We hear and read of road accidents all the time, this time a head-on collision has
claimed one of our own, 
Bruce Kent, 5th Muppet Intake of July '74 - MTP ... 
I received this today from Peter Maher, forwarded on from Calum Bannatyne... 
Peter
This came in this morning.
My mate from down the sunshine coast sent this to see if I knew Bruce.
Bruce was originally from Zeehan, Tas. He joined Nirimba around 1974/75 as an MTP.
Bruce was posted to HMAS BRISBANE in time for the Spithead review/ Silver Jubilee trip of 1977.
As soon as I have more info I will post it.
At present I am battening down the hatches as cyclone Hamish gets closer to us.
Cheers
Calum
Attached was the news article on the crash, which I've transcribed below...
Tragic loss in Yandina bus crash horror
6:00a.m. 5th March 2009
| By Anne-Louise Brown
Sunbus operations manager, Bob Carney, inspects the scene of the fatal crash at Kulangoor where one of his drivers was killed. Photo: Brett Wortman/181270
Fatal crash at Kulangoor
The look on the face of Sunbus manager Bob Carney said it all.
Like Bruce Kent's co-workers, he was absolutely shattered by the death of the long-time driver in yesterday's crash near Yandina.
"He was an all-around great guy – the sort of employee you love to have," Mr Carney said of the 50-year-old driver.
"He was one of the company's longest-serving employees, with 16 years' service. There will be an empty space where Bruce was."
No warning
There was little warning.
Just the sound of brakes, the screams of passengers and a huge bang as a four-wheel-drive and a bus collided head-on just south of Yandina yesterday.
Noosa bus driver Bruce Kent, 50, one of Sunbus's longest-serving employees, had no chance of survival.
He was crushed by the four-wheel-drive, with his seat pushed back into a passenger.
Mr Kent died at the scene.
Fourteen passengers were injured – eight of them taken to Nambour General Hospital.
The crash happened about 11am at the intersection of Nambour Connection Road and Ayshire Road.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service officers freed the driver of the four-wheel-drive and a trapped bus passenger.
The 26-year-old male driver of the four-wheel-drive was put in an induced coma before undergoing surgery at the Nambour hospital yesterday afternoon. He was in a critical but stable condition.
A 56-year-old woman with multiple injuries and a 17-year-old female with head injuries were seriously hurt in the accident. A further five people were taken to hospital with minor chest, leg and arm injuries.
Four others were treated at the scene.
A police spokesman said initial investigations indicated the four-wheel-drive veered into the path of the bus.
"Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash and are interviewing passengers. Surveillance footage from inside the bus is also being reviewed," the spokesman said.
"From evidence at the scene, it appears the bus was in the correct lane at the time of the accident and the four-wheel-drive was travelling in the wrong lane."
The stretch of Nambour Connection Road where the accident happened was recently resurfaced and there were no line-markings.
Kimberly Blackburn, 17, was on the bus. She emerged shaken, but uninjured.
"I looked up and saw the four-wheel-drive on the wrong side of the road," she said.
"Everyone screamed, then the four-wheel-drive crashed into us. It was coming straight for the bus.
"The bus driver was crushed up. He was unconscious."
Malcolm Sanderson, 73, of Noosa, was just five minutes from home when he was suddenly thrown from his seat at the back of the bus.
"I heard the scream of brakes and then the smash. I went flying forward over the seat in front of me," he said.
"There was no warning. People were screaming and there was stuff everywhere. It's lucky most of the passengers were at the back."
Mr Sanderson said passengers left via the front of the bus, where he saw the lifeless bus driver.
"It's so sad he died. There were people trying to get him out but he was trapped and unconscious," he said.
Sunbus manager Bob Carney said Mr Kent's co-workers were devastated when they learnt of his death.
"I knew Bruce for five years and he was an all-around great guy – the sort of employee you love to have," he said.
"He was one of the company's longest-serving employees, with 16 years service.
"There will be an empty space where Bruce was.
Megan Harkin, the general manager of Transit Australia Group, the parent company of Sunbus, said Mr Kent was a man who always had a smile on his face.
"He had a wonderful nature and truly was everyone's mate," Ms Harkin said.
Too young to die
"Bruce was a great bloke and a great mate. He was the kind of man who would give you his last dollar. It's just so tragic. Bruce was too young to die."
In a heartfelt tribute to his best mate Bruce Kent, the 50-year-old Noosa bus driver killed in yesterday's head-on collision south of Yandina, Henry Adsett spoke of a man dedicated to his family and his work.
"Bruce loved his family and he'll be terribly missed by his wife and daughter. They are inconsolable," Mr Adsett said.
"I'm a bus driver for Sunbus too and worked with Bruce for years.
"He was a hard-worker and loved his job. He was one of the longest serving employees.
"All the staff will miss him – he was very popular."
About six months ago, Bruce bought a Kawasaki motorcycle.
It had been his dream to own the bike and Henry said it was Bruce's pride and joy.
"He saved up for a long time to get the bike and was so proud of it," Mr Adsett said.
