Make mine a double.
Oh shit.
I hope everyone involved recovers and that there are no serious injuries.
I guess we’ll have to wait for the outcome of the investigation…
Excuse the low res, but this came-up in my faecesbook feed today - Norwich, 3.3.1988 - sinkhole presumably:
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Norfolk sink hole, proper sink hole.
Earlham Road, if I am not mistaken. I was at UEA 1990-94 and that top photo was framed on the wall where I used to get my hair cut.
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Another space in Norfolk for vehicles that didn’t fit as much as expected?
When Manchester was plagued with jerrybuilt sewage system collapses, were they not measured according to the DDB scale? I.e. how many double decker buses would fit into the hole?
Interestingly no mention of the millions of euros worth of welfare money owed to the Belgian Government…
I hope some meaningful action is taken:
If the operators didn’t treat us like cunts, there wouldn’t be sych a crisis.
No facilities; shite pay; no respect.
No drivers…
Actually, one can drive a PCV from the age of 18 but one cannot drive further than 50km or 30 miles from the depot.
Also, when I applied, the company requirement was a clean license held for a minimum of three years.
Would you guys be happy being driven around in a large vehicle of up to 19 tonnes by someone with less than a years experience on the road?
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Anyhoo; found this just now:
British designed 'deckers do sell very well in the US. The Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 and it’s derivatives.
ADL is owned by NFI, a Canadian firm. 
As opposed to a fully automated bus with no driver?
Here’s the thing about ‘Automation’ and buses. The nature of the industry; culture and otherwise preclude it’s timely* introduction.
Unlike cars, buses are low volume units unique to the markets where they are sold.
There is no world bus. Many attempts have been made to create a world bus.
This means the economies of scale to design and build reliable systems to support automation are unlikely to work.
Buses last longer than cars. Design life is around 12 years although some boast longer design lives.
They operate in harsh conditions of course; the maintenance regime in the UK- on paper that is- takes this into account.
Here’s the rub though:
“Supply chain issues” mean many parts are on back order. Sensors and shit like that.
Oh and the Intelligent Speed Assist is laughably unreliable!
Fuck, some of our Milkfloats have seat backs on back order. In that case, this has been going on for about six months.
Then one must find Engineers to service and repair this stuff.
And all that is for ‘conventional’ buses!
An interesting article re: Automated Buses:
Won’t happen for many years yet… 
*Edited.
I must also add that traditionally, the UK has long been quite behind in adopting new technology. I can’t help wondering if this is because of a lack of investment…
How long did it keep hold of rear loading double decker buses for example?
Took ages to adopt metal framed bodywork; air suspension; air brakes and other important innovations compared to other countries…
Reminds me of the “when I die, I want to go in my sleep like my grandad, not screaming in terror like his passengers”.
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Interesting letter:
If this inspired the Altoona Test, fuck… That test is really harsh!
Altoona Test Procedures:
Introduction | Penn State Engineering)%2C%20and%20Emissions.
Interesting: