FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, November 13, 2012
CONTACT: Ian Koski at 202-224-4216

Senator Coons praises proposed rule to stop curbside bus lines from “reincarnating” after egregious safety violations

Proposed rule is designed to keep dangerous buses off the road

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today praised the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for a proposed rule that would make it harder for bus operators who have been shut down for safety problems to “reincarnate” under a new name. The rule would allow the FMCSA to “suspend or revoke the operating authority registration of motor carriers that have shown egregious disregard for safety compliance, permit persons who have shown egregious disregard for safety compliance to exercise controlling influence over their operations or operate multiple entities under common control to conceal noncompliance with safety regulations.”

“Bus lines that ignore safety problems are a hazard not only to their passengers, but to everyone else on the road,” Senator Coons said. “While most bus line operators are safe and fully compliant with state and federal safety regulations, some choose to put their profits over the safety of their passengers. After being shut down, they reopen days later under a new name. These carriers, which operate across state lines, have shown a wanton disregard for state laws and state regulators and continue to create a danger on our highways. By strengthening federal authorities’ ability to intervene in these cases, we will be better able to keep these dangerous vehicles off the road.”

As explained by the FMSCA in its proposed rule, as published in the Federal Register on Tuesday:

Motor carriers and individuals do this for a variety of reasons that include avoiding payment of civil penalties, circumventing denial of operating authority registration based on a determination that they are not willing or able to comply with the applicable statutes or regulations, or avoiding a negative compliance history. Other motor carriers attempt to avoid compliance, or mask or otherwise conceal noncompliance, by creating or using an affiliated company under common operational control. They shift customers, vehicles, drivers, and other operational activities to one of the affiliated companies when FMCSA places one of the other commonly controlled companies out of service.

The full text of the proposed rule can be read here: http://1.usa.gov/UAu5pG

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