"He had so much more of his life to live and it's unbelievably sad it's been snatched away."
In a sad twist of fate, Bruce should not have been working when he was killed.
"He was doing an overtime shift when he died," Henry said.
"He should have been at home."
The story was accompanied with a long list of tributes to Bruce from his co-workers and friends...
Recent Comments
Posted by motorist1058 from maroochydore
on 5 March, 2009 at 7:15 a.m.
Vale B1 i have tears in my eyes, you will be sadly missed. I am glad that i spoke to you on Tuesday to say hello,Little did i know it would be the last. He barely had time for a toilet stop. Because he had to try and stay on schedule and yes he always had a smile on his face. What a great and terrific guy. The whole of the sunshine coast does not know what we have lost. He was a great ambassador for the area. RIP Bruce
Posted by JustThinking from Kawana
on 5 March, 2009 at 7:55 a.m.
Poor man. Just out doing his job and this happens to him and his family. His family's lives will never be the same...no husband, no father, no son, no uncle, no brother.
Posted by JOHNCODE from Auckland
on 5 March, 2009 at 1:32 p.m.
This is not about politics or seat belt issues. This is about a wonderfully, happy family man who went to work yesterday and didn't come home.
I met Bruce 10 years ago, where? on the bus of course. He stopped and picked us up running to the bus stop and then proceeded to take the time to show us where everthing was on our map.
Over the next couple of weeks every bus that pulled up was being driven by Bruce. We cracked up every time we saw each other and so began a warm friendship which has lasted these last 10 years.
Bruce would be the most selfless person it has been my honour to know. If he wasn't dropping someone home on the way back to the depot because they missed the last bus, you'd find him helping out at the kids Blue Light Program run by the police. The fact that his daughter was 22 and hadn't attended for 7 or 8 years didn't bother Bruce a bit.
Going anywhere with Bruce was a pain in the neck as we were continually being accosted by old ladies and ex-school kids wanting to know how he was and what he was up to.
I probably never told you how fond I was of you Bruce. Men don't do that. But with your passing the world has lost one of the good guys and I've lost a wonderful friend.
Goodbye my friend.
I'll miss you.
Kiwi John
Posted by ilovevegemite from North Arm
on 5 March, 2009 at 3:02 p.m.
I first met Bruce back when he was working for Tewantin Bus Service and there was a rivalry with Noosa Bus Lines for the Nambour - Noosa route and he was nicknamed Superman by his colleagues.
He was the friendliest, most courteous, helpful driver I have ever known. He always looked after the tourists as best he could and promoted the Coast. For that reason I have always remembered him over any other driver and we used to enjoy chatting when there weren't many people on the bus.
He deserved a better fate than that. He was to Sunbus and the community what Steve Irwin was to Australia Zoo - one of a kind and irreplacable.
Posted by ElissaSinead from Noosa Heads
on 5 March, 2009 at 6:50 p.m.
Can't believe it. He was one of the best drivers Sunbus had. Always cheerful, whenever I caught the bus home from work he always had a big smile on his face that just made my day. Will really miss you Bruce. RIP
Posted by DickNick from Brisbane
on 5 March, 2009 at 7:13 p.m.
What can I say? Without a doubt the best all-round person I have ever met!
Posted by Xbusie from Nambour
on 5 March, 2009 at 8:30 p.m.
I first met B1 15 years ago at the Nambour Blue light discos, he drove for Tewantin Bus Service and I drove for another company. I have also had the pleasure of working with Bruce at Sunbus for 9 years. He would bend over backwards for all, and I mean all people!!!!! Be it passengers or the company , I was controller for 18 months and if you were stuck for a driver to cover a shift B1 would even change his committments to help you out. Very rarely did I ever see him with a smile off his face. He always went that extra mile for passengers as I use to joke with him all the time that he use to give them door to door service and carry groceries in to their doors. This is in Tewantin bus service days prior to Hail And Ride service.
I drove past crash scene yesterday and I drive past it everyday on the way to work and home and I get a strange feeling inside mate!!!! Everytime I see a Sunbus I feel the same way.
RIP B1 OLD MATE!!!!!!
Posted by JuzzyDee from Peregian Beach
on 7 March, 2009 at 12:38 p.m.
My partner broke out in tears when she saw the photograph and realised who it was. She and myself have been lucky enough to be onboard with this funny, kind natured and wonderful man who alwyas had time to help anyone and our thoughts and hearts go out to his loved ones at this terrible time.
Posted by Hawk1 from Forest Lake
on 7 March, 2009 at 7:12 p.m.
Hope it eventually comes out as to the cause of this accident.
Posted by VALERIEDOPSON from winnipeg/canada
on 8 March, 2009 at 11:58 a.m.
I met Bruce when I visited my brother, John in Noosa. Bruce was a very kind & thoughtful man and everyone in Noosa will truly miss him. My sympathy goes to his family.
Sincerely,
Valerie Dopson
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada
Vale Bruce, you were much loved and will be missed by all... RIP
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