In unyielding market conditions, bus and motorcoach operators are casting a wide net in an effort to strengthen performance and improve the bottom line. One area executives can make improvements is in commercial insurance programs.
If an operator were asked to list the most important safety factors in a bus and motorcoach operation, what comes to mind as the five most important points?
Chances are slim to none that dispatch made that list. Many passenger transportation companies do not realize the dispatcher often is the forgotten ingredient in the safety soup.
Not so long ago the government and other optimists were reluctant to acknowledge any sort of economic slowdown, let alone a recession. What a contrast with the here and now. Today there certainly is no shortage of doomsayers.
Bus fires continue to be a pervasive problem for our industry. Speaking before the recent Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) safety summit in Washington D.C., I presented on the precise causes and origins of motorcoach fires, noting that insurance and government data indicate that across the United States two buses on average catch fire each day.
Most safety personnel and owners would say they provide driver training to ensure their drivers are capable of operating their vehicles. After all, buses are expensive to buy and expensive to repair, and a bus out of service for any reason is even more costly when the monthly payment comes due.
Along with rising insurance rates bus companies also face growing concerns and exposures from a competitive standpoint. In this environment a growing number of carriers are evaluating their operations carefully in order to make improvements and create a roadmap for long-term success.
Recently the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) handed down a landmark rule that addresses the ongoing debate of seatbelt use on school buses. Among other changes, the rule requires an increase in the seatback height on both large and small school buses and mandates the installation of three-point seatbelts on smaller buses.
During hurricanes, tornados or other catastrophic events, often the first sight evacuees see is a fleet of motorcoaches prepared to transport them to safety. Motorcoach companies have become a natural component in safe and reliable evacuation services.