Later this year Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 and its Safety Measurement System will replace the current Motor Carrier Safety Status Measurement System (SafeStat) used by regulators to identify and target unsafe operators.
Rarely does an accident occur at a convenient time or place. How many times has a coach operator answered a call at the worst possible time of the day or night from a driver reporting an accident?
From crashes to enforcement operations, reports indicate there is plenty of room for improvement in ensuring bus operators transport passengers in a safe manner. This industry has always hung its hat on the premise it is the safest form of ground transportation. However, in the mind of the public consumer, events over the past year have assaulted the reputation of motorcoach operators. Well-documented and publicized incidents coupled with the lesser-known and surprisingly high rate of vehicles and drivers placed out-of-service during enforcement blitzes erode the public trust and lend to an adversarial environment for enforcement.
Most state transportation departments that conduct commercial vehicle inspections focus primarily on the vehicle, when in fact vehicular issues represent only 5- percent of all moving violations.
My last column [BUSRide, January-February 2010, Risk Management] focused on the decision many operators could soon face with regard to retrofitting seatbelts to the existing fleet. Such a decision will ultimately come down to several factors that include cost, restraint capabilities, customer demand and risk.
Last year it became clear that the government would issue a seatbelt mandate for new motorcoaches. This would not come as a complete surprise to the industry given recent high profile fatal accidents involving ejections, and especially the motorcoach-specific crash testing NHTSA has conducted on the effectiveness of passenger restraints.
Over the past several months I have had two experiences with anti-lock braking systems (ABS) that pointed to an unsafe condition both for the vehicle and the driver.
Mike Murray, president and CEO, FirstGroup America, spoke at the National Safety Council 96th Congress and Expo in October in Orlando, FL, on the role of EHS in an economic downturn, and why companies cannot afford to downgrade safety programs in a recession. He says safety is fundamental to customer service and the value of human life never changes, regardless of current economic conditions.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) New Entrant Safety Assurance Process rule took effect December 16, 2009. The rule requires newly registered truck and bus companies to meet stricter safety requirements.
Typically we think wheel bearing fires occur strictly as the result of traveling for long durations at highway speeds. Not so. In September I experienced a situation so innocuous I never thought it would ultimately cause a wheel bearing fire.