The U.S. Department of Transportation recently cracked down on 26 “Chinatown bus” operators in six states running routes along the East Coast’s congested Interstate 95. The move raises concerns that federal regulators are trying to stifle the fastest-growing mode of intercity transportation in the United States.
Private bus lines provide cheap, convenient transportation for thousands of people every day. A bus ticket from Washington to New York City’s Chinatown can cost as little as $22 — a fraction of what it would cost to drive, fly or ride the train. Federal regulators should shut down unsafe operators, but they should not throw the baby out with the bath water.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched its yearlong investigation of the burgeoning industry after a series of fatal crashes last year. One happened in Virginia, when the driver of a bus on its way from North Carolina fell asleep and hit an embankment. The bus overturned, killing four people and injuring 50.
Bus company owners were accused of creating a public safety hazard for hiring drivers without valid commercial licenses or with no alcohol or drug testing, as well as running buses that were not regularly inspected and repaired. They were ordered to immediately halt operations and stop selling tickets. Megabus, Bolt and DC Trails, which operate bus routes to and from the District, were not charged.
According to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, 34 people died in 24 motor coach accidents last year. That is a small fraction of the 32,885 Americans who died in automobile accidents in 2010 — itself the lowest fatality rate since 1949. And the motor coach industry’s safety record must also be considered in view of the fact that the buses transport more than 700 million passengers annually.
Intercity bus lines’ convenient downtown pickup and drop-off points, along with high gas prices and long security lines at airports, have made the Chinatown buses popular with many travelers besides cash-strapped college students and tourists. This is why the number of scheduled departures grew 32 percent last year. Government’s role is to make sure these buses are safe. But government should not use its regulatory powers to undermine an industry that clearly fills an important market niche, or to give the large and established bus corporations an unfair competitive advantage.
