Alex Kirkwood
From:
Paul Blane
Sent:
Tuesday, 13 November 2018 3:23 p.m.
To:
Daryn Murphy
Cc:
kevens; Gail Reeves; Rob Braddock; Matthew Lear; Jo Pritchard
Subject:
RE: Metlink SERIOUS Case - 163921 - Referral CRM:0004311
Attachments:
IMG_20181112_171934 (1).jpg; thumbnail_IMG_20181112_172205 (1).jpg
Daryn
Thank you for your prompt action. The bus was immediately quarantined at the Granada depot. You and I
inspected the bus and the following is our findings.
Investigation:
Bus 3438 was found to have a number of hanging grab handles where the plastic that had failed (as shown in picture
208 attached). The cause appears to be the failure of the yellow plastic clamp that is held in place by two bolts and
nuts. The plastic clamp acts as a large washer under the head of the bolt and nut on the other side with the strap in
between. The plastic under the head of the bolt has failed. This allows the plastic to come free and then the head
of the bolt pulls through the strap resulting in the strap coming free from the overhead rail. We load tested the rest
of the hanging grab handles in this bus with all failing. They were tested by twisting the hanger which caused the
plastic clamp to fail and come free. With a hard pull on the handle the strap would come free of the bolt heads and
come off the bar. In some cases the plastic clamp could easily be pulled off. It was agreed that this represented a
design flaw and that all the hanging grab handles need to be removed immediately from all the BCI LV buses. Bus
3410 which was parked nearby was also found to have one strap with the plastic clamp missing from one side.
Hanging grab handles in samples of Optare and KDD buses were inspected and subject to the same tests without
failure. While the assembly appears to be the same in concept it was noted that a different (tougher) type of plastic
used along with bots with large heads. We agreed that the issue was confined to the BCI buses.
The fault had been recorded in the driver’s fault log on 12/11/18. It was also entered into the depot system
12/11/18 but categorised as a level 3 fault. This level of fault only requires attention at the next service. The service
frequency is 8 weeks and the next service due for bus 3438 was 25/11/18.
Action:
We agreed that the quickest thing to do was to remove the hanging grab handles from the BCI LV buses immediately
thus avoiding a passenger relying on a hand hold that may fail. I understand that BCI can supply modified units by
the end of this week. The modified units need to be subject to the same tests and inspected before being released
back into service.
Regards.
Paul Blane | Fleet Transition Manager
Bus Services Transformation
M 021 734 386 15 Walter St, Te Aro, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 11646, Manners St, Wellington 6142 |
metlink.org.nz
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We’re on our way to a new bus network for the Wellington region. To find out what it means for your journey go to
metlink.org.nz/onourway
1
From: Jo Pritchard
Sent: Tuesday, 13 November 2018 12:26 PM
To: Paul Blane <[email address]>; Daryn Murphy <[email address]>
Cc: kevens <[email address]>; Gail Reeves <[email address]>; Rob Braddock
<[email address]>; Matthew Lear <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Metlink SERIOUS Case - 163921 - Referral CRM:0004311
Hi all,
Just spoke to Paul who is going out to meet with Daryn this afternoon.
Should this prove to be an issue across several buses or fleet types, Paul will recommend that the hand straps be
removed for the time being until a solution is found.
These buses will not then comply with the RUB, but we agreed that this is preferable to taking a potentially large
number of buses off the road.
Regards
Jo
From: Paul Blane
Sent: Tuesday, 13 November 2018 12:14 PM
To: Daryn Murphy <[email address]>
Cc: kevens <[email address]>; Jo Pritchard <[email address]>; Gail Reeves
<[email address]>; Rob Braddock <[email address]>
Subject: FW: Metlink SERIOUS Case - 163921 - Referral CRM:0004311
Importance: High
Daryn
Please see the attached photos and issues raised below. If it has not already done so, please can this bus be
removed from service pending a repair and investigation. I would also like to look at this with you.
Thank you, regards.
Paul
From: Jo Pritchard
Sent: Tuesday, 13 November 2018 11:38 AM
To: Matthew Lear <[email address]>; Paul Blane <[email address]>
Cc: Gail Reeves <[email address]>; Rob Braddock <[email address]>
Subject: FW: Metlink SERIOUS Case - 163921 - Referral CRM:0004311
Importance: High
Hi both,
The below serious complaint has come through to us regarding a broken hand strap on a route 110 service this
morning (Fleet no. 3438). Photos of the broken strap are attached.
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Paul – are you please able to raise this with Tranzurban to ascertain whether this is a one off, or if this is a design
flaw across a particular vehicle model?
Matthew – Do you think this needs to be logged as a KESAW incident? If so – let me know and I can do that.
Cheers
Jo
From: Metlink Resolve <[email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, 13 November 2018 11:23 AM
To: Ajit Ranchhod <[email address]>; Alex Mersi - Tranzurban <[email address]>; Bruce
Horsefield <[email address]>; Christina Taurua <[email address]>; Craig Ferguson -
Tranzurban <[email address]>; Gail Reeves <[email address]>; grahama
<[email address]>; Hannah Geddis <[email address]>; HR - Tranzurban <[email address]>;
Jai Bakshi <[email address]>; James Howard - Tranzurban <[email address]>; Jenna Snelgrove
<[email address]>; Jo Pritchard <[email address]>; kevens <[email address]>; Leona Irsevic
<[email address]>; Matthew Lear <[email address]>; Metlink Resolve
<[email address]>; Natalie Cobden - Tranzurban <[email address]>; Pippa Simm
<[email address]>; Rhonda Brown <[email address]>; Rob Braddock
<[email address]>; Stephen Hay <[email address]>; Susan Wilson <[email address]>;
Wayne McDonald - Tranzurban <[email address]>
Subject: Metlink SERIOUS Case - 163921 - Referral CRM:0004311
Importance: High
The following serious case has been referred to Tranzurban. The deadline for response is 14/11/2018
11:21
Resolve portal users may access this case at:
https://resolveportal.intergen.net.nz/referred/casedetails/?id=dcb1fd41-c1e6-e811-80f7-
00155d1d03ad
Resolve CRM users may access this case at:
https://resolve.intergen.net.nz:443/main.aspx?etc=112&id=dcb1fd41-c1e6-e811-80f7-
00155d1d03ad&histKey=480909656&newWindow=true&pagetype=entityrecord
Type - Complaint
Code - Vehicle
Sub-Code - Safety
Description - Today I went flying when the handstrap on bus number 3438 snapped in my hand under
moderate deceleration, luckily I crashed into a solid sort of bloke a metre away so I didn't hit the floor
or smash into some little old lady. The handstrap is clearly defective as per the pictures and it's not
the only one. About half the handholds have one of the yellow clasps missing, maybe the screws are
too small or the holes to big and they just separate, but whatever the reason, this is dangerous as it
can't even hold an average persons weight if they are split.
I would strongly suggest you get them all checked and replace the dodgy ones, and not just on this
bus but any of the same make and model. Wellington buses are already in the news for the wrong
reasons so please don't add travelers getting injured from dodgy hand straps to the list. I think this
counts as a formal notification of a health and safety risk.
Route - 110 - Emerald Hill - Upper Hutt - Lower Hutt - Petone
Destination/Direction -
Date/Time of Incident - 13/11/2018 10:24
Location -
Fleet - 3438
Licence Plate -
Staff Name/Number -
3
Staff Description -
Departure Time -
Advised of Delay - No
Service Tracked -
The Metlink Feedback Team
Greater Wellington Regional Council
0800 801 700
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