The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has
declared the bus company involved in the fatal crash in Sherman, Texas last week to be an “imminent hazard” and, therefore, must immediately cease all commercial operations, including all interstate and intrastate transportation
of passengers by drivers from all dispatching locations or terminals.
An “Operations Out-of-Service Order” was issued to Angel
Tours Inc., Iguala Busmex Inc., and each of its officers and directors by the
FMCSA to the owner of the companies Angel De La Torre.
The Imminent Hazard Order finds that the two companies'
motor carrier operations pose an 'imminent hazard' to public safety "based
upon their present state of unacceptable safety compliance and their failure to
adequately establish safety management systems and ensure their vehicles are
properly maintained." The FMCSA document also stated that “Angel Tours'
continuity of operation through Iguala demonstrates a blatant disregard for
previous FMCSA Out-of-Service Orders, which were issued based upon the
company's substandard safety record.”
Seventeen of the 55 passengers aboard the Texas motorcoach on August 8 have died,
while four more remain in critical condition. Only 19 of the passengers have been
released from area hospitals as of Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, the FMCSA's John H. Hill said that all approvals for new bus companies will be frozen "until I get my hands around this."
The National Transportation Safety
Board is currently continuing its investigation; however, preliminary reports
say the cause of the accident was a blown right front tire, which had been
retreaded.