High Fatality Rate Found for Low-Cost Buses

[alp227]

Source: NY Times

The low-cost bus industry, which has revolutionized transportation for students and other budget-conscious travelers, has racked up an alarmingly high number of fatal accidents and safety violations over the last few years, and regulators are having a hard time enforcing federal safety standards, according to a government study released on Monday.

The National Transportation Safety Board found that so-called curbside bus companies, which pick up riders on sidewalks rather than in terminals, were involved in fatal accidents at seven times the rate of traditional carriers like Greyhound.

Curbside buses, which first gained popularity in the Chinatown districts of Manhattan and Boston by offering frequent rides between major cities for as little as $1 a seat, also were cited for violations related to driver fatigue and training at a higher rate than their conventional cousins.

In general, the report found that low-cost bus companies were a safe mode of travel and that accidents happened infrequently. In fact, among bus carriers that operate on regular schedules, the low-cost buses recorded proportionally fewer accidents than their share of the market.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/01/nyregion/transportation-safety-board-releases-report-on-low-cost-bus-safety.html

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This report is released nearly half a year after a bus crash on I-95 near the Bronx killed 15 passengers and severely injured others. The driver, Ophadell Williams, had a criminal record and numerous traffic violations yet was able to obtain a commercial license fraudulently.

[Sherman A1]

1. Interesting.

Yet another case in which we must do away with regulation that impedes the market.......... :sarcasm: