AUSTIN, Texas Among the first results from this years Roadcheck, the continentwide truck and bus inspection blitz coordinated each June by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, have been reported by safety officials in Texas and the bus numbers from the Lone Star state arent wonderful.

Texas Department of Public Safety inspectors checked more than 8,000 commercial motor vehicles during the three days of Roadcheck 2012 in early June.

While thousands and thousands of trucks were inspected during the 72-hour blitz, only 69 motorcoaches were checked at destination stops across the state.

Capt. Omar Villarreal of the Motor Carrier Bureau of the Texas Department of Public Safety reported a total of 18 coaches were put out of service during Roadcheck for an out-of-service rate of 26 percent.

That is higher than the combined rate for all trucks and buses checked during the June 5-7 inspection period. The overall out-of-service rate was roughly 22 percent.

Its unusual for motorcoaches to have a higher out-of-service rate than over-the-road trucks.

A total of 1,763 18-wheelers, buses and other commercial vehicles inspected were placed out of service for a variety of safety violations.

Brakes was the No. 1 mechanical item that caused motorcoaches to be ordered off the road.

The out-of-service rate for motorcoach drivers during the inspection blitz was 5 percent. Logbook violations did in the four drivers who were put out of service.

A total of 243 truck and bus drivers were placed out of service in Texas during Roadcheck, for an overall driver out-of-service rate of around 3 percent. Again, the out-of-service rate for bus drivers was higher than that of truckers.

In all, the Texas DPS issued more than 2,600 citations and another 23,000 warnings.

The annual Roadcheck program is designed to reduce commercial vehicle highway fatalities through increased vehicle and driver safety, education and law enforcement activities throughout North America.

Capt. Villarreal said Texas DPS will continue with its Operation Texas Thunder efforts throughout the year. The DPS initiative consists of "surge enforcement" operations targeted in specific areas where unsafe trucks or buses may be operating, as well as a crackdown on aggressive driving around commercial vehicles.