Two people died and eight were hospitalized after a head-on collision late Sunday between two airport shuttle buses on South Perimeter Road near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, authorities said.
Wow. Just when you think you’re safe because you’ve landed and gotten off the plane…I guess it shows you how much more dangerous it is to travel by ground. My condolences to the families of the deceased.
One question: I know these buses DID NOT collide on the tarmac, but if a shuttle bus travelling between terminals crashes, does the NTSB have jurisdiction over an investigation, or is it still up to local law enforcement? My guess would be the latter, but I know the feds get a little antsy when dealing with incidents on airport grounds. Just wondering. (Does anyone still even have buses going between terminals? I remember riding them all the time when connecting in PIT before the airport was…well, rebuilt)
The NTSB does all sorts of accidents all over the country including automobile, marine, railroad, etc.
I understand that, but would they be the lead investigative agency, or would local law enforcement investigate as if it were a crash on a public thoroughfare?
Local law enforcement would be the primary agency.
Even though adjacent to the airport grounds it’s “outside the fence” and therefore is just another public thoroughfare.
Even when a vehicle collision takes place within the airport’s perimeter, unless an aircraft is involved the NTSB will not usually be involved and the lead agency would be the airport’s police or some other local police agency.
As JHEM said, I’d be surprised if the local government didn’t handle this one themselves.
Also, just heard on the news that it was probably all airport employees on the buses.
Unbelievable… is usually the only word I can use to describe my rides on those airport shuttle (short) busses. Those drivers do a good job and usually drive the same short route over and over. Unlike most drivers I encounter daily, they know every square inch of their vehicle and how to drive them well.
I lived outside of FLL for a bit, and the South Perimeter Road is also one of the access roads to to the public viewing area of 9L/27R. The roads are very curvy and have several blind spots, and run parallel to runway 9R. The buses, i assume being very used to the routes, dont slow down much at all on those roads. Ive had a couple of close calls going around those curves.