Mexican Bus Safety

Prof.Gringo · Mar 5, 2010

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6047671.html

NTSB told of trade loophole for Mexico buses in U.S.

Panel looking into Victoria-area crash told of how coaches can bypass American safety rules

WASHINGTON ' Mexican-made buses are getting across the border and past U.S. safety requirements because they are involved in international trade and are not considered imports, a federal inquiry revealed on Wednesday.
"We want to close the barn door," said Debbie Hersman, the National Transportation Safety Board member leading the probe into how a Houston-based bus company came upon a 2005 Volvo that crashed this year near Victoria. "There are already some horses out."
Volvo manufactures buses in Mexico to meet European, not U.S. standards.
Two days of testimony before the NTSB revealed that new buses made in Mexico and delivered directly to the United States have to either bear a certificate that they meet U.S. safety standards or carry import documents that prove some sort of retrofit has been made.
But federal highway officials testified on Wednesday that if a U.S.-based bus company buys a bus in Mexico and then uses it for, say, Houston to Monterrey routes, it is not considered an import.
On Jan. 2, the Volvo bus owned by Capricorn Bus Lines Inc. was returning Houston residents from holidays spent in Monterrey, Mexico.
The bus driver and passengers were checked for their legal status and documents at the Laredo crossing.
But no motor vehicle inspectors ' either from Texas or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ' were on duty to check the bus's legal status.
Even if they had, it's not likely that they would have noticed anything out of the ordinary.
Inspectors don't have access to comprehensive databases that might have revealed the suspicious way this bus was registered through a Dallas company and that it never had import documents.
Four hours later, the bus crashed near Victoria, killing one man and injuring 46 others.
While Texas officials have determined that a sleepy driver, not mechanical failure, caused the crash, the NTSB was surprised to learn the lengths Capricorn took to register the bus.
It was cited in 2006 for not having Texas plates. Six months later, Capricorn used another bus company, Green River Buses of Dallas to register it for California license plates, perhaps because that state, unlike Texas, does not require a title of ownership.

No documents necessary

By 2007, Capricorn had applied for new plates from the Texas Department of Transportation, which thought it was a California bus, not one from Mexico.
Nowhere along the way did Capricorn have to present documents showing how it crossed the border initially, and legally.
Vehicles that are imported into this country have to detail on importation documents how it meets U.S. safety standards.
Hersman and NTSB investigators have centered their investigation on how the bus came into the United States and whether it was compliant with U.S. safety regulations.
As a result of investigation, Hersman said she is convinced charter companies are using a "loophole big enough to drive a bus through" because highway and motor carrier officials do not have a single standard for all vehicles coming into this country.
There are no buses made in the United States.
They are made in Europe, Canada or Mexico.
But new vehicles delivered directly to U.S. dealers must adhere to a series of standards.
Those merely bought across the border, as this investigation seems to indicate, are not.
And that worries Hersman.
"It's not one level of safety," she said. "That's what we're concerned about."
[email protected]
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Working Class Patriot · Mar 5, 2010

Come get over it.....
If we criticize Mexican buses and trucks...we are "Racists".....

Even a 1950's era Mexican bus is safer than a 2010 American made bus.....That's what our government says...and as we all know...they are always right.....

Prof.Gringo · Mar 5, 2010

Working Class Patriot said: ↑

Come get over it.....
If we criticize Mexican buses and trucks...we are "Racists".....

Even a 1950's era Mexican bus is safer than a 2010 American made bus.....That's what our government says...and as we all know...they are always right.....
Click to expand...

As the article states, there are no more American made buses...

And I want to know, just what are the differences between European and American bus safety regs and standards? I can't think they are really that far apart.

KenMx · Mar 8, 2010

Irizari, Scania, Mercedes Benz, and Marco Polo are state of the art buses, frankly, I'd rather ride in Chihuahuenses, ADO, Estrella Blanca or Estrella de Oro anyday than take an outdated smelly Greyhound bus. If its good enough for the whole EU why shouldn't it meet US standards? doesn't make any sense, yeah they are made here in Mexico, but to European standards, and as far as I remember I was never offered anything to drink or if I had enough leg room or any incovenience on Greyhound, and not once has a Bus overheated when crossing mexican deserts, at least when I've taken them, its more than I can say about the route from Vegas to Denver, which is relatively short for a bus trip, In short if its good enough for the Whole of Europe its good enough for the US, and dont get me started on the Amtrak no comparison to European routes or standards.

