Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Investigators found that Santana Busline failed to ensure that its drivers comply with hours-of-service requirements, allowed unqualified drivers to operate its vehicles in an unsafe manner, failed to conduct periodic vehicle safety inspections and more.

Sky Express coach driver Kin Yiu Cheung received four counts of involuntary manslaughter in a crash last year that killed four and injured dozens. Crash survivors told the judge that Cheung’s erratic driving lasted for an hour before he nodded off at the wheel and lost control of the bus.

Absolved all four counts of involuntary manslaughter filed against Sky Express’ Zhao Jian Chen, who was accused of ordering bus driver Kin Yiu Cheung to drive from North Carolina to New York, even though Cheung told him he was too tired. Cheung fell asleep and the bus overturned.

Said the casino bus driver involved in a crash that killed 15 people in March, 2011 had gotten enough sleep the morning of the accident. NTSB said the causes of accident were likely driver fatigue and lack of company safety oversight.

After reviewing a crash investigation report, the NTSB found fault with Sky Express for failing to provide a fatigue management program or any other formal safety policies for its drivers, and with the FMCSA for failing to shut down the company despite repeated safety violations.

The move was introduced in the wake of a tragic bus accident in April, in which the driver, who admitted to being asleep at the wheel, crashed into a wall killing seven passengers and injured 39.

The driver, Ophadell Williams, had almost no sleep in the three days leading up to the accident except for naps he took on the bus while passengers were inside a Connecticut casino gambling.

About one-fourth of surveyed train operators admit that sleepiness has affected their job performance at least once a week, compared to about one in six non-transportation workers (17%). One in six train operators (18%) say that they have had a "near miss" due to sleepiness.

Claim work shifts are too long and endanger their lives and their customers by causing driver fatigue. Union also says the contractor evaded a federal law limiting the number of hours that commercial vehicle operators can drive in a certain period, based on number of vehicle seats.

The new rule, based on “fatigue science,” will use fatigue modeling tools and data on human alertness factors and guide the scheduling of train crews to reduce the likelihood of a hazardous work schedule. It includes maximum on-duty periods and minimum off-duty periods for passenger train employees.