Lucano Bus crashes, 2 dead, 10 injured south of Nuevo Laredo
Jul 5, 2008 Featured, For your information, Mexico Today
A bus owned by Autobuses Lucano of Dallas Texas, traveling from San Luis Patosi, SLP to Houston Texas crashed 35 miles south of Nuevo Laredo Thursday morning, killing 2, including a pregnant 19 year old woman whose body was found under the bus and injuring 10.
The injured were taken to hospitals in Sabinas Hidalgo NL and Cruz Roja in Nuevo Laredo.
Juan Carlos Flores Sanchez, Commandander of Federal Police Highways, reported initial investigation and interviews with passengers suggested the driver fell asleep at the wheel shortly before the bus left the highway and overturned.
The driver left the scene and a warrant was issued with the Nuevo Leon State Police for his arrest and detention.
This morning, it was reported that representatives of Lucano and their insurance carrier appeared before the Agencia Publico Ministerio and accepted full responsibility for the accident and agreed to cover all costs of the victims of the accident.
(How wild is that? A company accepting responsibility and doing the right thing instead of bringing legions of lawyers in to keep it tied in the courts for years.)
As of this morning, the driver still has not been located. Under Mexican law, he will lose his Licencia Federal de Conductor for a minimum of 10 years, although with the loss of life, it will probably be a lifetime suspension. When found, he will be held in a State prison until a Judge reviews the evidence and renders a decision.
On a personal note: I fail to see the logic in some of these drivers disappearing from the scene of major accidents. I understand why they do it as penalties in Mexico are criminal instead of civil as they are in the US, and commercial drivers can expect to be detained if the investigators determine fault to be with them. But logically, the freedom is short lived. The company knows who they are. They have on file, all of their qualifications and information, so locating them is only a matter of time and the disappearance only compounds the problem.
With Lucano, it seems this company has a pattern of accidents involving tired drivers. Without regard to the fact that these types of coaches are equipped for a team operation, with a bunking area on the right side of the bus for the co driver to sleep when not on duty.
Sept. 20, 2002: Several passengers were injured after a bus operated by Dallas-based Autobuses Lucano Inc. and Houston-based Tres Amigos Tours went off the road and hit a tree in Jasper County, Miss., because the driver and replacement driver tried to switch seats while the bus was moving at 70 mph
Oct. 7, 2005: A bus owned and operated by Autobuses Lucano Inc. and Transportes Lucano Inc., two Houston-based companies, was involved in an accident in Mexico, according to court records. Two passengers injured in the accident sued..
And this is not an indictment of all Mexican bus companies. Ones such as ETN and Omnibuses de Mexico in addition to Primera Plus, offer excellent and safe service throughout Mexico. I know. I have been a passenger on them.
Perhaps it is time for the SGT and PFP to take a look at better ways to manage this phenomenon of drivers disappearing from accident scenes or perhaps bystander should get personally involved until authorities arrive.
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Tags: Accidents, features, gallery, Mexico, Nuevo Laredo, PFP
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August 8th, 2008 at 6:27
On october 7th, 2005 my mother Teodora Diaz was killed. A Lucano bus driver fell aesleep in Road 57 Saltillo-Matehuala Mexico km 118. Your date and information doesn´t match. Justice doesn´t exist!
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August 8th, 2008 at 6:43
Senora, Our sincerest condolences on the loss of your mother.
Some of the information was taken from other sources and I am sure I overlooked some incidents. I am still trying to find a USDOT number to look closer at this company.
If you have anything you would care to add here, feel free to do so.
Hopefully, this article didn’t trigger any bad memories for you. That was never the intent
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August 12th, 2008 at 10:35
On 8-12-08, I was entering the city limits of Belton, Texas ,heading North on IH-35, at 70 mph. A Lucano bus, blue with white stars all over, passed me like I was sitting still. The bus had to be going 80 mph or better and had many passengers on board. I was so concernrd that I had to look up the company. Wanted to make sure it wasn’t one of the Angel tour group that the Feds just shut down due to the crash in Sherman.
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August 12th, 2008 at 11:04
Write to your Representatives in Congress to do something about these bus lines. There is a bill co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison that would require seat belts and safety glass on charter buses. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Ted Poe are supporting it already. Write, write, write, please.
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September 5th, 2008 at 3:36
I DEFINITELY DONT RECOMMEND THEM!
MY MOM USES THEM TO SEE MY GRANDFATHER BUT THEIR SERVICES HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE….
SHE LEFT MEXICO AT 3 PM TAKING THE EARLY BUS THINKING SHE WOULD ARRIVE TO HOUSTON EARLY THE NEXT MORNING BUT SHE DIDNT! THEY TRANSFERED HER AND AROUND 10 OTHER PEOPLE TO DIFFERENT BUSES AND SHE GOT HERE IN A VAN, NOT A BUS…. AROUND 6 O’ CLOCK THE NEXT DAY… SHE COMPLAINED OFCOURSE AND ALL THEY DID WAS OFFER HER HALF OFF HER NEXT BUS TICKET…….
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September 5th, 2008 at 11:25
Agreed Karla. The strange thing is this company is not listed anywhere with FMCSA nor on their new website to search bus companies at http://www.ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/Passenger/find_carrier.asp
Very strange.
Anyone can get me a USDOT number off the side of one of their buses and send it via the contact form, it would be appreciated
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September 15th, 2008 at 9:07
My dad just arrived this past week from San Luis Potosi and he told me that they are still in business, but they are using different bus line names to carry the people he had to change busses like 3 times and each one with different names, but the ticket was sold in San Luis Potosi by Lucano’s. I know about the service, because I had the worst experience when I went to Mexico last year. Never take Lucano’s.
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September 15th, 2008 at 9:28
I have noticed a marked decrease in the number of coaches on the highway between Laredo and Houston, most notably Lucano’s.
Last Thursday, I took a Transporte Del Norte coach from Nuevo Laredo to the airport in Apodaca to catch a flight to Juarez. Excellent service as usual, as only you can find on a Mexican bus.
I’ve also noticed fares are being reduced on some of the major Mexican bus companies which might be another option for your father.
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October 6th, 2008 at 1:38
Just wanted to know if anyone knows of a bus line other than Lucano that leaves from Houston to Rioverd San Luis Potosi.
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