Hardlyevr · Mar 8, 2010

Similar to this bus situation, along I-10 I often see cars with Mexican license plates that are makes and models that are not sold or certified in the USA. What kind of insurance nightmare is it if they are in a crash with you?

Working Class Patriot · Mar 8, 2010

KenMx said: ↑

Irizari, Scania, Mercedes Benz, and Marco Polo are state of the art buses, frankly, I'd rather ride in Chihuahuenses, ADO, Estrella Blanca or Estrella de Oro anyday than take an outdated smelly Greyhound bus. If its good enough for the whole EU why shouldn't it meet US standards? doesn't make any sense, yeah they are made here in Mexico, but to European standards, and as far as I remember I was never offered anything to drink or if I had enough leg room or any incovenience on Greyhound, and not once has a Bus overheated when crossing mexican deserts, at least when I've taken them, its more than I can say about the route from Vegas to Denver, which is relatively short for a bus trip, In short if its good enough for the Whole of Europe its good enough for the US, and dont get me started on the Amtrak no comparison to European routes or standards.
Click to expand...

So the gist is...the US "sucks".....Not because everyone else is better...but because our politicians through their regs and overburdening business....Have drove out what was once the envy of the world....

equipop60 · Mar 9, 2010

This year, guadalajara to manzanillo. Volvo bus, roomy, smoooth, like luxury, approximately 4 hour run, 350 pesos or about 26 american dollars. Mexican senior citizens get quite a discount almost 40 percent I think. Profits are bottom line in usa, same as airliners. Cut services, cut quality and Give em S__t and they'll eat it our corporations say. And they're right. USA is getting more 3rd world year by year.

Prof.Gringo · Mar 9, 2010

KenMx said: ↑

Irizari, Scania, Mercedes Benz, and Marco Polo are state of the art buses, frankly, I'd rather ride in Chihuahuenses, ADO, Estrella Blanca or Estrella de Oro anyday than take an outdated smelly Greyhound bus. If its good enough for the whole EU why shouldn't it meet US standards? doesn't make any sense, yeah they are made here in Mexico, but to European standards, and as far as I remember I was never offered anything to drink or if I had enough leg room or any incovenience on Greyhound, and not once has a Bus overheated when crossing mexican deserts, at least when I've taken them, its more than I can say about the route from Vegas to Denver, which is relatively short for a bus trip, In short if its good enough for the Whole of Europe its good enough for the US, and dont get me started on the Amtrak no comparison to European routes or standards.
Click to expand...

Thanks for an excellent post!

I'll also take a Mexican bus over Greydog anyday.

But I will say that European Rail is diff. from American. They have a much deeper population density and shorter distances between major cities. There are only a few US areas that are similar: The NE Corridor, DC to Philly, Milwaukee-Chicago-Detroit, LA-SD are some of the better examples for high speed rail posibilties in the US.

Amtrak does the best it can do while being underfunded for 30+ years.

Working Class Patriot · Mar 10, 2010

Amtrak is a bloated POS.....
We took Amtrack from Grand Central in L.A. to Salinas....
It cost us more to ride the rail than fly......
We thought it would be a good experience for our kids since both my wife and I rode trains in Europe....

Amtrack is like the postal service...and just as slow.....

Big Duker · Mar 10, 2010

Working Class Patriot said: ↑

Amtrak is a bloated POS.....
We took Amtrack from Grand Central in L.A. to Salinas....
It cost us more to ride the rail than fly......
We thought it would be a good experience for our kids since both my wife and I rode trains in Europe....

Amtrack is like the postal service...and just as slow.....
Click to expand...

Boy have you got that right. Amtrack is ok back East. But try going from Ft Worth to San Antonio. Trains take 6 hours. Arrive after midnight in rotten part of town. Most hotels don't offer bus rides that late. Leave Sunday morning around 8am. Waste of time to go there for weekend as you are left w/ one day maybe and tired from late arrival. It is just another political toy for leaders to play with.

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