Bus-safety rules examined
USA Today – A bus wreck that killed four people in Virginia on Tuesday has prompted two senators to consider putting interstate bus drivers under the stricter time-off requirements that apply to long-haul truckers.
“We should at least look at what the federal government has asked the truckers to do,” said Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
“I like that requirement,” said Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, who co-wrote a pending bus-safety bill with Brown. “I feel the Department of Transportation could do that without adding a law. Now, after this weekend, I think it’s a serious issue and probably should be added to the bill.”
Truck drivers must take a 10-hour break between shifts and may drive 11 hours in a 14-hour shift. Interstate bus drivers must take an eight-hour break after driving 10 hours in a 15-hour shift.
