At 3:24 p.m. on July 31, 1991, a 1989 72-passenger school bus operated by Mayflower Contract Services, Inc., was traveling eastbound on undivided, two-lane Tramway Road from the Palm Springs (California) Aerial Tramway parking lot. On board the bus were 45 girl scouts and 8 adult advisors. During the descent, the bus increased speed, left the road, plunged down an embankment, and collided with several large boulders. The busdriver and 6 passengers were killed; 47 passengers were injured.
We determined that the probable cause of this accident was the loss of speed control while descending Tramway Road because of the busdriver's use of improper driving techniques for mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident were the out-of-adjustment brakes, which had not been detected in the Mayflower Contract Services, Inc., maintenance reporting and inspection procedures.
We made recommendations to:
- the Federal Highway Administration,
- the State of California,
- the California Department of Education,
- the California Highway Patrol,
- the Mount San Jacinto Winter Park Authority,
- the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances,
- the American Association of State HIghway and Transportation Officials,
- the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services,
- the General Motors Corporation Allison Transmission Division, and
- Mayflower Contract Services, Inc.
