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| The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is the Federal agency concerned with bus safety. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets minimum safety standards that motorcoach companies must follow, as well as the physical qualifications and operating rules for drivers. The rules, regulations, and requirements governing interstate surface transportation are now administered primarily by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, including the issuance, administration, and enforcement of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), 49 CFR Parts 325, 350, 382-399, the Hazardous Materials Regulations, 49 CFR Parts 100-180, and drug and alcohol testing requirements administration. Motor Carrier Safety Administration | ||||
| Drivers and Vehicles Under Department of Transportation regulations, carriers must determine that drivers hold a current Commercial Driver's License with "passenger" endorsement, hold a valid medical certificate, and carrier must operate a driver drug and alcohol testing program that complies with regulations. Federal service hours limitations place restrictions on length of time driver may drive, which is essentially not more than 10 hours following 8 consecutive hours off duty. Buses are subject to periodic safety inspections, and may be ordered "out of service" See Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations at LAWDOG®. |
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| Identification Numbers MC numbers indicate interstate operating authority issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Using the MC number, or the U.S. DOT identification number, safety information about the carrier may be available on the Internet at safersys.org. Federal law requires that passenger carriers with a seating capacity of 16 or more passengers including driver, maintain a minimum of $5 million public liability insurance. See Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations at LAWDOG® |
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| Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 was intended to improve highway safety by ensuring that drivers of large trucks and buses are qualified to operate those vehicles and to remove unsafe and unqualified drivers from the highways. While the Act established minimum national standards which States must meet when licensing Commercial Motor Vehicle drivers, the individual states continue to actually license drivers. The Act made it illegal to hold more than one license and by requiring states to adopt testing and licensing standards for truck and bus drivers to attempt to test the ability to operate the type of vehicle which the person actually plans to operate. The Act does not require or provide for a separate Federal license, but required states to upgrade their existing testing and licensing programs to conform with Federal minimum standards. The Commercial Drivers License program places requirements on drivers, the employing motor carrier and the states. See Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations at LAWDOG®. |
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| Tough action promised by Transportation Secretary on final rule that becomes effective on Nov. 20, 2000, prohibits any motor carrier found to be unfit from operating commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce. It applies powers provided by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st century (TEA-21). Previously established motor carrier safety regulations provided shutdown procedures only for passenger and hazardous material (HAZMAT) carriers with unsatisfactory ratings. From MCS | ||||
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| Copyright © 1996-2001 by LAWDOG.COM Publishing, Inc. | ||||
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