Why would you report a possible report of people being trapped. Do you realize how people with family on that bus feel reading that ….

I can see YRB not on the job again…….read the roads…

After driving the hwys. for 30 yrs. I witnessed some pretty hairy insane stuff over the years.The one thing which amazed me was the speed that the greydogs travelled at. Obviously they hold the road fairly well but not this time.

Not to defend YRB, as i know they are not the most proficient road contractor in the province, but how are they supposed to be everywhere before the snow?
You can see from the photo that there is still fresh un-tracked snow even at the accident site.
It actually takes some time to plow and sand every kilometer of highway in the region.

Well NyteHawwk, there really is only one solution. We should quadruple the road plowing budget so there is a plow stationed at every 20 km mark so that we can have plowing in 15 minute increments.

Or, when conditions are bad, we can drive to road conditions and use that money saved on plowing for things like education and healthcare. But, there are those who believe the government is a big well of cash and everything can be provided on demand.

It should be noted that in spite of YRB’s perceived negligence, several hundred cars trucks, vans etc., managed to negotiate the same stretch of highway without landing in the ditch.

It’s ridiculous how people continue to abdicate responsibility for their own actions by blaming others. If the roads are chappy then slow down or don’t go. It’s that simple. YRB or any other road maintenance contractors cannot be everywhere at once so you’re going to have to drive to the conditions. Some folks here seem to think that you should be able to drive at 110 kph or higher at ANY time, winter or summer….

YRB doesn’t have the contract for this area of hwy.

Road conditions are crappy, drive to road conditions. Bigger vehicle does not mean you stay on the road better. Good tires are key, weight distribution to the tires is important. pounds per square inch of tire contact is important…. fatter your tires, less pounds per square inch. Too skinny doesn’t work either.

proper rubber softness on tire is very important, with good schipes (sic) to grip the ice as the tire expands over it, creating grip and suction.

Still, those tires can do so much. of course sometimes you need to check the roads. when safe, slowdown to 20km.hr and jam the brakes, if you fill your shorts, than you will drive carefully from then on.

There will be some that feels 80 km/hr is too slow. They will pass you. So let them.

Dumbfounded is correct. The area of the crash is the responsibility of Argo Road Maintenance. Yellowhead only goes just South of Stoner BC.

Yellowheads actual area of responsibility is as follows.

Just South of Stoner on Highway 97 South.
100 Yards North of Mackenzie junction on Highway 97 to the North.
Bednesti Lake on Highway 16 to the West, and
Just West of Crescent Spur (Snowshoe Creek) on Highway 16 to the East.

The contract area contains approximately 1800 kms of road, including portions of Highway 16,97, and 39, as well as 62 bridges.

Gee, Palopu, some people are going to be awfully confused by actual facts.

When I came through that area around 7:30PM, last night, the roads were starting to ice-up. I touched the brakes, a few times to check, and the wheels locked up and skidded. So add a little snow on top and you’ve got a wild ride!
A moments inattention and a heavy trailer, could spin things around pretty fast!
Hopefully all recover from their injuries, without long term effects?

Palopu @ 3:23 pm, “Dumfounded is correct. The area of the crash is the responsibility of Argo Road Maintenance.”

The government web page says the North Cariboo is the responsibility of Emcon Services ( HMC ).

Thanks Digitus. Argo must have changed their name, or lost the contract.

Road maintenance is not soley to blame. We cannot and will not have perfectly maintained roads 24/7. The responsibility ultimately lies upon the drivers to drive to conditions. Time schedules must be sacrificed sometimes in order to travel safely. We are all capable of driving safely, some choose not to. The driver of this bus must be held responsible (at least in part) for what has happened. How many vehicles didn’t crash here? Driving too fast for road conditions is most likely the cause. Never been impressed with the Greydog, they always seem to be trying to make up time. Hope everyone recovers.

I, for one, am not blaming the hiway maintenance crew, it was snowing with a temperature around the freezing mark. A recipe for disaster if one is travelling to fast.