Bus Safety Investigation - Interim Factual Statement - Campbelltown Runaway Bus MO 5086 - 9 June 2017 - Discontinued

This investigation has been discontinued. 

What happened

At 0956 on Friday, 9 June 2017, a Busabout bus MO 5086, rolled into roadside guard railing unmanned. Previously the driver of the bus had experienced technical difficulties in relation to the brakes of the bus locking on. As the driver approached the intersection of Gilchrist Drive and Kellicar Road in the suburb of Campbelltown, the rear brakes of the bus locked on. In order to circumvent the bus’s management control system, the driver isolated power from the battery to the bus. Unbeknownst to the driver, by doing

so, this also disengaged the rear brakes of the bus.



The driver had forgotten to apply the park brake, which allowed the bus to roll across the intersection and into a guard rail in an unmanned state. The driver immediately alerted people in the vicinity of the runaway bus of the impending danger. 

Discontinuation

Due to the safety measures implemented by the operator, OTSI considered it was unlikely that further investigation would identify any systemic safety issues or further important safety lessons for the enhancement of transport safety.