East Coast Curbside Bus Companies Shut Down Due to Safety Violations

Curbside bus companies are the targets of the FMCSA's latest shutdown operation due to numerous safety violations.

2012-07-01

July 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has shut down 26 curbside bus companies on the East Coast, citing multiple safety violations and in some cases, evasion of safety regulations and unscrupulous operating practices. Curbside bus companies offer cheap fares for passengers traveling through the Northeast Corridor. Rather than collect and deposit passengers at a bus terminal, these companies pick up and drop off passengers at the curb. They keep costs low by paying their drivers low wages, maintaining low overhead and failing to take appropriate safety precautions.

Buses and Operators Posed "Imminent Safety Hazards"

Recent fatal bus accidents prompted the FMCSA to shut down companies based in numerous states along the East Coast. The companies were shut down for violating several safety regulations.

Many of the bus operators fail to perform required safety inspections of their fleets, exposing passengers to the possibility of personal injuries from defective or damaged buses. Additionally, many curbside companies do not perform background checks or drug tests on their drivers and fail to confirm their drivers have a commercial driver's license. Some operators also neglect to monitor driver hours-of-service and log rest hours, which causes driver fatigue from long, back-to-back shifts.

The most brazen operators have histories of resurrecting their companies under different names after being caught violating safety regulations, and doubt the government's conviction in shutting them down. The FMCSA's actions should change these operator's attitudes--and actions.

Unsafe Behaviors Cause Tragic Accidents

Unfortunately, these unsafe operating practices cause fatal accidents. Two crashes in March 2011 killed 17 and injured many others. One of these crashes occurred on I-95 in the Bronx borough and the other on the New Jersey Turnpike. These crashes were catalysts for the FMCSA's actions.

Hopefully, shutting down these curbside bus companies will keep bus passengers safer. If you are injured in an accident, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Article provided by Williams, Walsh, and O'Connor, LLC
Visit us at www.williamswalshandoconnor.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Court Dismisses Medical Malpractice Claim Against Tennessee VA

2012-07-01

In 2009, the VA notified more than 10,000 veterans that they may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV while undergoing colonoscopies at Veterans Affairs facilities. The VA said the exposure risk stemmed from improper cleaning of the tools used to perform the procedures. Approximately 6,000 of those veterans were treated at a VA clinic in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The others were treated at clinics in Augusta, Georgia and Miami, Florida. To date, at least 90 veterans have tested positive for one of the three viruses. Unfortunately, a recent ruling in ...

Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority Pursues New Initiatives

2012-07-01

After several successful patient safety campaigns, the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority has been awarded a federal grant to pursue further efforts. The goal of the "Partnership for Patients" grant program is to reduce preventable hospital errors and ultimately improve healthcare and outcomes for hospital patients. The federal government awarded the $1.6 million grant as part of a public-private partnership initiative. The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority will partner with the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania on grant-supported ...

FMCSA Hours of Service Regulations Subject to More Litigation

2012-07-01

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Public Citizen, and other safety groups have sued the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) again for their regulations governing truck driver's hours of service (HOS). Hours of Service Rules The FMCSA is responsible for the safe operation of trucks on the nation's highways and works to prevent truck accidents. Its statutory mandate states: "Safety as Highest Priority...the [FMCSA] shall consider the assignment and maintenance of safety as the highest priority." Congress has instructed them to devise ...

Dangerous Ranking: New Mexico Is Highest in Injury-Related Deaths

2012-07-01

National rankings are revealing. If a state is excelling or falling short in a certain area, comparative assessments can show how it stacks up against others. In the case of New Mexico, the rankings on injury-related deaths are disturbing. New Mexico has the highest rate of these deaths in the country, according to a new report by two respected nonprofit groups. This article will discuss what that report found, and what results say about fatal car accidents and other accident deaths in New Mexico. Accident Deaths in New Mexico The survey was conducted by the ...

Health Care Coverage is Complicated by Divorce

2012-07-01

A big concern for non-working spouses in a divorce might be continued medical insurance coverage once the decree is finalized. Many such individuals have insurance through their soon to be ex-spouse or former spouse's employer. Going without insurance is not a viable option for most people, so many may be left asking what they can do to ensure coverage when entering the single life. What Are the Options? The first issue to be aware of is that it is not possible to stay on a former spouse's insurance once the divorce is finalized, if such coverage is provided through ...

Florida Makes Major Changes to Car-Accident PIP Coverage

2012-07-01

Every Florida driver is required to carry personal injury protection insurance. PIP coverage, also called "no-fault insurance," pays for medical care for injuries sustained in a car accident, regardless of who was at fault. In recent years, Florida's PIP coverage has become very expensive. Some commentators blamed the price hike on unscrupulous medical providers who tried to get the maximum $10,000 benefit out of every patient. Others attributed the price increases to the insurance companies' own profit motives. Regardless of the reasons, Florida lawmakers ...

Childhood Sexual Assault Statute of Limitations Provides Justice for Adults

2012-07-01

While witness testimony in the Jerry Sandusky trial and the ongoing developments in the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal highlight the tragic consequences sexual abuse in childhood can have on adult victims, these cases also emphasize that justice can still be served years after abuse occurs. In Connecticut, childhood sexual abuse victims can seek civil damages for the abuse they suffered through the state's generous statute of limitations on these kinds of suits. How the Statute of Limitations for Civil Suits Works Section 52-577d of the Connecticut State Statutes ...

Proper Commercial Truck Maintenance Is Vital for Accident Avoidance

2012-07-01

Commercial truck technology has come a long way in recent years, with some parts able to outlive the truck on which they are installed. Though these improvements make commercial truck maintenance easier, they do not completely alleviate the need for maintenance checks. Proper maintenance is one way to ensure commercial vehicles are safe and that defects in the truck itself are less likely to cause accidents. Axles and Truck Suspensions: Two Maintenance Concerns A truck's suspension and axles are vital pieces of its anatomy. Either may compromise safety if not in good ...

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Proposes Mandatory Drug Treatment for Non-Violent Offenders

2012-07-01

Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey, purposed during his State of the State speech a change in the way drug offenders are punished. His plan would direct non-violent offenders into treatment programs instead of prison. "Everyone Deserves A Second Chance." He stated in his address, "[L]et us reclaim the lives of those drug offenders who have not committed a violent crime." He also admitted that current drug policies, and implicitly, the war on drugs have failed. Treatment Is Less Expensive Than Prison Governor Christie pointed out that, ...

Distracted Doctoring a Disturbing Trend in Medical Care

2012-07-01

Medical doctors and personnel are expected to proficiently multitask in order to diagnose and treat their patients in a timely and effective manner. In recent years, the addition of technology has assisted in making multitasking easier. From instant access to medical records to drug information to case studies, computers, smart phones and other electronic devices have helped to reduce medical errors. However, they are also leading to medical errors. Startling new statistics and cases are revealing that doctors, nurses and technicians may be distracted. They are increasingly ...