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In September, a Dahlia charter bus plowed into the rear of the Q20 at the intersection of Main Street and Northern Boulevard in Flushing, killing three and wounding 17.
By Michael V. Cusenza
Governor Andrew Cuomo this week announced a multi-agency enforcement initiative to target potentially illegal interstate charter and tour bus companies operating in New York.
Cuomo said he directed the State Department of Transportation, Department of Motor Vehicles and State Police to increase the frequency of random roadside inspections of interstate charter and tour buses to protect visitors and travelers, especially during the holiday season, and prevent fraudulent companies from operating in the Empire State.
“This enforcement effort will help take these illegal and unsafe buses off New York roads, protecting the health and safety of passengers and motorists alike,” Cuomo said, adding that the surge in inspections over the past two months has already resulted in 112 unsafe buses and 96 unqualified drivers being taken off the road. “With this multi-agency operation, we are cracking down on these bad actors and seeking to give travelers a peace of mind as they book their trips this holiday season.”
In September, three people were killed and another 17 injured after a tour bus barreled into a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus at a high rate of speed in downtown Flushing. Raymond Mong, 49, was behind the wheel of the Dahlia Group Inc. charter when it plowed into the rear of the Q20 at approximately 60 miles per hour. Mong and two pedestrians died.
In the days following the crash, it was revealed that Mong should never have been in the driver’s seat on Monday, Sept. 18. According to a New York Daily News report, the Flushing resident should have been banned from driving buses in New York because of a 2015 drunken driving conviction in Connecticut.
According to the administration, since mid-September, NYSDOT investigators and State Police have performed 1,115 roadside bus inspections across the state, including 274 in the five boroughs.
During roadside inspections, drivers’ licenses and credentials are verified and log books are checked for accuracy; bus components such as fuel systems; brakes, wheels and tires; lighting devices; steering mechanisms; exhaust systems; and the bus body, including the structural integrity of the chassis/frame, are inspected to ensure safe operations.
According to the State, the most common out-of-service violations cited for drivers were: not being medically qualified; not being properly licensed; not having log book filled out.
The most common out-of-service violations for the company/vehicle were: seating capacity exceeds manufacturer’s seating capacity; emergency exit violations; not having the proper operating authority.
The State indicated that all out-of-service defects must be resolved before the operator and/or vehicle can resume operations. In addition, inspection results are uploaded to a federal database and both federal and State officials use the roadside data to target poor-performing companies for further enforcement action.
“These targeted inspections ordered by Gov. Cuomo are enhancing safety on New York’s roads and getting dangerous drivers off the street so residents, visitors, and tourists can travel with ease during the upcoming holiday season,” said NYSDOT Acting Commissioner Paul Karas. “New York already has one of the most rigorous and aggressive commercial vehicle inspection programs in the nation and additional roadside inspections help build upon our previous successes.”By Michael V. Cusenza
Governor Andrew Cuomo this week announced a multi-agency enforcement initiative to target potentially illegal interstate charter and tour bus companies operating in New York.
Cuomo said he directed the State Department of Transportation, Department of Motor Vehicles and State Police to increase the frequency of random roadside inspections of interstate charter and tour buses to protect visitors and travelers, especially during the holiday season, and prevent fraudulent companies from operating in the Empire State.
“This enforcement effort will help take these illegal and unsafe buses off New York roads, protecting the health and safety of passengers and motorists alike,” Cuomo said, adding that the surge in inspections over the past two months has already resulted in 112 unsafe buses and 96 unqualified drivers being taken off the road. “With this multi-agency operation, we are cracking down on these bad actors and seeking to give travelers a peace of mind as they book their trips this holiday season.”
In September, three people were killed and another 17 injured after a tour bus barreled into a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus at a high rate of speed in downtown Flushing. Raymond Mong, 49, was behind the wheel of the Dahlia Group Inc. charter when it plowed into the rear of the Q20 at approximately 60 miles per hour. Mong and two pedestrians died.
In the days following the crash, it was revealed that Mong should never have been in the driver’s seat on Monday, Sept. 18. According to a New York Daily News report, the Flushing resident should have been banned from driving buses in New York because of a 2015 drunken driving conviction in Connecticut.
According to the administration, since mid-September, NYSDOT investigators and State Police have performed 1,115 roadside bus inspections across the state, including 274 in the five boroughs.
During roadside inspections, drivers’ licenses and credentials are verified and log books are checked for accuracy; bus components such as fuel systems; brakes, wheels and tires; lighting devices; steering mechanisms; exhaust systems; and the bus body, including the structural integrity of the chassis/frame, are inspected to ensure safe operations.
According to the State, the most common out-of-service violations cited for drivers were: not being medically qualified; not being properly licensed; not having log book filled out.
The most common out-of-service violations for the company/vehicle were: seating capacity exceeds manufacturer’s seating capacity; emergency exit violations; not having the proper operating authority.
The State indicated that all out-of-service defects must be resolved before the operator and/or vehicle can resume operations. In addition, inspection results are uploaded to a federal database and both federal and State officials use the roadside data to target poor-performing companies for further enforcement action.
“These targeted inspections ordered by Gov. Cuomo are enhancing safety on New York’s roads and getting dangerous drivers off the street so residents, visitors, and tourists can travel with ease during the upcoming holiday season,” said NYSDOT Acting Commissioner Paul Karas. “New York already has one of the most rigorous and aggressive commercial vehicle inspection programs in the nation and additional roadside inspections help build upon our previous successes.”
