The Accident
Anatomy of an accident
Brakes out of ordeer.
Driver inexperienced .

VING and responsibility
Double faces .
A Swedish company?
No responsibility

The Bus
Who was contracted?
Speeding with VING.

Life
Communication lesson.
My life goes on.
Difficult correspondence.

vingkund.com
Sitemap.
Vingkund in media.
Contact.

*Note: Swedish state vehicle inspection uses the following system
3: Critical fault. Immediate blocking of vehicle - it may not be driven - vehicle may only be moved on trailer to garage, but in most cases to junk yard.
2: Serious Fault. Vehicle may be driven to garage to fix fault and then back for immediate re-inspection.
1: Remark. Should be fixed really soon by driver.

The CEO of VING wishes you welcome......

"In other words, we have decided to have everything under total control, from the storefront in your VING travel-shop to the pillow-bags in your hotel bed. We have to do that, to be able to promise you a vacation that stays with you for a long time.
A warm welcome to us this year."
Eivor Andersson, CEO, VING

Considering that the bus which VING put me and 50 other customers in had...

..I questioned that VING had the safety and control which VING promises - and which I paid for.

The answer came from VINGs lawyers since VING never talk to you....

The bus in question was rented by bus operator Larsson Buss Inc. Rental of external buses is extremely common in the business, especially during high season. Larsson Bus Inc. has according to information available had a problem free relationship with the owner of the bus for a number of years. The Bus was 1992 years model and the newest of those who were in regular traffic for VING. The bus was checked without any remarks in may 1995. The wheel-equipment was new on front and traction axis during October 1995. The antilock brake system was tested in November 1995 with among many other things changing of an antilock nozzle. The bus has been subject to normal service- and safety-checks.

Interesting. "The bus was checked without any remarks in may 1995!" wrote VING and their lawyers. Below you can find an extract from the actual report from the safety-check at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Sweden, Svensk Bilprovning, dated the 4th of April 1995.

As you can see there are 7 (seven) serious remarks ("2"). Four of these remark are related directly to the brakes.

Section 4 - Brake system
4.1 (Brakes front)
Uneven [2]
4.2 (Brakes rear)
Uneven [2]
4.7 (Additional)
Interface plug broken- brake-measurement not performed. [2]
4.2 (rear brakes)
Left rear torn away/missing [2]
Section 2 - Suspenders
2.2 Rear Left not checked

Section 7 - Communication
7.2 (Windshield wipers)
Left rear damaged [2]
7.1 (Windshield wipers)
Out of order[2]
7.5 (Headlights)
Outer Left damaged, weak light[2]

With seven "2's" (Serious faults) in the protocol the bus has to be overhauled and re-inspected.

Below is the report from the re-inspection with one "2" (Serious fault) and two "1's" (remarks) - from the bus that VING describes as " checked without any remarks " and "the newest of those who drove for VING" The bus has 52.000 metric miles on the odometer

4 - Brake system
4.1 (Front brakes)
Uneven [2]
4.2 (Rear Brakes)
Rear axis uneven[1]
4.7 (Additional)
Brake testing not performed - interface plug not reachable[ ]

Showing 4/5 before 15.00
4 - Brake System
4.1 (Front Brakes)
Uneven [1]

I don't know what to say.

After the re-inspection to the accident the bus was driven an additional 13.000 metric miles. After the accident a technical report on the bus wreck was performed. Here is what the German report says about the brakes....


A translation based on the German I learned in school many years ago would be something like this....

  • The brakes-blocks on the right axis (off-running blocks) are used up and in the area around the first joint broken. (see slide 61-64 in appendix)
  • The brake-drum on second axis to the left and right shows traces from overheating. (see slide 58 and 59 in appendix)
  • The impulse-transmitter to the antilock system ABS right front and left back is out of order.
  • The four-circuit nozzle is defect. Securing of circuit 2 (securing brakes for front and rear axis) is not guaranteed.
  • The dust-protectors on the brake-drums right and left rear (3rd axis) is torn away. (See slide 71 and 72)

I know a lot about buses now and can tell you that the antilock system ABS, for safety reasons ironically, is duplicated on all buses and always use two different transmitters.

Unfortunately were the two transmitters which were out of order connected to the same circuit . The antilock system was, in other words, out of order.

The driver, or someone else, disconnected the warning-lamp on the dashboard which indicates that the antilock system is out of order.

Now, what did VING write....