Buses United for Safety, Regulatory Reform, and Enhanced Growth for the 21st Century Act

Buses United for Safety, Regulatory Reform, and Enhanced Growth for the 21st Century Act

This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT): (1) within 14 days after a person submits an application for motor carrier operating authority to transport passengers, to either approve such application or provide the applicant the reason for withholding such approval; and (2) to approve an application within five days after receiving information that satisfies the reason approval was withheld.

DOT:

• shall issue written guidance to new entrant motorcoach carriers on complying with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, and
• may not increase new entrant application registration fees above $350.

The bill prescribes requirements for, and limitations on the use of, DOT motorcoach carrier safety fitness determinations.

The bill amends the FAST Act to prohibit crash data developed under the FMCSA Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program for a motorcoach carrier (including any private school bus operator) determined not at fault from being made available to the public until the DOT Inspector General makes certain certifications, but allows such carrier access to data that relates directly to them.

DOT shall exempt commercial motorcoach drivers, motorcoach carriers, and private school bus carriers from certain proposed FMCSA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requirements relating to:

• obstructive sleep apnea,
• financial responsibility, and
• installation of speed limiting devices.

DOT shall rescind a specified proposed FMCSA rule regarding the lease and interchange of motorcoach vehicles.

The bill prescribes requirements for the review and approval of motorcoach carrier corrective action plans.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall conduct a study assessing the effects of FMCSA and NHTSA regulations affecting motor carriers of passengers that were finalized in the preceding ten years.

DOT shall carry out a pilot program to compare the effectiveness of prescheduled inspections with random destination inspections on such carriers.

The bill prohibits DOT from promulgating any new regulatory mandates for motorcoaches or school buses that are not based solely on sound data and science that will directly reduce crashes.

DOT shall require a recipient of public transportation funds to report any instance in which a private sector motor carrier of passengers or a private sector school bus passenger carrier providing charter or scheduled service is displaced by a public transportation provider receiving financial assistance through such funds.