Today I happened to read an article in the Houston Chronicle regarding TxDOT’s problems with charter bus service. It seems a carrier shut down in April for an unsatisfactory safety rating has been found to be operating with the same vehicles, drivers and management under another authority. Green River Buses LLC of Dallas had their authority terminated in April. Autobuses Rio Verde was given interstate authority six weeks later on June 5th. On July 3rd, a bus licensed to Autobuses Rio Verde was involved in a head-on crash with a tractor-trailer 35 miles south of Nuevo Laredo in which a pregnant Houston resident was killed along with her unborn child. Reports show the driver of the bus fled the scene. Green River Buses was involved in a similar accident in 2006 in which there were three fatalities.

Feds cite Texas bus operator after 2 fatal crashes

“The order against Autobuses Rio Verde stated that it and Green River Buses had vehicles, drivers and management in common. Autobuses Rio Verde owner Marco Vasquez previously was the terminal manager for Green River Buses. Green River Buses owner Luis Patino was manager and safety director for Autobuses Rio Verde.”

The connection between the two companies wasn’t discovered until evidence of their connection was uncovered in a random roadside inspection. Further investigation uncovered some other disturbing evidence of disregard for the law in that eight reportedly stolen motorcycles were found on the premises of the Green River Buses business address.

Another side article in the Chronicle makes the statement that 201 Texas charter bus companies have had their authorization revoked in the past 24 months. TxDot is trying to figure out how many of these are still in operation under new names-there are still a total of 300 carriers authorized to operate in Texas.

Texas revoked operators refuse to shut down

When a full 40 percent of your carriers in one state have their authorization revoked, I’d say that’s evidence of a pretty wide-spread problem. I suppose you really can’t fault FMCSA for failing to make the connection between the two companies, even though the two names are basically the same-except one is in Spanish. Apparently, the AP made the connection and posed questions of FMCSA. But the fact that so many of the high-profile bus fatality accidents in recent months have involved Texas charter bus companies, and subsequent investigations turned up serious safety and licensing irregularities in all instances, makes one wonder what passes for oversight in Texas. Is it similar in other states?

In the recent Sherman Tx crash, we find the bus was unlicensed, the carrier had no authority to operate interstate, the bus driver had a questionable safety record with no current medical card and the bus had retreads on the steer tires-the direct cause of the wreck.

The 2005 accident involving nursing home residents who died when a wheel caught fire during hurricane Rita evacuations was legally out of service as it had an expired registration and was operating under an emergency waiver due to the evacuation. The driver did not have a valid Texas CDL. A bad wheel bearing is suspected of being the cause of the fire in which 23 elderly died. Global Limo has since been closed and the owner indicted. The driver was given immunity from prosecution and a work visa in return for his testimony and now drives for a charter bus company north of Laredo.

Wreck in Arkansas

A November, 2007 bus wreck in Arkansas killed four and injured 40 people. The driver is on trial for negligent homicide and possession of amphetamines. Reports show he had been driving for over 15 hours-well in excess of the legal limit. The company, Tornado Bus Company of Dallas has since been shut down. The record shows Tornado had 32 moving violations in a 30 month period.

There are plenty of other bus wrecks to go around but none seem to be concentrated in one state such as the Texas cases. Where is the public outcry for investigation and punitive regulation of this group of motor carrier-regulated companies? Why is there so little concern for documenting and double-checking the legalities of this bunch of CDL holders? And, with this much on their plate that they obviously have problems handling, why would we think FMCSA and the DOT would have the time or the serious intentions necessary to adequately screen and supervise the Mexican Truck Pilot Project?

Exactly who IS minding the store here?

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