FMCSA, partners conduct more surprise bus inspections

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and its state and local law enforcement partners conducted more than 3,000 surprise passenger carrier safety inspections over a two-week period in May, which resulted in 442 unsafe buses or drivers being removed from the nation's roadways.

The strike force issued out-of-service citations to 127 drivers and 315 vehicles during the unannounced inspections that took place during the first two weeks in May.

In addition to the strike force inspections, FMCSA and state safety investigators initiated 38 full safety compliance reviews on commercial passenger bus companies. These reviews determine a passenger carrier's safety rating.

"The public deserves safe passenger bus transportation every ride," said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "FMCSA and its law enforcement partners will not rest until we weed out every unsafe passenger carrier and driver. Our ongoing strike force inspections are essential to protecting motorists and reaching our goal of zero fatalities involving commercial vehicles."  

Over the past five years, FMCSA has doubled the number of unannounced bus safety inspections and comprehensive safety reviews of the nation's estimated 4,000 passenger bus companies. Roadside safety inspections of motorcoaches jumped from 12,991 in 2005 to 25,703 in 2010, while compliance reviews rose from 457 in 2005 to 1,042 in 2010.

On May 5, Secretary LaHood and Administrator Ferro announced several new bus safety measures. Among them, the Department of Transportation will now require more rigorous commercial driver's license testing standards, seek new rules to strengthen passenger carrier and driver compliance with federal safety regulations, and empower consumers to review safety records of bus companies before booking.

For more information on DOT's range of passenger bus safety initiatives, visit the FMCSA's website.