Bus company whose vehicle smashed into bridge later covered up logos to 'protect brand'

The bus company involved in a horror bridge crash in South Melbourne, Australia, on Monday morning has defended its decision to cover up its name and logo at the crash scene, saying they didn’t want to tarnish their brand. All 15 people on board the Gold Bus Ballarat bus, which crashed into a bridge on Montague St about 10.20am, miraculously escaped serious injury despite some being pinned under seats.





Terrified passengers closed their eyes and ducked moments before it smashed into the rail overbridge. Firefighters said it was a miracle ­no one was ­seriously hurt when the 3.8m-high bus tried to go under the 3m bridge. As of Monday night two women and a man remained in the Royal Melbourne Hospital, one woman was at Western Health, and five women were at The Alfred. All were in a ­stable condition. The driver had been sedated after suffering cuts and bruises.

News report is in Dutch and English.

YouTube link.



Police said “driver error” was a factor and he was likely to now face charges. Drivers in nearby cars tried to stop the bus as it turned off Normanby Rd, but the bus continued and smashed into the overpass, its roof peeling back on impact. Security camera footage captured the moment of impact, showing the bus slam into the bridge. Onlookers were surprised when a man turned up at the scene and started taping over the bus company name to obscure it from gathering media.





Gold Bus Ballarat director Matthew Baird defended the decision, saying it was usual practice after a crash to protect their brand. “That’s standard protocol whenever there is a vehicle involved in an accident,’’ he said. “Notwithstanding the severity of the situation we’re out to protect our brand and to make sure that we don’t tarnish our brand with a vehicle that is obviously in quite bad disrepair. It doesn’t mean any disrespect.”