In 2013, safety regulators with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), during Operation Quick Strike, shut down 52 unsafe bus companies, removing 340 vehicles from the road, and more than 240 other bus companies have been targeted for follow-up investigations.
Report Cites Blatant Bus Safety Violations
Of the 1,300 bus companies inspected, 52 were shut down due to failures of bus maintenance and violations of federal hours-of-service rules that limit how long a driver can work without a break. FMCSA’s report cited one instance in which drivers for a Utah company worked the more than 800-mile round trip between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas without rest. In another case, a tour bus company ran one bus for several days after a warning light indicated that there were problems with the anti-lock braking system.
Results of Report Used to Train Investigators
“This year we evaluated and enhanced our investigation methods to dig deeper than ever before and uncover dangerous patterns of unsafe behavior and business practices,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “Now we are training all investigators to utilize the new tactics we employed during Operation Quick Strike, and encourage everyone who travels by bus to ‘Look Before You Book’using the safety information on our website.”
Website Resources Available
The FMCSA encourages travelers and trip planners to visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov/LookBeforeYouBook for tips and resources before buying a bus ticket or chartering a bus for a group trip. Visitors to the website can find FMCSA’s free SaferBus mobile app for a quick and free way to review a bus company’s safety record, find multi-language check lists, and report any safety violations. Resources can also be found on FMCSA’s new “Look Before You Book” bus safety hub on Facebook.com/FMCSA.
