WASHINGTON – The U.S. will push for more authority to take action against rogue intercity bus operators in a proposal for stronger safety laws after a New York crash, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.
A main focus will be “reincarnated” carriers, or companies that are shut down because of poor safety records and reopen under a different name, LaHood said in a statement Thursday. The government is also seeking tougher requirements for commercial drivers’ licenses.
ISO 9001:2026: A Practical Opportunity to Build for What’s Next
For Rhode Island manufacturers, ISO 9001 has been much more than a certificate on the…
Learn More
“The public deserves to know that when they board any type of bus or commercial vehicle, they will be delivered to their destination safely,” LaHood said.
A motor coach crashed into a sign post and split open March 12 while returning to Manhattan’s Chinatown from the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, killing 15. Another bus crashed on the New Jersey Turnpike two days later, resulting in two deaths.
The Transportation Department is proposing an increase in the penalty for operating without its authority to $25,000 from $2,000 a day.
A bill proposed in the U.S. Senate would require more than a dozen safety improvements including passenger seat belts, fire protection and stronger roofs. That may add as much as $89,000 to the average $500,000 price of a new motor coach, according to the American Bus Association.
The Senate commerce committee is scheduled to vote on that bill Thursday.
Buses carry more than 750 million passengers per year in the U.S., almost as many as the 800 million who fly on commercial airlines, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. There are about 20 fatalities a year on buses, versus 100 on planes, the agency said.
