June 7, 1991 Classifieds $86-6222 Office. Editorial 985-2131 Display Advertising 980-6511 Distribution 986-1337 FRIDAY Test drive the Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo Automotives: a 92 pages YT Te pt te re mrt oo aEwe photo Terry Peters Day at the track NICOLE MACARTHUR (left) of Ross Road Elementary and Eran Agrios of Brooksbank Elemen- tary are in fuil flight during the Grade 6 giris 200-metre event at Swangard Stadium on Tues- day. The largest sports event for North Vancouver elementary schools, the annual track and field meet saw approximately 900 students from 33 North Vancouver elementary schools compete in more than 100 events. May 31 crash in W. Van linked to lack of mechanical repairs IMPROPERLY adjusted brakes caused the potentially tragic May 31 crash of a West Vancouver Blue Bus, ac- cording to a Motor Vehicle Branch inspector. The S4-passenger 1973 GMC bus was carrying six passenvers al the time of the Friday afternoon crash. dt travelled downaill on 27th Street, veered into a hedee and struck a tree Jocated in a yard at the corner of 27th and Mathers rAvenue. The bus driver were injured. vid a passenger Said Motor Vehicle Branch vehicle inspector Jay Northeou, “The driver could not have possibly stopped that bus, Northcott is responsible — for determining whether or not mechanical defects contributed to or caused tie accident. “dn thi, case there is no doubr that lack of mechanical repairs led and Mathers Ave. to the accident,"" he said, adding, “En point of fact it was an iden- tical circumstance to the asphalt truck. (Last July, oa runaway dump truck loaded with hot asphalc slamimed into a passnger van at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. Two died and seven were injured.) “What should have been done is that the brakes should have been adjusted and we're looking into the reason why they weren't." Said Blue Bus Transit manager Tony Lorage when contacted by the News Thursday, “ld love to cooperate with vou guys, but as of last weekend and the bus incident that occurred on 27th, there has been a change in policy come down to me from city hall that nobedy from here is allowed to say anvthing. It's to be referred to the municipal nianager, Mr. Doug Allan, or to Mayor Sager. Doug Allan told me there are na excen- tions.” Said West Vancovver municipal manager Doug Allan, ‘We're not going to be making any comment SCENE OF May 31 ‘West Vancouver Blue B Bus accident By Michael! Becker News Reporter until we get a chance to see a report from the Motor Vehicle Branch. Until we've done that we'd better see what their findings are.”* Allan said the bus involved in last week's crash had recently been reconditioned in 1989, “When they say refurbishing, they mean from the tires to the gunnels. So that’s one thing, and the second thing is this year, depending on when we get the details from the provincial budget, we have seven vehicles which we will be ordering. And we will ans Nn ie t 27th begin the replucement program this year,"* he said. A West Vancouver Police in- vestigation into the accident con- tinues. Said Sgt. Chris Holmes, ‘When everything is in they'll decide whether to lay charges or not." Meanwhile, West) Vancouver Blue bus rider and accountant Robert Pellatt appealed for a new bus fleet for West Vancouver at a B.C, Transit 1992/93 annual ser- vice plan meeting held Wednesday night in North Vancouver. The meeting was part of a series of regional public meetings held by B.C. Transit to gain input on community transit needs. Said Robert Pellau, “i'm very concerned about the. safety of the buses because the fleet is so old. They (transit officials) acknowl- edged that and indicated there would be nine new buses coming on line by March of neat year But they wouldn't commit any further. “ET reiterated my concern that because the fleet is so old and See Purchase page 5