State Police Leads Multi-Agency Motor Coach Enforcement Effort; 30 Motor Coaches Pulled From Service

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania State Police, Public Utility Commission and the police departments of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh participated in a weeklong enforcement effort focused on inspecting motor coaches, State Police Commissioner Frank E. Noonan announced.

“Motor-coach travel is one of the safest forms of travel in the U.S., but the recent tragic crashes in New York and New Jersey are sober reminders that there are some unsafe buses and drivers traveling our roads,” said Noonan.  

State and municipal motor carrier enforcement personnel inspected 324 motor coaches at popular travel destinations such as casinos and amusement parks throughout the state. Nine drivers and 30 motor coaches were placed out of service for various safety violations.

“Safety is our number-one priority,” said Noonan. “We must identify the unsafe carriers and drivers on our roads risking the lives of adults and children who use these bus services. It’s the goal of the Pennsylvania State Police and its safety partners to ensure they’re being transported safely.”

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) monitors interstate bus and truck safety. More information can be found at FMCSA’s passenger carrier website at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/PCS/Consumers.aspx.  

For more information about the Pennsylvania State Police, visit www.psp.state.pa.us.  

Editor’s Note:  Five State Police Troops participated in the weeklong effort, and the following is a breakdown, by state police troop area, of the number of motor coaches inspected; number placed out of service; citations and warnings issued only by state police:

• Troop B (Allegheny, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties), 49 inspections; four vehicles out of service; one driver out of service; 11 citations; 37 warnings.
• Troop E (Crawford, Erie, Venango and Warren counties), five inspections; one vehicle out of service; one driver out of service; six citations; four warnings.
• Troop H (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and York counties), 35 inspections; zero vehicles placed out of service; zero drivers out of service; one citation; 23 warnings.
• Troop J (Chester and Lancaster counties), 37 inspections; nine vehicles out of service; four drivers out of service; 23 citations; 42 warnings.
• Troop M (Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties), 41 inspections; six vehicles out of service; one driver out of service; 19 citations; 68 warnings.