Several recent fatal bus accidents in New York City has prompted the government to take a more active approach in enhancing passenger safety.
A recent news release by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has the Obama Administration boasting about how many bus companies they have ordered out-of-service in recent months. But tell that to the families who have suffered the loss of a loved one in New York in recent months at the hands of a drunk bus driver or a bus driver who was drowsy after working too many hours on duty.
New York Injury Lawyer Nicholas Rose PLLC understands too many charter companies go unpunished for not following federal regulations set forth by the U.S Department of Transportation until it is too late.
In the news recently was the reported heroic effort of a soldier, not for his service provided overseas, but rather for saving several lives after a bus collision with a tractor-trailer on a New York State Thruway between Syracuse and Rochester. Ninety minutes into his leave from Fort Drum while heading home to Missouri to visit with family, the soldier stopped his vehicle to help several passengers on a bus engulfed by flames.
A Farr’s Coach Lines tour bus was headed to New York City with a full bus load of employees of an insurance company and family members when it was struck from behind while merging onto the highway. Following the collision, the bus and tractor-trailer burst into flames killing the truck driver and injuring 30 of the 52 passengers aboard the charter bus. The soldier helped the passengers exit the bus one by one until everyone reached ground safely and did as he puts it, “what anybody would have done in that situation.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation between 2000 and 2009 cited 14 imminent hazard orders which resulted in unsafe carriers being put out-of-service. In the last four months, FMCSA has issued 8 out-of-service orders to charter companies in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina and a truck driver in Tennessee. Bus inspections have almost doubled from 12,991 in 2005 to 25,703 in 2010.
“I’m proud of FMCSA’s efforts to crack down and take action on unsafe interstate bus and trucking companies,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “Our safety investigators, inspectors and state partners will continue demanding that motor carriers and their drivers adhere to safety requirements. While most of the industry operates safely, I also look forward to working with Congress to add new tools to prevent unsafe companies and drivers from operating.”
More can be done. FMCSA needs to be granted more authority by Congress to determine whether a new carrier is being “reincarnated” by a former, unsafe carrier that was ordered out-of-service previously. FMCSA needs authorization from Congress to perform bus safety inspections at rest stops. All new carriers should have to undergo a full safety audit before being granted the authority to operate.
Lastly, increasing fines from $2,000 (as it stands currently) to $25,000 per violation would force charter companies to comply with federal regulations with regard to driver fatigue and hours on duty, driver training, drug and alcohol abuse regulations, and routine maintenance of buses or motorcoaches.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York bus accident in Manhattan or Queens, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC for a free appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-877-313-7673 for 24 hour assistance.
Additional Resources:
Soldier says he just ‘ran in’ to NY bus wreckage, reported by the Associated Press.
Tour Bus Companies Liable for Hiring Safe Drivers to Reduce Risks of Car and Pedestrian Accidents in Manhattan, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, May 17, 2011 Coach Safety Critical in Preventing New York City Bus Accidents, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, April 22, 2011.
