Study Reveals Bus Companies Evade Safety Compliance Via Reincarnation

Kristina Labanauskas

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A recent study revealed that many tractor-trailer and bus companies that had been ordered out of service due to federal safety violations have stayed on the road by “reincarnating”, or using a different name. The violations range from suspended licenses to possible drug use.

In 2008, one of the nation’s deadliest bus crashes took place in Texas killing 17 people when an unlicensed charter bus carrying a religious group blew a retreaded tire installed on a steering axel. Using recapped tired on the steering wheels is a violation of federal regulations.

According to the study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), of the roughly 220 commercial bus companies that had been fined and ordered shut down in 2007 and 2008 by federal regulators, at least 20 evaded compliance by “reincarnating,” including the bus operator in the Texas crash.

Another 1,073 commercial trucking firms are also believed to be possible "reincarnations" after incurring fines and violations, often using the same address, owner name, employees and contact numbers.