These are not happy days for Double Happyness Travel of Huntingdon Valley, PA. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has ordered Double Happyness Travel to immediately cease all intrastate and interstate passenger service declaring the carrier an “imminent hazard” to public safety. This order follows an extensive review of the company’s operations, which found multiple hours-of-service, vehicle maintenance, and controlled substance and alcohol testing violations.
Double Happyness Travel was immediately shut down after FMCSA safety investigators found the company failed to comply with hours-of-service, records of duty and driver qualification requirements. Double Happyness Travel provided service between New York City and Albany, NY, Baltimore, MD and Wilmington, DL.
“FMCSA will continue to do everything within its current legal authority to remove unsafe bus operators like this one from our roadways,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro.
Over the past five years, FMCSA has doubled the number of bus inspections and comprehensive safety reviews of the nation’s estimated 4,000 passenger bus companies. Roadside motorcoach inspections have jumped nearly 100 percent, from 12,991 in 2005 to 25,705 in 2010, while compliance reviews are up 128 percent, from 457 in 2005 to 1,042 in 2010. In addition, FMCSA has initiated a greater number of enforcement cases against unsafe passenger carriers under the current administration: from 36 in 2008 to 44 in 2010.
Additionally, over the last two years DOT has taken action to reduce distracted driving by drivers of commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses. In January 2010, FMCSA banned texting by commercial drivers, and in November 2011 the agency prohibited commercial drivers from reaching for, holding or dialing a cell phone while operating a commercial motor vehicle. Drivers who violate these restrictions would face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and revocation of their commercial driver’s license (CDL) for multiple offenses. Additionally, states would suspend a driver’s CDL after two or more violations of any state law against hand-held cell phone use.
well it’s Friday 12/30 and this company is still operating, SCHEDULED BUS SERVICE from Delaware. with all the chinatown bus accidents and fires, what do you call this BLATANT DISREGARD FOR FED. LAW? FMCSA does not know how to call 911 in Delaware and tell them to IMPOUND EACH BUS THAT ARRIVES with these DOT numbers? So much for ENFORCEMENT. (AND RESPECT for authority)