In a stepped-up effort to protect the traveling public, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) is seeing strong results from a project initiated in April 2013.
Last year, the FMSCA implemented a pilot project entitled Quick Strike. With the help of 50 specially trained agents deployed across the country, the FMSCA conducted in-depth investigation of 250 bus and transportation companies considered at high-risk for violation of federal safety standards.
The results were dramatic. By December, 2013, more than 50 hazardous bus companies were shut down and 340 unsafe buses were taken out of operation by the FMSCA, including Florida-based McRea Transportation, Inc.
After expanding the program for 2014, more than 70 dangerous truck and bus companies were shut down by April of this year.
Common violations found by Quick Strike include:
- Drivers who test positive for controlled substances and remain able to transport passengers
- Companies that do not conduct random drug tests, or employ drivers before receipt of drug-test results
- Numerous preventable accidents and drivers with multiple citations for speeding or reckless driving
- Hours of service (HOS) violations, falsified records and missing documentation
- Buses that are not properly maintained or remain unrepaired after notice of violation
Notes U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, “There is no place on our highways and roads for bus operators who disregard safety.… Passengers should be able to trust that the company they use will be able to get them to their destination in a safe and timely manner.”
If taking a trip by motor coach, the FMSCA encourages you to Look Before You Book. If you are injured in a bus accident in Manatee or Sarasota counties, talk to a skilled injury attorney in Bradenton.