Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Follows a coach crash last December that killed nine and injured 38. Claims of ODOT’s negligence include failure to equip the stretch of Interstate 84 with barriers strong enough to prevent the bus from leaving the roadway and not adequately plowing and sanding the freeway.

Toxicology tests showed that the Johnstown tour bus driver who crashed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, killing the Seton Hill University women's lacrosse coach, her unborn child and himself, also had no prior medical condition. The driver died of blunt force trauma at the scene.

The tour bus crash in Southern California left seven dead and dozens injured. The bus had a history of brake and other maintenance issues that drew scrutiny from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Despite a federal crackdown on unsafe companies following the death of four Sky Express passengers in a crash, documents show two companies with some of the worst safety records in the nation are still in operation.

On Dec. 30, a 1998 Prevost motorcoach, operated by Mi Joo Tour & Travel, went down an embankment, rolled over at least once, and came to rest upright at the bottom of the slope. Nine of the vehicle's occupants received fatal injuries.

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.

The Silver State Trailways driver suffered a medical episode, possibly a heart attack, and lost control of the bus. Forty-eight passengers, mostly travelers from overseas, were injured.

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.

Four of the 58 passengers were killed and 49 others were injured.