The rise in the number of incidents involving bus and coach road accidents in the past few years all over the United States has prompted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to take some serious measures. The FMCSA has prepared a three-year action plan that will address this grave issue through stricter regulations that aim to ensure the safety of passengers.
A statement was issued by the FMCSA which will target several operators of bus and coach companies which have been identified to pose a risk to their passengers. These are mainly companies that were reported to have been deliberately ignoring the required safety rules and set maintenance schedules. The federal institution has been undertaking numerous initiatives these past few years, and this latest action is just one of those.
According to an FMCSA spokesperson, they have increased the number of inspections being conducted and also deployed undercover investigations which have led to the closure of several bus and coach companies that have been determined to be of great risk to their passengers. In fact, 26 bus and coach operators were ordered to close down in just one day last year when evidence of unsafe practices was submitted to the FMCSA.
The FMCSA has also created a mobile app that can be downloaded onto the passengers’ iPhones. With this app, passengers are able to make informed choices about the bus or coach that they are considering to use. The organization is currently making improvements on their app so that it can be made more accessible on other mobile platforms.
Individuals using public transportation would greatly benefit from these initiatives. Nobody deserves to have his life or safety put in danger, especially for a service that he is paying for, such as bus and coach transportation. If you or a loved one has been involved in a transportation accident as a result of a negligent operator or company, you are legally entitled t to file a claim and seek for damages against the transportation company liable for your injury.
Despite the many initiatives that have been made by the FMCSA, New Yorkers are not entirely free from risks. Bus and coach accidents are still occurring almost every day. If you or a family member has been injured due to any public transport crash, contact a reliable personal injury lawyer to help you pursue your case. It is critical that you choose an attorney based on his reputation and years of experience, because your personal injury lawyer will be a great factor in determining the amount of compensation that you will be able to obtain.