Why Didn't the Buses Come?

[donsu]

Why Didn't the Buses Come?
Bush-Linked Florida Company and the Katrina Evacuation Fiasco


http://www.counterpunch.com/


-snip-

Why did it take nearly a week for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to mobilize private buses to evacuate thousands of city residents desperately seeking rescue from the horrific conditions in the Superdome, the Convention Center and the open tarmac of Interstate 10?

-snip-

So far, the IG's office suspects that that the FAA "did not verify that the services were performed," said David Barnes, a public affairs officer in the Office of Inspector General. As a result, the IG "has raised questions about the FAA's internal controls."

The audit is also focused on Landstar Express America Inc. A trucking and logistics company based in Jacksonville, Fla., Landstar is a politically well-connected corporation that's risen to the top of the U.S. transportation industry without actually owning any trucks. Chairman Jeffrey Crowe served until recently as head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and last April Florida Gov. Jeb Bush appointed him to his Advisory Council on Base Realignment and Closure.

Landstar managed the evacuation contract for the FAA under a $100 million subcontract signed in October 2002. The audit "is an ongoing thing," said Barnes. IG inspectors are still not sure how the contract ended up at FAA, which manages the nation's air traffic control system, he added.

-snip- long article full of info (talks about Rita too)
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a lot of the truck drivers still haven't been paid


a trucking company that didn't own any trucks

in Jeb's Fla. where all sorts of things happen

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Nothing that happens in Jeb's Florida will ever surprise me. nt

[cornermouse]

2. Trucking company without trucks.

Gee. That sounds just a little peculiar. :sarcasm:

[FormerDittoHead]

7. Actually, it's very common.

As an accountant, I've worked for three companies and did just this kind of thing.

Trucks are often leased (from who? read on) for liablity purposes.

The point is that, if there's an accident, death, or any kind of lawsuit for any reason whatsoever, the only money the offended party can sue for is the assets of the operating company. They don't have any assets, as they don't own the trucks!

HOWEVER, the trucks are "leased" from corporations owned and run by the *same* people! Company "b" who owns the trucks is the company with the money & assets, but their asses are covered, because the 'activity' was run by company "a".

[cornermouse]

8. Maybe where you're at.

Around here, although there is some contracting out to independent truckers trucking companies tend to own their trucks.

[EVDebs]

11. Buses from KY and OH were eventually contracted for....and all that gas

and distance. This wasn't exactly planned out.

My old posting of

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4682347

mentions the out of state busing companies from original articles, hopefully still accessible online.

Christian Tours, from No. Carolina; and Croswell Charters and Motorcoach Tours from the Cincinnati OH area are mentioned; "FEMA will pay Croswell and other operators $3 per mile, but that was based on the price of gas being $2.50 a gallon."

Why didn't IEM
http://www.ieminc.com/Whats_New/Press_Releases/pressrelease060304_Catastrophic.htm
plan for more local busing in the first place ? I remember seeing NOLA school buses being offloaded (in Newsweek magazine) and the passengers being reloaded onto the chartered buses. For what it's worth...

[donsu]

19. thanks for explaining that loophole

nt

[Extend a Hand]

3. thx for posting...

this is really sad. I bought shares in landstar back in 2000 after reading an article about how they were focusing on web based software to match up loads and independent drivers to reduce fuel costs for drivers-- I thought that sounded like a really good idea. It's one of the few stocks I've done really well on. :(

[Frustratedlady]

4. Here Is Another Article I Posted Yesterday

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/21/AR2006012100378.html

I can't imagine why the truckers haven't been paid. Landstar certainly has, again and again! What a bunch of crooks.

[Extend a Hand]

5. putting on my tinfoil hat...

This past year a plan for a stock buy back was announced. I hope this isn't a ruse to allow the big dicks to buy back the stock from little investors on the cheap.

[Frustratedlady]

6. Anyone Ever Hear How The Cruise Lines Ended

Up doing? That was one of the craziest plans, of all.

It was almost as though * was delaying his return from Crawford until he knew all their friends/cronies were lined up to get the contracts.

I have a Repub friend who is going to get this article, too. He can't believe the response and mess ups with Katrina/Rita.

As for your stock, I'd keep a close eye on it for suspicious activity. They are patient in their planning and weaving in and out to lose the trail. At least we know one thing for sure. We can't trust them. No need wasting time on THAT detail.

