Feds slam the breaks on 26 bus operations, which regularly transported more than 1,800 passengers every day along Interstate 95. These trips between New York and Florida have now been been halted for safety violations in our government's largest single safety crackdown of the motor coach industry.
NYC Council-member Jimmy Vacca says he is delighted “It has been over a year since the crash in my district that claimed 13 lives. It is high time that we are finally getting some of these unsafe bus operators off of our highways, and I commend the federal government for its actions today,” Council Member James Vacca, Chair of the Transportation Committee added that “It is unacceptable that bus companies who employ unlicensed drivers, drive unsafe buses, and flout common sense safety laws have been able to carry unsuspecting passengers across the country for this long. This announcement is a major victory for passenger safety on our interstate bus system, but it cannot be the end of our efforts. Congress must pass the Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act to strengthen regulations on bus companies that take passengers across state lines, and the State Legislature must pass legislation allowing the City of New York to regulate bus companies that stop on our streets.”
On Tuesday, June 5, The National Transportation Safety Board is set to release its final determinations into the causes of that fatal March 13 crash on Interstate 95 in the east Bronx.
Meanwhile Councilman Vacca joins Michael Bloomberg as the NYC Mayor officially signed Vacca’s transferrable muni-meter receipt bill into law. The bill, which was passed unanimously by the City Council at the Stated Meeting on Thursday, May 17th, allows drivers who purchase muni-meter time at one location, to use the remaining time at a different muni-meter location as long as the meter rates are the same or lower. The legislation took effect immediately.
Vacca, who continues to fight for parking fairness, was also joined by New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, who was in favor of the legislation.
“My legislation makes it clear that we will not be nickel and quartering drivers and they will be allowed to use the full time on their muni-meter receipts,” Vacca says. “As long as drivers have remaining time left, they can use it in other locations. We want to make sure that drivers are getting the time that they paid for, period.”