Gov. Andrew Cuomo, amid a rash of tour bus crashes, on Monday said he will suspend the operating licenses of eight charter and tour bus companies and their 100 buses after repeated failures in safety inspections.
“The frequent and at times flagrant violations of state and federal safety regulations by charter bus companies has gone on for too long and put too many lives at risk,” Cuomo said.
The Cuomo administration said the companies each failed three or more roadside inspections of buses or drivers in the last six months.
The order, which for the first time suspends companies’ licenses, will sideline about 100 buses within five days until state officials can thoroughly inspect the buses and approve them for the road. The stepped-up enforcement comes after several fatal bus crashes this year. Two crashes involving buses last week killed three people.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is seeking a nationwide remedy.
“There have already been more tour bus crashes this year than in all of 2010,” Schumer said. “If that isn’t a call to action, I’m not sure what is.”
The Cuomo administration said it is targeting Best Trails and Travel Corp. of Brooklyn, Party Ride of Brentwood, A&W Tours of Bellport, Touch of Class & Coach of Wyandanch, Silver Star Limo Co. of Yonkers, Zoladz Limousine Service of Depew, Long Island Limousine Service Corp. of Hauppauge and Big Apple Bus Charter of Brooklyn. The companies weren’t involved in the fatal crashes.
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what about some more portable weigh stations for the big trucks out there.