Minnesota Valley fleet passes local DOT inspection

The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) fleet of 118 buses passed their annual inspection by the Minnesota Department of Transportation with zero deficiencies for the third year in a row.

"This is an extraordinary achievement in our industry," said Dan Schmitt, president of Schmitty and Sons, the operator of service for the MVTA.

The MVTA buses are annually inspected by Minnesota State Patrol, commercial vehicle department to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, bus registration and insurance compliance. The inspection includes a visual walk-through of each vehicle, checking for defects; vehicles are either approved for in-service operation if everything is in compliance, or the bus is "downed" if there is something wrong.

The inspection is either a pass or fail.