Replies

I thought of the city commandeering school buses for an evacuation, but I wondered where they'd get all the drivers.

I'm sure that the normal drivers - otherwise normal folks with families - had more immediate things to do than drive a big high-sided vehicle in 100mph winds.

With enough foresight I suppose they could have crosstrained police or National Guard to drive them but with turnover even that would be a daunting task.

No plan survives first contact with the enemy.

>>>With enough foresight I suppose they could have crosstrained police or National Guard to drive them but with turnover even that would be a daunting task. >>>

Enough Foresight? A weeks warning? Years of KNOWING what would happen if a hurricane of that magnitude hit? How much freaking foresight do you want? Every mayor that has been in office should have had a MAJOR EVACUATION PLAN IN ACTION IN CASE THIS VERY THING HAPPENED. Now watch all the finger pointing.

"..but I wondered where they'd get all the drivers."

NO sits beneath the water, has been since time memorial, Hurricanes in that area are no stranger, the levee has always meant a threat to flooding, a PLAN for this type of emergency would have provided for drivers. Obviously, Nagin's Plan was equivalent to Kerry's 'Plan'.

The average person can drive a school bus, if they are able to drive a U-Haul/Ryder moving van. I am a licensed bus driver. Many of the school buses manufactured in the last twenty (20) come with automatic transmissions. As long as the individual stays between the lines, and there are not too many turns, didn't have to backup the buses, the problems could be kept to a minimum. I remember that the first bus that arrived at the Astrodome was driven by an 18 year old, without a commercial drivers license. Also I bet there were several hundred evacuees that had some type of truck license, and could also drive the buses.

First of all they would never have sent people out in buses in 100 mph wind, but wait until the wind subsided. Also no one said that people needed to drive even at the posted speed limit, of 55 mph, more like 65 mph. Each group could have traveled at 45 mph, with some type of escort, the trip would have taken a little longer. Also rest stops could have been closed to the public, and fuel depots with NG or active duty troops and their fuel trucks, to keep the buses fueled. To keep the buses moving back and forth between Texas and New Orleans. But that was not to be, cause the Mayor, wanted to only Greyhound type coaches to move the people out. The other funny thing is that NO Greyhound bus terminal is adjacent or worse part of the Superdome complex. Instead of using it as gateway out of N.O., it is being used as a temporary city jail facility, go figure.