Every year, motorcoaches safely carry 750 million passengers around the country. But recent tragic crashes in New York, New Jersey and Arizona are a sober reminder that we can and we must do better.
Today, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is partnering with state law enforcement in 13 states to conduct surprise bus safety inspections. These strike forces at popular tourist destinations and ports of entry are part of FMCSA's year-round, nationwide enforcement activities to strengthen commercial bus and driver safety.
In 2009 alone, our bus safety agency and its law enforcement partners inspected more than 130,000 commercial buses. As a result, FMCSA placed 4.3 percent of bus drivers and 7.6 percent of buses out-of-service for everything from vehicle safety problems to hours-of-service violations.
FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro at commercial bus inspection strike force last August
Today, we're pleased to announce that we are adding FMCSA's safety arsenal with a final rule on Commercial Driver’s License testing and Commercial Learner’s Permit standards. This will revise testing standards to ensure uniformity across state licensing agencies and reduce the likelihood of licensing and testing fraud. The final rule will also require individuals to obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit prior to obtaining a CDL.
By this fall, FMCSA will issue a final rule requiring new, mandatory training standards for entry level commercial bus drivers. Under this new rule, drivers seeking a motorcoach license must complete 80 hours of training, with at least 32 hours of behind-the-wheel training.
While these rules represent a big step forward, they are further actions in a long line of initatives DOT has taken to protect motorcoach passengers.
A stirke force inspector check's a driver's hours-of-service
And, during the last three years, FMCSA placed 75 motorcoach carriers out-of-service for safety violations. During the three years previous, only 46 carriers had been shut down. In fact, because of FMCSA’s rigorous safety requirements, almost 24% of new passenger bus company applicants are never granted authority to operate.
This focus on safety has saved lives. Fatalities in motorcoach accidents declined from 70 in 2005 to 46 in 2009. But we can do better.
We owe it to the millions of passengers who travel on commercial buses to make sure that every bus on the road and every driver is as safe as possible. And today's actions are part of that constant pursuit.
I think the DOT should work with the bus industry to inform travellers about safety. I'm told riding a bus is ten times safer than riding in a car, per passenger-kilometre. Maybe the bus companies could print this information on the back of the ticket, so travellers can make an informed choice.
Posted by: Erik Sandblom | March 30, 2011 at 11:41 AM
That's definitely great news for passengers. Anything which reduces injuries and fatalities on our roads is to be applauded.
I hold a Bus driver's license (in the United Kingdom it's called a PSV license) and used to work as a bus driver. The responsibility of having so many lives in your hands when you are driving a large passenger vehicle is enormous.
Luckily, I worked for a very big company who had a great regard for safety. I would never have dreamed of driving while "out of hours" and if there was a fault with the bus it was company policy to refuse to drive it.
All the same, 32 hours of behind the wheel instruction isn't very long in my opinion. It's enough to get you through your test and that's about all.
In the UK I had to pass my car test, take 2 theory and hazard perception exams, pass my PSV test, then pass a theory and practical Certificate Of Professional Competence (CPC) test before I was allowed to carry passengers.
Although I no longer do the job I have nothing but respect for professional bus drivers and wish more people appreciated just what a difficult, stressful and responsible job it really is.
Posted by: Chris@Cheap Car Insurance Zone | March 31, 2011 at 08:09 AM