towering vehicles are dangerously clogging the roads.
Since the two-storey "hop on, hop off" buses were introduced on 10 December 2016, locals estimated about five have come off the road and others say it's difficult to safely share the road when passing.
Bus company Fullers, which owns the buses, says the vehicles are legally compliant and no longer or wider than other urban buses and coaches on Waiheke.
Concerned local man Alan Knight said much of the community's frustration came from feeling they had not been consulted before the buses were brought over.
The buses clogged up the roads and annoyed residents who called Waiheke their home year-round, he said.
"We understand there's got to be a tourism industry.
"But the double decker buses, the sudden introduction of them to the island with no consultation with the locals, has been a tipping point.
"Tipping point being the main word as they have tipped off the road into ditches on a number of occasions."
The roads were too small for the buses and it was only a matter of time before "someone has to go home in an ambulance", Knight said.
Waiheke local board chairman Paul Walden said a petition signed by more than 1000 locals had been handed to the board, which fully supported the campaign to get the buses removed.
"The buses are all over the roads because of the size of them. They're not just presenting a risk to themselves but to other road users when they're on a road where there's just not enough room for two vehicles."
It was "blatantly obvious" the buses were not fit for Waiheke's roads. Walden said he was concerned about what would happen with the heavy buses over winter, when the island's many dirt roads became wet and muddy.
The board had spoken to Fullers' chief executive Douglas Hudson about the buses.
"It's fair to say they need to be considering their relationship with the Waiheke community and whether this is in their best commercial interest to keep running their business given such widespread opposition in the community," Walden said.
Hudson said the buses were an environmentally friendly solution to the increasing number of Waiheke visitors who expected quality service.
Waiheke had become a top island destination and its transport should reflect that, he said.
"Initially, we will reduce the frequency of service over the winter, and are looking into some possible changes to the route to minimise and mitigate some of the concerns raised."
Hudson said a formal investigation was undertaken when buses crashed or went off the road and "any learnings are built into risk assessment procedures and training".
Auckland Transport (AT) is undertaking a review of the tour routes after concerns were raised by some residents.
AT spokesman Mark Hannan said the review's findings would be presented to the local board next week, but added recent wild weather would have some impact on the findings.
"If we find there is an issue we will report it to NZTA," Hannan said.
AT did not have the power to take legal vehicles off the road, he said.