Only Certified Examiners May Perform Driver Physicals Once Shutdown By
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June 15, 2014 Only certified examiners may perform driver physicals WASHINGTON — The ad- ined by medical professionals list- The new program, which was sionals have completed the course- medical examiner to perform their ministrative demands of operating ed on the National Registry of required by federal law and ad- work and testing, and are listed on new physical examination. a motorcoach company jumped up Certified Medical Examiners. dresses four National Transporta- the national registry, and another “We have certified thousands another notch last month with a The new mandate could make tion Safety Board recommenda- 27,000 have begun the certifica- of health professionals to conduct new federal requirement that all it more difficult — at least in the tions, sets baseline training and tion process. driver exams — with more being USDOT physicals must now be short run — for drivers in some testing standards for medical pro- Current medical certificates added every day,” said Federal performed by a certified health parts of the country to obtain their fessionals who perform commer- held by commercial driver’s license Motor Carrier Safety Administra- professional who’s listed on an on- physicals, and it’s likely to mean cial driver physicals and for track- holders will continue to be valid tor Anne S. Ferro. line federal database. that all driver medical-certifica- ing driver medical certificates. until the expiration date that’s “The online database is easily It will be up to operators to tion exams will become more According to the FMCSA, shown on the card. Only then will searchable so drivers can schedule make sure their drivers are exam- expensive. roughly 22,000 medical profes- the driver need to seek a certified CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 c Can stepped-up enforcement lower death toll on highways? DOVER, Del. — Have you no- A key focus of the sustained, ticed an increase in driver grousing year-long effort is enforcement ac- in recent weeks about state troop- tions against unsafe behavior by ers stepping up their traffic drivers of large trucks and buses. enforcement? Many in the motorcoach indus- That they’re seeing more high- try will be watching the safety drive way patrol cars making more stops with more than the casual interest — most everywhere they run their typically given such initiatives. coaches? That’s because a number of in- That is not driver paranoia dustry safety leaders have long speaking. contended that enhanced traffic State police and highway pa- enforcement would do more to sig- trols from 41 states are participat- nificantly reduce highway crashes ing in an International Association and fatalities than all the inspec- of Chiefs of Police-led initiative, tion, paperwork and regulatory called the Drive to Save Lives strike forces pushed by federal bu- Campaign, aimed at producing a reaucrats combined. sizeable drop in highway fatalities State police and highway patrol — this year. leaders from states across the U.S. Capital Wheel. The nation’s capital becomes Potomac River, providing panoramic views of the The stated goal is to reduce say their on-highway effort is data the newest city with a giant observation wheel. region. The wheel’s 42 climate-controlled gondolas highway deaths by 15 percent. driven, and will focus on speeding, The 180-foot Capital Wheel opened last month at can accommodate the same number of passengers as That would mean nearly 5,000 use of seatbelts, and impaired and National Harbor, outside Washington. It overlooks the six motorcoaches. Info: www.thecapitalwheel.com. lives saved. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 c Once shutdown by feds, few operators return to service 52 carriers out of business during As of late last month, the panies were declared imminent The smallest the intensified, eight-month cam- Special Report FMCSA “Company Snapshot” hazards and shut down immedi- are worst off paign it conducted during 2013, web pages listed 26 of last year’s ately, according to an FMCSA targeting unsafe operators. ratings from investigators. Quick Strike targets as “out-of- press release. “Unremedied” un- WASHINGTON — Operation A search by Bus &Motorcoach The FMCSA reported last De- service” and 10 as “not authorized.” satisfactory safety ratings pro- Quick Strike punched one-way News last month of carrier profiles cember that more than 30 of the 52 Another nine companies also duced shutdowns for 32 carriers. tickets to oblivion for 45 of the on FMCSA websites found that companies were known to have had apparently coasted to their The FMCSA also noted that 28 motorcoach companies it removed only seven companies have recov- gone out of business or transi- final destination — their USDOT carriers avoided being shut down by from the road last year. ered their interstate operating au- tioned to intrastate operations, numbers turned up “inactive.” taking sufficient corrective action The Federal Motor Carrier thority since receiving “imminent- which are not regulated by the fed- During the Quick Strike initia- to remedy “unsatisfactory” ratings. Safety Administration said it put hazard” or “unsatisfactory” safety eral government. tive last year, 20 motorcoach com- CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 c PERMIT NO 1424 NO PERMIT PHOENIX AZ PHOENIX US POSTAGE PAID POSTAGE US PRESORT STD PRESORT or on June 15 June on or before deliver Please Postmaster: DISCOVER A WHOLE NEW FLEET OF POSSIBILITIES AT ABC. From elite touring coaches, and low-floor, clean-diesel buses to luxury mid-size designs and high-capacity, low emission interurban touring and commuter solutions – ABC delivers! ABC Companies - Proud Distributor of: t Visit and learn more about ABC’s new partnerships abc-companies/partners Bus & Motorcoach News INDUSTRY NEWS June 15, 2014 3 9/11 Museum includes accommodations for buses Registration NEW YORK CITY — The 9/11 Memorial Museum, which opened is kicked off in lower Manhattan last month, is expected to be a magnate for mo- torcoach traffic as the attraction for Expo ’15 grows in popularity this summer. NEW ORLEANS — The But unlike many other Man- United Motorcoach Association hattan tourist destinations that has a suggestion: It’s not too early offer little or no bus parking, the to be thinking about (and even museum appears to have been registering) for UMA Motor- planned with motorcoach traffic in coach Expo 2015 here in mind. January. The New York Department of Registration for the show — Transportation has designated a Jan. 18-22 — officially was 9/11 Memorial Museum bus drop- opened late last month. off/pick-up zone that’s available by For the third consecutive year, reservation. UMA Motorcoach Expo teams In addition, bus companies that up with the annual NTA Conven- have reserved a drop-off are eligi- tion at Travel Exchange, provid- ble to apply for designated me- ing a strong game plan for trade tered bus parking spaces. show success — great business, The museum is part of the Na- good times, lots of friends. tional September 11 Memorial & To learn more about Expo Museum located at the site of the 2015 and to register, go to www. Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks Photo by Jin Lee motorcoachexpo.com. that brought down the towers of The museum atrium contains these 70-foot steel “tridents,” remnants of the twin towers’ façade. Each weighs about 50 tons. Expo 2015 kicks off Sunday, the World Trade Center. Jan. 18, with what UMA is call- The 9/11 Museum is an under- the middle of a large pool between increase in visitors to the area. sengers because of the lack of bus ing a “Big Party in the Big Easy.” ground complex that includes vari- the twin towers. Bus operators are optimistic parking in other areas of the city. The event will be at Mardi ous artifacts from the aftermath of The 9/11 Memorial opened the designated drop-off and park- “It is quite necessary to have Gras World, the sprawling com- the attacks and pieces of steel from three years ago to commemorate ing areas near the museum will rules governing drop-offs and plex where the famed Mardi Gras the towers. the attacks and has been attracting make it easier for drivers who parking,” said Michael Neustadt of floats and props are built and It is built at the former location tourists ever since. The museum is often have to drive around for Coach Tours in Brookfield, Conn. stored. of the Sphere, a globe that stood in expected to result in a significant hours after dropping off their pas- CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 c CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 c COVERAGE THAT REVOLVES AROUND YOU PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Protective Insurance Company, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. 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