Safety, quality and compliance with government regulations are three critical factors to consider selecting a motorcoach operator. A quality motorcoach operator is one that is reliable, professional, offers outstanding customer service, meets all rider needs and is affordable. It is easy to select the cheapest option. But that is not necessarily the best option. Cutting corners on price often means cutting corners on safety.
Be an Informed Consumer
Know what your needs are. If you are not sure, motorcoach companies will help you determine whether you need:
- Wheelchair accessible coaches
- Bilingual drivers
- Signage from the coaches
- Local permits
- On-site dispatchers and/or coordinators
- Special services for VIPs
Research the company. ABA members operate under our Code of Ethics, adopted to promote and maintain the highest standards of bus service among its members. Find out the following information before boarding any bus:
- Average years of service, seating capacity, and maximum height clearance of the company's motorcoaches
- Frequency of cleaning
- Bus driver uniform policy
- Policy in cases of breakdowns
- Most cost-effective option for your specific situation
- Cost of additional services such as videos, music and coach amenities
Choosing a Safe and Reliable Motorcoach Operator
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Motorcoach companies must have federal operating authority if they cross any state or provincial lines, and should be able to offer you proof of that authority, which is issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) or Transport Canada. Additionally, many states and provinces require that a carrier obtain operating authority for interstate operations.
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Ask for proof of a valid, current insurance certificate that provides a U.S. minimum of $5 million in liability insurance coverage.
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Ask for the carrier's U.S. DOT number. Carriers are required to have a U.S. DOT number clearly displayed, and should be either 5 or 6 digits long. By using that number, you can view the carrier's safety information online.
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All U.S. based motorcoaches must be inspected annually. You can call the individual motorcoach company to inquire about inspection, bus maintenance and repair.
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All U.S. drivers are required to have a valid, current Commercial Driver's License (CDL), with a "passenger" endorsement printed on the license itself. CDLs are only issued after drivers have demonstrated their abilities through on-road skills and a knowledge test.
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Long or quick-turn-around trips may require an extra driver to adhere to federal Hours of Service safety requirements.
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Make sure the company complies with FMCSA pre-trip passenger safety messaging requirements. Ask them if they show ABA's safety video, play ABA's audio CD, or are equipped with ABA's seatback pocket safety message cards.
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For scheduled intercity service from your town to points everywhere, research online and crosscheck your available choices with the ABA companies.
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When seeking motorcoach charters, ask for the charter/tour department when you call. Be prepared to provide the company with details on the destination(s), your required itinerary, and the approximate number of people in your group. Next, let them help you find additional entertainment along the way: tell them the types of activities your group is interested in and what your time-frame is for the overall trip.
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Ask the operator for recommendations on lodging, restaurants, destinations, and tourist attractions. Remember that motorcoach and tour company professionals deal with these companies daily. As "preferred customers," they can often negotiate favorable group rates for you and even provide some extras.
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Always understand the company's policies on payment and cancellation before you charter a coach or book an escorted tour.
- Passenger Carrier Safety Website If you are arranging travel for a group, let the FMCSA help you select the right vehicle and find the safest passenger carrier companies.
- SAFER (Safety and Fitness Electronics Records System) Snapshot The Company Snapshot is a concise electronic record of a company’s identification, size, commodity information, and safety record, including the safety rating (if any), a roadside out-of-service inspection summary, and crash information.
- SafeStat Online (Motor Carrier Safety Status Measurement System) An automated, data driven analysis system designed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). SafeStat combines current and historical carrier-based safety performance information to measure the relative (peer-to-peer) safety fitness of interstate commercial motor carriers and intrastate commercial motor carriers that transport hazardous materials. This information includes Federal and State data on crashes, roadside inspections, on-site compliance review results and enforcement history.
- Bus Inspections on Location ABA Vice President of Regulatory and Industry Affairs Norm Littler discusses the importance of regular motorcoach safety inspections.
- Today's Motorcoaches: Sound Science. Safe Passengers.
The Safe Choice
Motorcoaches are the safest form of surface transportation, according to government statistics.
But one injury or fatality is one too many, which is why safety remains ABA’s top priority.
ABA supports a holistic approach to enhancing safety, of which industry action is a critical part. Other critical components of safety enhancement include assertive government crackdowns on rogue operators by enforcing laws already on the books.
Vigorous enforcement of existing laws can yield quantifiable safety results today. ABA supports initiatives that help remove unsafe companies and drivers from the roads; that establish educational benchmarks for drivers; and that makes certain companies entering the industry are knowledgeable and abide by all regulatory requirements.
With respect to technology and safety engineering enhancements or equipment questions, it must be done in a manner that is science-driven. You can’t put a timeline on technological breakthroughs. Any new safety equipment has to be engineered into the vehicle’s architecture.
Other crucial steps to boost safety include enhanced operator safety oversight, more vehicle safety maintenance, and innovative new crash avoidance and occupant protection technologies.
ABA welcomes the opportunity to work constructively with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, FMCSA, NHTSA and other agencies within reasonable, science-driven timeframes to enhance passenger safety.
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