Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to Purchase New Buses
Chicago bus riders will be enjoying the benefits of new buses as early as 2016. The new buses will CTA replace buses that are 15-years old. According to the Chicago Tribune, the $68.5 million purchase is part of a $220 million Chicago bus modernization program. Since 2011, 425 new buses have been added to the fleet. The majority of the buses in the current fleet were manufactured by New Flyer Industries Inc., based in Canada. The new buses will be 40 feet long and will feature LED-lighting, multiple security cameras and improved fuel economy.
The manufacturer of the buses, Nova Bus, has provided information on safety features equipped on some of its bus models. The safety features refer to the design, materials and stability of the bus, as well as, the security video features. The security cameras on a bus are a tremendous asset to a personal injury investigation as they provide important information about what happened during the accident. The parties to the lawsuit, and potentially a judge and jury, can see for themselves what took place. For the most part, the driver is not recorded while operating the bus, but there is footage from multiple cameras of the interior of the bus and the exterior of the bus.
In cases involving other vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists, the video recording often shows the sequence of events. It is important that a personal injury initially attorney sends a letter and/or files a Motion to Preserve Evidence requesting that this material be preserved, along with the driver's employment file and the investigation data. Every effort should be made via a Motion to Compel to obtain all the documents pertaining to the accident. The data contained on the security camera may provide incredible footage of the incident, leading to a better settlement or verdict.
The attorneys at Rubin, Machado & Rosenblum, Ltd. are eager to assist you with your bus accident case. Contact us today for a free consultation.
