New York Cracks Down on Motor Coach Companies

After three horrific accidents, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that eight companies operating motor coaches and tour buses have had their operating licenses suspended for violations.

The first accident, which sparked more roadside inspections, occurred in the Bronx in March. Investigators say that accident was caused when the driver of the bus fell asleep at the wheel and lost control. There were a total of 32 people on the bus at the time of the crash, and 15 of them did not survive.

Earlier this month, a second bus crashed after it suffered a blown-out tire on a New York highway. Two people were killed in that crash.

And just last week, 30 passengers were injured when the bus they were riding in was struck by a tractor trailer. With the help of a Good Samaritan, many of the passengers were able to escape the fiery crash, injured but alive. The only fatality noted was of the driver of the tractor trailer.

Closer to home, a Texas bus crash injured all 21 passengers who were on board at the time. One young girl injured in the crash suffered injuries so severe that one of her legs had to be amputated. Driver fatigue is also cited as the cause of that crash.

In response to the tragic crash in the Bronx, Governor Cuomo and New York transportation officials began cracking down on companies with violations. By conducting more roadside inspections--a total of 3,000 within a four month period--transportation officials were able to find major violations that were enough to suspend the operating licenses of some companies. Comparatively, state officials conducted a mere 615 roadside inspections in 2010.

"The frequent, and at times flagrant, violations of state and federal safety regulations by charter bus companies has gone on for too long and put too many lives at risk," said Cuomo.

The companies flagged for violations must halt their operations by early next week and pay to have the Department of Transportation review their buses and company records. These companies include Best Trails & Travel Corp, Party Ride, A & W Tours, Inc., Touch of Class & Coach, Inc., Silver Star Limo Company, LLC, Zoladz Limousine Service, Long Island Limousine Service Corp., and Big Apple Bus Charter, Inc.

The companies named above argue that they always follow the safety rules and that they had not been properly notified of any safety violations.

If you were a passenger of a motor coach or other commercial vehicle and were injured in a crash, you deserve to know your rights. Contact Texas bus accident attorney Kay Van Wey today at 214-329-1350.