Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Safety investigators found that Autobuses Zacatecanos failed to ensure that its vehicles were systematically and properly inspected, repaired and maintained. Onsite inspections of the carrier’s four buses revealed such numerous and serious safety violations that all four vehicles were immediately declared out of service.

Investigators found that Salt Lake Shuttles failed to monitor and ensure that its drivers complied with federal hours-of-service regulations. Drivers frequently made round-trip journeys from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, a distance of approximately 840 miles, without rest, in violation of hours-of-service rules.

Coach USA Tour Inc. operates a small fleet of tour buses and primarily provides sightseeing tours in the northeastern U.S. The company is “NOT affiliated in any way with Paramus, N.J.-based Coach USA Inc.,” according to the FMCSA.

A review of company records by FMCSA investigators found that Destiny Tours had, on five occasions, operated in interstate commerce without obtaining proper federal authority and beyond the scope of its registration.

This is the second shutdown of a passenger carrier following the deployment earlier this month of more than 50 specially trained safety investigators targeting high-risk passenger carriers.

Put in place by Congress in 1986 before the advent of widespread computerization and shared data portals, the regulation eliminated required CDL holders to report out-of-state traffic convictions to their home-state licensing agency.

This is the first shutdown of a passenger carrier following the deployment earlier this month of more than 50 specially trained safety investigators targeting high-risk passenger carriers.

The Champions of Change program, to be held in May, focuses on organizations with proven leadership in implementing technology solutions to enhance performance, reduce congestion, improve safety and facilitate communication across the transportation industry.

Builds on FMCSA's plan to deploy more than 50 specially trained safety investigators throughout the country to begin targeted and in-depth inspections of higher risk motorcoach companies.

Evidence of significant safety problems and dangerous conditions found on its buses. Company failed to inspect, repair and maintain its vehicles, falsified inspection records, failed to ensure its drivers were qualified and complied with HOS regs, and failed to meet drug and alcohol testing requirements.