There have been two major accidents where Volvo buses went up in flames in a span of two weeks. After the two tragic incidents resulting in the death of many questions are being raised on the safety of going by the Volvo, and the company's Senior Vice President Akash Passey says they are trying to get operators to follow safety norms more rigorously even as they try to understand the cause of the fires.
Here he tries to answer some of those questions, and says it's every passengers right to demand a safety-demo before a bus starts off, in an interview with CNN-IBN's Deepa Balakrishnan.
CNN-IBN: Any advisories you are giving to passengers in the wake of these incidents?
Akash Passey: First of all, our sincere condolences to those affected by this. I'm here as part of the executive management team of Volvo to support the authorities. Additionally our technical experts from various parts of the world, some with 35 years' experience on safety and accidents, are here go look into the recent incidents.
CNN-IBN: So, basically, a global safety team to review?
Akash Passey: That's right, and this team will extend full support to our teams within the organization and, on behalf of Volvo Buses Corporation globally, to transport authorities or other government bodies, to investigate and seek answers on the recent incidents.
CNN-IBN: Any advisories you are giving to passengers and travel operators?
Akash Passey: Let me first reiterate, Volvo is a safe product and Volvo buses are running in India for the last 12 years. We have 5000 buses running here, touching both A and B category cities in different nooks and corners of India. Our buses have clocked 10 to 12 lakh kilometer and out of 5000, 3000 buses run on long distance routes. What we have done as an immediate measure -- an investigating team to look into it, that's a longer process. As a first step, we're in touch with key operators and for the next couple of days, are moving to other operators go, and are asking them go make sure to make their drivers aware they should not be fatigued when they are driving -- as we have done in our driver training with 19000 drivers. They should also make sure -- be it drivers, cleaners, co- drivers or operators -- make sure the passengers are aware of safety features available on Volvo buses, the exits provided are more than regulations ask for. 80 per cent of the glasses are breakable with a hammer or a solid object... They are looking at specific maintenance too, if there are additional things that operators put on to the vehicles -- it's normal in the service industry -- can that be a safety risk? These are some of the actions we have taken in addition to the investigation which will be ongoing over the next couple of months.
CNN-IBN: So you feel something dangerous was carried on these buses?
Akash Passey: I won't get into a specific incident, all incidents are independent of each other because the circumstances are different. It's not about a manufacturer or a driver or an authority. It's a collaborative approach of things on the road or the road network or road conditions, or road design or driver or driver fatigue or operator maintenance or authorities or fitness certificates. We all need to work together towards it, and that is our intention, that measure has been happening over the years. But we need to do more. And we will in the coming days.
CNN-IBN: Is there a need for better training for drivers, not just as a one- time measure but a periodic one?
Akash Passey: Driver training was started by Volvo 15 years back and I'm happy that other manufacturers have taken on that trend in setting up driver training facilities. We have, at Volvo, for 5000 buses, trained 19000 drivers. When driver training takes place, there are certain guidelines -- such as they should be matriculated, have five years of driving experience, clear a fitness and health test before going in for training. All drivers don't qualify from the driver training institute. The average is about 70 to 72 per cent qualify. 28 to 30 per cent fail to qualify.
CNN-IBN: Yes, but how about a periodic refresher course?
Akash Passey: There are teams that go to the field for field audits. And that includes driver training, but obviously, it's clear we are in a country that has a high accident rate in general on road related accidents. And we need action not just on one side but from all sides, and we will do our bit.
CNN-IBN: Yes we see lots of buses meeting with accidents but not catching fire.
Akash Passey: Again, I won't get into the specifics because it is not good on my part to do so when there are authorities investigating -- and we are collaborating with that and we have our own investigative team. When an investigation on this nature takes place, it is natural to look into detailing - of aspects of road, driver maintenance, manufacturer, authorities and so on. Having said that, this process takes a few weeks - three to four weeks.
CNN-IBN: It's been two weeks since the first accident in Mahboobnagar. What are the preliminary findings of your enquiry? There has been speculation about the fuel tank bursting or the AC duct having inflammable gases.
Akash Passey: I won't like to get into the specifics of the incident, but what I'd like to say is the measures that we are taking form our side in the short term as well as the long term. There are more things to be done as collaborators of all stake-holders which we all in the industry will do additionally. I would like to dispel the story -- I've heard people say the fuel tank blasts. There is nothing like a fuel tank blast, it more or less never happens anywhere in the world, not only from Volvo but from all manufacturers. In Volvo, fuel tanks are built of a special plastic, that's our design across the world, we operate in 110 countries. And in general, there's nothing called a fuel tank blast, of course, fuel can be ignited with a spark and we believe these incidents have been strong-impact accidents where buses have scrubbed around the side of the roads with metal parts. But that has to come out in the investigation. But I want to dispel the idea about a fuel tank bursting.
