Six Metro Transit buses have caught fire since July

Wednesday afternoon, a Metro Transit bus caught on fire in Bedford. Two passengers and the driver escaped the bus unharmed, and firefighters extinguished the blaze without further incident.

That fire is the sixth time a bus has caught on fire since last summer. Additionally, Metro Transit has experienced three “stack fires” in bus exhaust systems while the buses were being serviced in the transit garages.

Is something amiss at Metro Transit? No, says spokesperson Tiffany Chase.

“These vehicles are in service up to 20 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” writes Chase in an email to The Coast. “With that amount of use and kilometres travelled, they are more susceptible to mechanical issues than a regular passenger vehicle. Also, you will note that most of the buses are 14-19 years of age, and therefore have more wear and tear. These were all isolated incidents, with no systemic cause among them.

“Metro Transit services regularly services its vehicles and they are also routinely inspected by the NS Utility and Review Board,” adds Chase.

Chase provided The Coast with the following summary of bus fires:

Metro Transit Bus Fires 2012-13

April 10, 2013:
Bus #976 Nova Classic High Floor bus, 1996, seats 48 (based out of Ragged Lake)
-Route 81 Hemlock Ravine, nearing end of trip service at the time of incident
-Two passengers and the Bus Operator were on board at the time; everyone exited the bus safely with no injuries.
-Fire still being looked into by Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency services but appeared to originate in the engine compartment.

March 19, 2013:
Bus #993 Nova Low Floor bus, 1999, seats 36 (based out of Ragged Lake)
-Out of Service bus returning to Ragged Lake Transit Centre at the time of the incident.
-There were no passengers on board. The Operator exited the bus and Fire Services arrived and put out the fire. It was then towed back to the garage.
-Origin of the fire in the engine compartment.

January 20, 2013:
Bus #1041 New Flyer Low Floor bus, 2004, seats 36 (based out of Burnside)
-Bus sitting at Portland Hills Terminal at time of incident.
-No passengers were on board, and the Bus Operator departed the bus safely without incident.
-Origin of the fire in the engine/exhaust area of the bus.

September 9, 2012:
Buses #1022 and #1054 New Flyer Low Floor buses, 2004, seats 36 (based out of Burnside)
-Buses were parked at Burnside Transit Centre when they were damaged extensively beyond repair by fire in the late evening hours.
-No one was on the buses; they were parked out of service for the day.
-Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services were not able to determine the cause of the fire.

July 27, 2012:
Bus #1033 New Flyer Low Floor bus, 2004, seats 36 (based out of Burnside)
-Bus sitting at Penhorn Terminal at time of the incident.
-Four passengers and the Bus Operator were on board at the time; all exited the bus safely with no injuries.
– Origin of the fire in the dashboard.

The stack fires occurred at both transit garages, says Chase, “and there was no commonality determined among the three following investigations into each incident.”

This article appears in Apr 11-17, 2013.