Agency for transport to probe discount bus safety

New York (Reuters) – the National Safety Council will undertake a review of the safety system governing the tour bus industry discount as a result of last month's fatal Bronx bus crash killed 15 passengers, the authorities announced on Sunday.

New York Senator Charles Schumer, and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez compares review of bus is expected to take six months, one which has led to the mandatory airline safety changes since 2009 part of the plane crash in Buffalo killed all 49 passengers and crew on board.

"Broad industry bus discount tour will send a signal to wake up, that the status quo not just acceptable," said Schumer, who with Velazquez request a review after a fatal collision on March 12 and bus return to Chinatown by Connecticut Casino.

"These passengers should not die in vain. (NTSB review) undoubtedly leads to higher safety standards for the thousands of passengers who used these buses each week, "Democratic Senator in a statement.

Just days after the New York crash, other Chinatown bus crashed in the New Jersey Turnpike towards Philadelphia, killing the driver and passengers.

One week later, on a tour bus carrying Korean tourists from Quebec in Boston, crashed in New Hampshire, thereby causing injury to the occupants. Nobody was killed.

"Recent tragic accidents have underscored the need to improve the safety of the motor coach, especially among discount carriers," the democratic congresswoman said in a statement.

NTSB commits to both regulatory and operational practices in the tour bus in discount and will take a critical look at the effectiveness of current anti-monopoly, motor carrier safety Safety Administration, Schumer said.

(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg; editing by Greg McCune and Eric Walsh)

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Discount bus industry is subject to investigation, Federal safety

The study will examine, among other things, the efficiency of the motor carrier safety administration, the agency responsible for the supervision of the industry of the tour-bus. The Agency has been criticized for failing to enforce its rules.

Mr. Schumer, Democrat of New York, characterized review as likely to reshape the business. "This is the beginning of a new day for the industry of cheap-tour bus," he said, standing on the sidewalk near Pennsylvania station, where many discount bus operators take passengers.

Safety Council will examine "every aspect of safety" as part of the review, says Mr. Schumer, including buses and drivers, routes and schedules.

He said, the review is expected to last six months, will likely lead to a series of recommendations which could be implemented by changing the existing regulatory framework and other, which would require legislation.

Mr. Schumer and representative Nydia m. Velazquez, a Democrat, whose district includes parts of Brooklyn, lower Manhattan and Queens, called for the investigation, after last month's crash.

Mr. Schumer, said Deborah a. p. Hersman, President of the Council on safety, have agreed to carry out a national investigation.

Bronx crash Occurred on Interstate 95 in the predawn darkness on 12 March as 33 passengers in the bus, carrying back to Chinatown from the overnight trip to Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Conn. Bus the World wide Tour, a company in Brooklyn. The driver, Ophadell Williams, 40, maintains that he is in control of the bus to a passing tractor-trailer truck suddenly veered toward him. But the driver of the tractor-trailer was exempt from responsibility in the accident.

Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a division of the Department of transportation requires that buses and supported the main guidelines and restricts drivers to 10 hours behind the wheel within the 15-hour day.

But the time saved in manuscript journals are easily falsified and outstanding violations are often ignored. World wide travel, have been cited several times by the regulatory authorities for problems with its log files, according to the motor carrier safety administration. During the last two years of company buses were included in the two crashes that resulted in injuries to the occupants.

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