Dear Fellow Bus and Motorcoach Owners,

Once again we are scheduled for an inspection/compliance review.

This time the inspection will be conducted by the Georgia Department of Transportation. Like most of you, we are family owned and try our best to conduct business safely, fairly and provide outstanding service.

Also, like most of you, we work hard. ANY inspection takes time from routine work, such as equipment maintenance, cleaning buses and, well, just the stuff it takes to operate a bus company.

We will pass the inspection, I know that, but you know what I do not understand?

Just six miles from our location is a business that will rent a consumer a bus, ranging from 15- to 44-passenger. If you dont have a driver they will even arrange for you to have a driver.

Thats right. They will rent you a driver. This rental company, as far as we have been able to determine, treats the drivers as independent contractors.

One of the things these independent contractors dont have is workers compensation. I have contacted the Georgia Workers Compensation Board. They told me theres nothing they can do.

Of course, we maintain the extensive driver files that are required by federal and state regulations for charter bus companies. But, at the rental company, the drivers are supposed to keep their own file.

No inspections, no rules

The drivers are not inspected by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or the Georgia DOT. They are not required to do pre-employment or random drug testing. The things for public safety they DONT do gets even worse.

Pre-trip and post-trip inspections? Nope, not required of the rental bus company.

Stopping at state lines that ask buses to stop? Nope, not required of the rental bus company.

Paying fuel taxes? Nope, not required of the rental bus company.

The buses are not required to be inspected by anyone. Not USDOT, FMSCA and the like. But, hey, look at the good side. This rental company doesnt have all these expenses.

We have talked with the Georgia DOT and FMCSA. Everyone tells me theres nothing they can do. They are under the radar.

About responsibility

They tell me that if a group rents a bus it is the groups responsibility to comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. How many groups do you think even know there are "rules?"

So, what are we to do? Become a rental company? Play the charade of "renting" a bus and driver, and pretend we are not a for-hire passenger carrier? Keep going with all of our "unneeded" expenses?

We cant do it; we cannot endanger the public. We have to be able to sleep at night. We will remain a good charter and tour company.

What about legislation? When I met with our local Georgia legislators and senators they already knew all about it and did not see any problems. Maybe it doesnt hurt that the owner of this bus rental company is the son of a judge in the next county.

All good bus folks do EVERYTHING they can to make sure the public is kept as safe as possible. Please e-mail me at leisuretimebus@bellsouth.net with your suggestions of how to keep the people in Georgia safe by stopping this company, or do we need to wait for someone to die?

Brenda Tidwell
Leisure Time Charters and Tours
Emerson, Ga.

Note: The company Ms. Tidwell is referring to goes by the name of BusMax Rent-a-Bus and AutoMax Rent-a-Car. It has three locations in Georgia, where it rents buses, with or without drivers, to businesses, churches, civic organizations, social groups, families, schools and others. (See Nov. 15 and March 1, 2007, issues of Bus & Motorcoach News.)