Now as far as I'm technically aware, whether it's us or other manufacturers, the gas in the air-conditioning is not inflammable. If there is high pressure, the gas bursts open on the air-conditioning, but the gas is not inflammable. But as I said, when an accident happens, there are many causes around it related to road design, drivers, operators, manufactures and so on. It's a combination of events and we need to get together and make right whatever needs to be done.
CNN-IBN: Volvo buses are made for speed and, typically, that would get taken advantage of by drivers who want to over-speed... Is over-speeding a concern?
Akash Passey: I think it's natural when incidents if these kinds happen, not only us, but I believe, transport authorities too have taken good measures in advising operators. We are anyway doing it as a normal part, but whenever these products are built up, they are built up with a power-to-weight ratio, they are built up to move from one destination to another. And it's always that any kind of product has a certain level of speed, and it is for the driver to make sure they are following speed limits.
CNN-IBN: Shouldn't you have safety demos like in aircrafts of what to do in an emergency?
That's already in place for many years. Of course, as life goes on and a bus leaves everyday, sometimes it can be that an operator is not showing the CD or the driver concerned is not showing the safety features. It's very important to do that and that is what we have been doing over the last couple of days, getting in touch again, providing more information if needed but I think the public must make sure, when a bus starts, like in an aircraft, they should demand a safety briefing that is normally available to all operators - whether about the luggage area or the safety exits or other key things, they need to know and we are doing our part in providing this.
CNN-IBN: Are you 'Indianising' your buses, putting in some limits, setting some standards?
Akash Passey: There are a number of standards already in place and we follow those standards. Of course, in a developing economy, it's always that all stake-holders need to get together to keep on improving those standards. If you look at the global accident rate, less than ten per cent of the accident rate is from a developed economy for the reason that all stake-holders have come together, hey have been able to put those practices, whether about the road, or the driver habits or the manufacturer-- regulations are in place. So the accident rate is low. Developing countries are in that process and we have a growing economy, an aspirational economy, so we have a phenomenal growth in road traffic, with a number of vehicles out on the road. But our products meet all safety norms, safety is both active and passive. Active safety in features in the bus that are of things to prevent an accident, passive safety features that are provided which, in case of an accident, prevents the situation from deteriorating. This is an ongoing process, Volvo started it 12 years back to change and bring in a high level of safety consciousness in the Indian bus industry. I'm happy that today other manufacturers have also moved in that direction but obviously from the incidents happening around, we all need to do better.
CNN-IBN: So what does one do in case of a fire?
Akash Passey: There are two fire extinguishers. I'm sure when a bus starts today, each operator is telling passengers that. There are two fire extinguishers, 80 per cent of the glass area is breakable, which means of 12 glasses, ten are breakable, and people can get out of the buses. Of course, if a roll-over happens, there are two roof hatches provided, this is in addition to the other normal features like a passenger door.
CNN-IBN: Do you customize any modifications? I believe, private operators ask for lesser safety features?
Akash Passey: We have a basic product that meets basic levels of quality, safety and environment. We customise in terms of colour, number of seats, within the level of our regulations. If a customer asks for something, it is given. But Volvo is a safe product, it has been around for 12 years. Specific incidents happen with our product, with other products. Together we need to see what better we need to do to avoid such circumstances from repeating themselves.
CNN-IBN: Are you doing a design review in the wake of these two accidents?
Akash Passey: I won't call it a design review. There are investigative bodies both from the government side and our side. We are collaborating with each other and we will see what cones out of it. And whatever needs to be done will be done. Volvo has 30 to 40 safety parameters which are in addition to what are stated in the regulations. We will do whatever more it takes.
CNN-IBN: Can over-speeding cause a fire at all? If there is a impact or crash?
Akash Passey: I don't think speed has anything to do with fire. It does not happen normally. There are many circumstances that lead to a fire so I'm not to speculate. I'm here to say whatever measures need to be taken, we are working together with the authorities and the operators, with a higher focus on drivers. Over-speeding is something we all need to work together on. That's not a concern which just Volvo or any other product has, that's a general concern in India. We should do whatever it takes together to change that.
CNN-IBN: Is there a time line for your enquiry report to come out?
Akash Passey: Normally, an investigation takes anything from four to six weeks, so that process is on. And we are in touch with authorities, with operators and through our service centers, see that maintenance practices are followed. We will do whatever we can to bring back the trust and confidence here.
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