AFTER DEADLY BUS CRASHES FROM NEW YORK TO WASHINGTON STATE, SCHUMER CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFETY GUIDELINES TO KEEP DROWSY & UNSAFE BUS DRIVERS OFF THE ROAD
In Letter To Transportation Secretary, Schumer Urges DOT To Beef Up Safety Regulations And Take Unsafe Buses Off The Road
Two Bus Crashes In Virginia and Washington Last Week & Another Last Night In Chicago Are Just The Latest In A Recent String That Began With Fatal Crash In The Bronx & Westchester
Schumer: These Crashes Must Stop, It's Time To Put Strict Standards On The Books
In the wake of two more deadly tour bus crashes, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he is calling on the Department of Transportation to speed up their efforts to remove unsafe buses and unsafe drivers from the road, and crackdown on the tour bus industry by implementing tough safety standards. Schumer's request comes after two crashes in Washington and Virginia claimed six lives last week. Driver fatigue is considered a primary factor in the Sky Express crash in Virginia and a National Transportation Safety Board investigation revealed that the company was in the process of being grounded and was appealing the decision. Given the continued problems that have lead to numerous crashes in recent months, Schumer is demanding that the DOT shorten the timeframe in which they will ensure that operators must come into compliance with tough safety standards or face severe repercussions.
"It's long past time to stop this string of deadly bus crashes that began in New York," said Schumer. "Week after week we hear of more crashes as the elements in the tour bus industry keeps operating just like they always have. I am urging the Department of Transportation to immediately implement tougher safety standards to take drowsy drivers and unsafe busses off the road as quickly as possible. These accidents have already taken too many lives, it's time for us to get serious about bus safety."
Following the March 12th crash in New York that claimed 15 lives, Schumer called on the NTSB to expand its investigation of the incident to review the possible safety risks that curbside bus carriers pose, the efficacy of current regulations for these carriers, and whether or not new regulations or better enforcement are needed. NTSB has agreed to his request and will conduct an additional study on the safety aspects of the low-cost intercity motorcoach industry. Schumer has committed to using the results of the study to pursue more aggressive regulation of the industry.
There are well over one hundred tour bus companies registered with the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) operating in New York that transport tens of thousands of travelers a month. Schumer noted that, in New York alone, the New York City Department of City Planning estimates that curbside bus travel in the Chinatown-area of Manhattan produces more than 2,000 arrival and departures per week. Experts have noted that in 2010 there had been significant growth in the industry, almost all of which comes from curbside discount services.
Schumer is also pushing for speedy passage of the Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act, which is sponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown and Kay Bailey Hutchinson. The bill, which passed out of committee on May 5, 2011 would require:
· Improved commercial driver training. Currently, no training is required by federal regulation.
· Safety belts and stronger seating systems to ensure occupants stay in their seats in a crash.
· Anti-ejection glazing windows to prevent passengers from being easily thrown outside the motorcoach.
· Strong, crush-resistant roofs that can withstand rollovers.
· Improved protection against fires by reducing flammability of the motorcoach interior, and better training for operators in the case of fire.
· A National Commercial Motor Vehicle Medical Registry to ensure that only medically qualified examiners conduct physical examinations of drivers and a medical certificate process to ensure that all certificates are valid and no unqualified operator is allowed to drive.
· Strengthened motorcoach vehicle safety inspections including roadside inspections, safety audits, and state and motor carrier programs for identifying vehicle defects.
· Electronic On-Board Recorders (EOBRs) with real-time capabilities to track precise vehicle location that cannot be tampered with by the driver.
The full text of the letter, which was co-signed by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jim Webb (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Patty Murray (D-WA).
Dear Secretary LaHood:
We know you share our grief in the needless deaths of six people and the serious injuries sustained by passengers in separate motorcoach crashes in Virginia and Washington last week. While we appreciate the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) recent enhanced enforcement efforts to ensure safety compliance, these two crashes clearly indicate more is needed. We write today to urge that your Department accelerate efforts to promptly remove unsafe motorcoach carriers from our roads, ensure driver preparedness, and protect passenger safety.
Preliminary reports indicate that the recent Sky Express bus crash in Virginia was caused by two key factors: driver fatigue, and the Department of Transportation's (DOT) decision to give this clearly unsafe carrier a last minute reprieve from closure despite a pattern of safety failures and a determination that the carrier's safety record is unsatisfactory. In light of the four fatalities and numerous injuries caused by the crash, it is apparent that the pattern of enforcement by DOT has been uneven, inconsistent and ineffective. The FMCSA failed to enforce its statutory authority to place the carrier out of service. In that regard, as the DOT goes forward, we would like to know what steps will be taken to shorten the timeframe in which operators come into compliance with safety standards.
As indicated in DOT's Motorcoach Safety Action Plan, the Department has a clear understanding of the role driver fatigue plays in motorcoach crashes. As you know, data indicates that fatigue is the root cause of 37% of all accidents investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. Since the announcement of the action plan, what fatigue-related research has been conducted? With driver fatigue playing a role in more than one-third of crashes, has the Department considered extending the minimum off-duty period for motorcoach drivers?
In recent years, we have been working diligently to improve motorcoach safety standards for the millions of passengers who use this affordable and convenient mode of transportation in our country. We appreciate the work DOT has undertaken to complement the Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act, which the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation recently passed unanimously. However, in 2011 there have already been at least ten motorcoach crashes resulting in more than 20 fatalities and over 130 injuries--including 15 deaths in a single tragic crash earlier this year in New York. These crashes indicate the urgency in addressing these critical safety deficiencies--improving occupant protection with currently available vehicle safety technology as well as upgrading driver and operator oversight and regulations. The failure of a driver and company to operate safely does not need to result in occupant deaths and injuries. We appreciate your concern on these issues and look forward to your response.