NTSB Chair Hersman: standards for entry into truck, bus industry set too low

Maria

Diet Coke
Staff member
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board believes to get into the motor coach or motor carrier business you need to do more than be able to check a box.

What’s more, says Deborah Hersman, the ease with which a motor coach or motor carrier company can receive operating authority doesn’t sit well with NTSB officials.

“The safety board has long been concerned because those barriers to entry are so low you do have a lot of problems with new entrants. Those are going to be the ones who have the most risky behavior,” Hersman told The Trucker during an interview that took place April 1 during the Mid-America Trucking Show. Not only was it the 44th anniversary of the NTSB, but Hersman’s visit also came amidst a controversy fueled by several recent motor coach accidents.

“You’re obviously a follower of the industry and are aware of many of these sad stories that we’ve seen in recent motor coach accidents,” she told an interviewer. “Drivers who were either illegal as far as their operating status — and when I say that I don’t mean here in the U.S. illegally — but illegal because they didn’t possess a valid license or illegal because they are violating Hours of Service … . In this last incident in the Bronx the driver had not filled out his logbook for three days before the accident.”

Hersman acknowledged the Herculean task facing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which oversees the motor carrier and motor coach industry.

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