Japan Press Weekly

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2016 January 13 - 19 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Deregulation underlies deadly bus crash in Nagano

A ski tour bus crashed off a mountain road in Nagano Prefecture at around 2 a.m. on January 15, killing 15 people and injuring 26 others. All the victims, except two drivers, were in their late teens up to 30s.

Nagano Police immediately investigated the bus operating company and travel agency which organized the tour. It is becoming clear that excessive deregulation in the chartered bus industry has helped lead to the sloppy management of the bus operation.

The driver who was driving at the time was a 65-year-old man. He was hired in December last year as a contract worker. Before becoming employed, he neither had a health checkup nor a bus driver aptitude test.

According to the police, the bus operator, ESP, gave the two drivers a trip instruction document which was different from a route paper of the tour company. The document only states the points of departure and arrival but nothing about the route.

Deregulation makes new entries into bus business easy

Professor at Hokkai-Gakuen University Kawamura Masanori, a labor economist, told Akahata in an interview that relaxation of restrictions underlies the fatal bus accident. His comment is as follows:

The government implemented the easing of regulations of the chartered bus industry in 2000. ESP is one of the new entrants from outside the industry into the bus business. It just started its bus service two years ago.

The deregulation makes it possible for anyone who wishes to enter the business if they meet certain requirements, which led to the doubling of the number of newcomers after 2000.

Most tiny companies have weak management bases, and wage levels of drivers are normally very low. Therefore, there have been concerns about the lack of proper labor management.

In addition, bus operators do not always abide by the transport ministry’s directive to improve their operations. How to effectively carry out the regulatory system should be called into question.

Regarding the working environment of bus drivers, the number of serious accidents attributable to some kind of health problem increased by 40% in 2011 from a year earlier. In the chartered bus business alone, the number of such cases went up from eight to 21. Reportedly, the two drivers taking turns at the wheel were in their 50s and 60s, and the industry as a whole has been facing the aging problem. In addition, overnight driving puts increasing pressure on drivers in general.

It is necessary for the government to review and revise the regulations of the bus business. It should also improve working conditions of bus drivers as professional drivers have a higher probability for death from overwork than any other job category. Their working hours, including nightshifts, irregular shifts, portal-to-portal hours, and rest hours, should come under strict review.

Past related articles:
> Bus drivers work under tough conditions [February 12&15, 2014]
> Harsh working conditions for chartered-bus drivers [June 28, 2012]
> JCP Kokuta calls for safety regulations on chartered bus industry [May 19, 2012]
> Bus tour business puts profits first over safety [April 30 and May 1, 2012]