The safety of public and mass transportation seems to constantly be in the forefront of the traveling public. Confidence in the safety of mass transportation is waning. A rush-hour collision Monday between two Metro trains in Washington, D.C., killed nine people.
A witness said, “The scene is as horrific as you can imagine. One car was almost squeezed completely together.” In May, Operation Safe Student was carried out in all 50 states and the U.S. territories conducting thousands of passenger carrier safety inspections at popular travel destinations nationwide. The inspections were held during the peak season of increased student fieldtrip activities. Enforcement officials performed approximately 8,700 roadside inspections which resulted in more than 650 buses and 225 drivers placed out-of-service for non-compliance with Federal regulations.
We applaud these strike forces and surprise inspections as part of the overall comprehensive strategy to ensure motor coaches, buses and other passenger carriers operate safely and in compliance with Federal regulations on our roads, highways, and rail track systems.
