Days after the lastest federal legislation on motorcoach safety was introduced in the House, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Deborah Hersman spoke at the United Motorcoach Association’s (UMA) mid-year Board of Directors meeting last week in Alexandria, Va., on improving the safety of bus operations.
Chairman Hersman engaged the UMA leaders in a conversation about their concerns as motorcoach operators, and shared continuing efforts that the NTSB is recommending to for motorcoaches, one of the issues on the NTSB’s Most Wanted List. Topics such as fatigue management were discussed, with Hersman stating that “fatigue is a huge issue.” She stated that statistically the hours of 2 a.m. through 5 a.m. are shown to be a dangerous timeframe to travel across all modes of transportation.
Hersman said that the NTSB is “interested in providing solutions, not just identifying problems,” and said it is imperative to “educate the public to make the choice to put safety first.”
“Chairman Hersman has been a long standing supporter of the bus and motorcoach industry, and we are happy she asked to stop by and speak with us,” said UMA president and CEO Victor Parra. “Although outside of her jurisdiction, we appreciate that she listened thoughtfully as many of our board members shared their personal experiences and frustrations with recent FMCSA compliance reviews.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-CA) introduced the Motorcoach Safety, Accountability and Technology Act on June 26. It would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to review pre-trip inspection procedures for brake adjustment and issue a new rule in three years as well as to develop minimum performance standards for safety features on new motorcoach vehicles, including emergency braking, speed limiting technology and collision avoidance systems. The legislation would also allow law enforcement to conduct en route inspections at roadside stops for buses with a known record of improper maintenance. This would include weigh stations, rest stops, and locations that can accommodate passengers with disabilities.
Negrete McLeod’s bill is the latest attempt in Congress to improve the safety of motorcoach operations nationwide following numerous high-profile, fatal crashes over the past several years. MSAT was introduced in response to a deadly crash of a motorcoach from Mexico near Yucaipa, Calif., in February.
The UMA has championed scientific data culled from actual crash research to drive any new laws rather than what it has deemed reactionary legislation. Victor Parra, executive director of UMA, told School Transportation News that MAP-21 passed last year in Congress to reauthorize funding for the nation’s transportation programs included measures to increase safety for motorcoaches. He said Negrete McLeod’s bill addresses faulty brakes and service on a motorcoach from another country that has no basis to support a similar problem in the U.S.
Instead, Parra added, the introduced legislation indicates an issue that should be resolved under NAFTA and what kind of requirements should be imposed upon Mexican motorcarriers who operate north of the border. He pointed out a similar pilot project was underway for the trucking industry but that he had no knowledge of anything similar in the works for motorcoaches.
