AMTRAN Complaints

I DRIVE FOR DATTCO BUS COMPANY IN PLAINVILLE, CT. 06062. I HAD TO DO A CHARTER FOR 9AM ON MONDAY 9-20-04 FROM PLAINVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL TO INDIAN ROCK IN BRISTOL CT. 06010. WHEN I LEFT FOR MY CHARTER I HAD TO SWITCH BUSES WITH ANOTHER DRIVER. WHICH RETURNED TO BE BUS NUMBER 1804 WITH AIR BRAKES. I LEFT FOR MY CHARTER AND HEADED FOR INDIAN ROCK. WHERE I HAD FOUND BUS 1804 GOING VERY SLOWLY UP ROUTE 69 ( WOLCUTT ST. BRISTOL, CT. ) THERE WAS BIG BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE BUSES TAIL PIPE, THE FAN FOR THE TEMPATURE NEVER CAME ON THE WATER PRESSURE WAS 230, I CALLED IT IN TO MY DISPACHER JUDY AND INFORMED HER , I MADE IT TO INDIAN ROCK. WHEN I PULLED INTO INDIAN ROCK TO DROP THE PASSENGERS OFF. THE ANTIFREEZE CAME RUSHING OUT OF THE BUS. I CALLED DISPATCH TO SEE WHAT TO DO, SHE TOLD ME TO LEAVE THE BUS THERE AND TO COME BACK WITH ANOTHER DRIVER, SO I DID. I GOT BACK TO THE YARD, EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AGAIN TO THE DISPATCHER JUDY. AND THEN I LEFT, WHEN I RETURNED TO PICK THE PASSENGERS UP. JUDY INFORMED ME THAT SHE HAD CALLED NEW BRITIAN OFFICE FOR THE MECHANIC TO COME FIX THE BUS, HE REFUSED TO COME AND SAID THE BUS WILL BE FINE IT WAS JUST THE OVER FLOW OF THE ANTIFREEZE. AND THE BUS WILL BE FINE TO DRIVE WHEN SHE MEANING (ME) RETURNS TO PICK THE PASSENGERS UP. SO NO ONE CAME TO LOOK AT THE BUS, NOR TRY TO FIX IT. I UNDER HAND HAD TO RISK MY LIFE AND PASSENGERS TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE SCHOOL, I WAS NOT SURE IF I COULD REFUSE TO DRIVE THE BUS. SO I DID, WE DID INDEED GET BACK TO THE SCHOOL SAFETLY, I TOLD MY BOSS I WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE ON THE WHOLE SITUATION AND I WILL NEVER DRIVE ANOTHER BROKEN BUS AGAIN. THE BUS STILL IS NOT FIXED NOR HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AND ANOTHER DRIVER CONTIUES TO DRIVE THE BUS ALL DAY LONG WITH PASSENGERS.*AK

EXPEIRENCING ELECTRICAL HARNESS MELT DOWN ON INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BUSES. USE THE LATEST AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. IT APPREARS TO BE THE WIRE HARNESS FOR THE HEATERS BEFORE AND AFTER THE HEATER SWITCHES, INCLUDING THE SWITCHES ARE MELTING AND SHORTING TO GEATHER. ON THIS BUS THE BREAKER FAIL TO OPEN, THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMMING FROM THE SWITCH PANEL TURNED OFF ALL SWITCHES, INSPECTED AND CALLED FOR SERVICE.*AK

WHILE TOWING MY 5TH WHEEL TRAILER DOWN THE ROAD DOING A SPEED OF 60 TO 65 MPH ON HWY 95 IN NEVADA. 22 MILES NORTHWEST OF LAS VEGAS, MY LEFT FRONT TRAILER TIRE HAD THE TREAD SEPERATE FROM THE TIRE. IT STILL HAD 80 PSI OF AIR PRESSURE IN IT.. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD THAT I HIT. IT SEPERATED WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR TELL TAIL SIGN OF FAILURE. TIRE WAS ADJUSTED IN VEGAS BY TED WEIN TIRE.. THANK YOU DAN ROOKS (DOT NUMBER:, TIRESIZE: 245 75R16)

RECALL # 98V301000 AM-TRAM/ DOOR HINGES; RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED APRIL 99. SCHOOL HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AT LEAST 4 TIMES FOR PARTS. PARTS ARE NEVER AVAILABLE TO CORRECT RECALL. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE DOOR HINGES IN FEB. OF 99 . AS OF TODAY THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE . *AK

DRIVER STOPPED VEHICLE WHEN A STRONG ODOR OF DIESEL FUEL AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WAS DETECTED. WHEN THE ENGINE COVER WAS OPENED SMOKE AND DIESEL FUEL SPRAY BLEW INTO THE FACES OF THE DRIVER AND OTHERS. FUEL CONTINUED TO SPRAY INTO THE OCCUPIED PASSENGER AREA UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. A COATING OF FUEL COATED THE UNDERCARRIAGE, EXTERIOR SIDES AND BACK OF VEHICLE BODY. A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR PUMP ON A REPLACEMENT UNIT PROVIDED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO PREVIOUS PUMP MALFUNCTIONS WAS SPEWING OIL. APPROXIMATELY 25-30 GALLONS OF FUEL CONTAMINATED THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF VEHICLE.

'J' HOOKS THAT HOLD THE BODY TO THE FRAME WERE MISSING, CAUSING BODY TO SHIFT ON THE FRAME. (1ST VEHICLE ON 509555)