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Passenger Carrier Information For Consumers

Step1

Select the Right Vehicle for Your Trip

There are a number of important issues to consider when selecting a passenger carrier. While cost is one important issue, it should not be the primary consideration. The safety of your group must be your most important concern. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides online tools to help you select the right vehicle and find the safest passenger carrier companies in your area.

The table below provides information to assist you in deciding what type of transportation service best meets your needs.

Vehicle Type Description

MotorCoach

  • Approximately 40 to 60 passengers.
  • Subject to driving time limitations. Check whether the driver can complete the trip within a normal workday (no more than 10 hours of driving and no driving after 15 on-duty hours). Relief drivers may need to be arranged to legally complete the trip.
  • Restroom facilities onboard.
  • Ideal for long trips.
  • Available storage areas for luggage and equipment.

Mini Bus

  • 16 or more passengers
  • Subject to driving time limitations.
  • No restroom facilities onboard.
  • Storage capacity varies.

School Bus

  • 10-80 passengers
  • Subject to driving time limitations.
  • Some States mandate that only school buses be used to transport school children. If your group is comprised of school children, please check with your State authorities for possible requirements.
  • Some school bus operations are private companies under contract to the local school system, but provide transportation services with school buses to the general public for a fee.
  • No restroom facilities onboard.
  • No storage capacity.

Limousine

  • 15 or fewer
  • No restroom facilities onboard.
  • Storage capacity varies.

Passenger Van

  • 15 or fewer passengers
  • Federal law prohibits the sale or lease of new 12 and 15-passenger vans for the school-related transportation of high school and younger students because of a higher rollover risk. Some colleges, universities, and college organizations have established policies against the use of 12 and 15-passenger vans.
  • Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shown that 12 and 15-passenger vans have a rollover risk that increases significantly as the number of occupants increases from less than 5 to more than 10. Passenger vans with 10 or more occupants had a rollover rate in single vehicle crashes that is nearly three times the rate of those that were lightly loaded.
  • No restroom facilities onboard.
  • Storage capacity varies.
Step2

Find a Safe Company Near You

Now that you have selected your vehicle type, use the search tools below to generate a list of interstate passenger carriers or search for a specific interstate carrier by entering the carrier's name.

2. Find Interstate Carriers in Your Area and Evaluate Their Safety Information


OR




(optional)

  • Search by Zip Code or State(s) (not both) and select the desired vehicle type. (If both a Zip Code and State are selected, the Zip Code takes precedence and the State is ignored.)
  • By entering your Zip Code, an attempt will be made to locate the passenger carriers operating in your area.

To research the safety history of any specific interstate passenger carrier, enter the carrier's name in the text box provided at the left.

Although extensive safety data about all passenger carriers is not available, all for-hire passenger carriers operating in interstate commerce must be licensed and insured. Before making a hiring decision, you should always check whether an interstate passenger carrier is licensed and maintains the required level of insurance. Use this search function on this page to view this information.

Our Zip Code database is based on the carrier's primary business office and may not represent their actual operating areas. The list of passenger carriers on this Web site is based upon the State and/or Zip Code of each carrier's primary business office. The list may not include those carriers that only have a terminal in your local area. In addition, some companies may not have an office or terminal in your local area, but nonetheless provide transportation services in your area. Passenger carrier lists should not be seen as a total comprehensive list of passenger transportation service providers for your area. You may want to consult your local phone directory or other source for additional service providers.

Companies not licensed to transport passengers in interstate commerce (from one State to another), or not subject to Federal regulatory oversight, are not addressed by this Web site. Consult with your local phone directory or other source for passenger carriers that operate wholly within your State of residence. For safety-related information please contact your State government.



 
 
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