[Kurovski]

10. And here's another story

from the Chicago Tribune of September 23, 2005

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0509230350sep23,1,1130161.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

[Frustratedlady]

17. Pretty Incredible

Did I interpret the last paragraph correctly? Landstar now has an annual contract with a ceiling of $400M, which I imagine can be renegotiated in the case their service exceeds $400M? AND, the company didn't own any buses?

"Landstar's regulatory filing also said that because of Hurricane Katrina, the maximum annual value of its government contract for disaster relief services has been increased to $400 million."

[EVDebs]

9. Outsourcing from FEMA. Hmmm. This after outsourcing the disaster plans

to IEM, with Madhu Beriwalm, President

http://www.ieminc.com/

Exactly how long did it take to outsource all the out-of-Louisiana-state busing companies ?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

12. I knew the buses were an issue a long long time ago

Not that I'm a genius or anything, but when all the Katrina BS was breaking high and wide, a question that was asked by many was, where are the buses? And there were threads about this very question . I tried to look them up tonight but was unsuccessful - maybe someone who knows how to work the searches on DU better than me could help out here. Anyway, we all know about the buses that weren't moved to higher ground and flooded, but I'm talking about why weren't there buses in New Orleans on day 2 of the disaster to move the people out, especially those who were congregated around the Superdome and the Convention Center? Couldn't all of the municipal buses and school buses and church buses from all of the surrounding communities been volunteered/commandeered? Well, yes, they could have. But FEMA and Brownie chose to request, I think it was 5,000 buses from a PRIVATE FEMA contractor - Landstar. As I recall the background of Landstar was interesting, some of which is detailed in the OP.

The point is, that in this case, as in so many, many cases - the focus of FEMA and the Bush administration WAS NOT how can we save people in the quickest way imaginable? NO, it was, as always, what kind of Profit can be wrestled from this tragedy? People DIED in the Superdome and the Convention Center and in plain sight on Interstate 10. They waited for the help that never came. It could have been you or me.

[EVDebs]

13. See some of the old posts in post #11 above, Phoebe ! n/t

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

14. Thanks! See, you were on it long ago

Isn't it frustrating and maddening to see how life altering bs crap was easy to discern when it was happening and now it's like a big surprise. How do these people sleep at night? I am asking that seriously. People died as a result of their actions/inactions.

[EVDebs]

15. Even the TV commentators like Anderson Cooper were hammering BushCo

over the OBVIOUS incompetence and zero national guard presence to get provisions and buses to the designated evacuation centers, like the Superdome.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

16. I'll never get over it. Tony Zambado? Was that his name?

The MSNBC Cameraman who was there with just incredible stories as well as Geraldo. Funny how they were able to make it to the Convention Center but the National Guard was unable to - as well as the Red Cross. I remember that one excuse was that they would not put their people "in harm's way" because of the so-called snipers, looting, etc. How crazy. You would expect the National Guard would be sent in to PREVENT snipers and looting, etc. as well as to mount search and rescue. Not to mention the Northern Command that was deployed and waiting to be activated on by our fearless Commander-in-Chief.

I read a story in a Reader's Digest in a doctor's office not too long ago about some journalist who volunteered with the Red Cross to help in NOLA but who was kept outside by his superiors for the same "we won't risk our personnel" reason. He finally left and manned a car with a friend to bring water and food to NOLA. They drove right in with no problem whatsoever. That was a shocking story. I think of the Red Cross and I think of things like Hemmingway and A Farewell to Arms and people driving Red Cross ambulances during the Spanish Civil War, dodging bullets to save people. Guess not anymore. And again, people died. I donated money to the Red Cross like everyone else during Katrina. No more.

[EVDebs]

18. The Natn'l Guard is preoccupied with the occupation of Iraq

If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military building 'permanent' bases?
ttp://www.fcnl.org/iraq/bases.htm

and the vast amounts of money being thrown around to the Military/Industrial complex insiders now will soon make the US economy that much more weakened to handle future hurricanes etc.

Bush's policies in the Middle East are harming this country. We got out of the first oil crisis in the '70s by conservation policies formed by Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mt. Institute. His new plan, www.oilendgame.com is also about energy conservation and building the economy up.

Preoccupation with oil and natural gas is a lost cause; the world only has enough oil reserves for less than thirty more years. 1 trillion barrels of oil left vs. daily consumption of 84 million barrels (and rising, with India/China boosting consumption patterns).

Shortsighted Bush/Republican policies.