WASHINGTON The out-of-service rate for motorcoaches inspected last month during Roadcheck 2007 increased by 33 percent from 2006, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance reports.

A total of 949 motorcoaches were inspected during this years three-day Roadcheck safety blitz and 12.3 percent were ordered off the road because of safety and mechanical problems.

Last year, the out-of-service for coaches was 9.2 percent.

The out-of-service rate for motorcoach drivers also increased this year.

A year ago, 2.9 percent of the drivers stopped for a Roadcheck inspection were ordered out of their buses. This year, the number increased to 3.8 percent, a seemingly abnormally high rate for over-the-road bus drivers.

When CVSA inspectors checked log books, CDLs, medical cards and other factors in 2005 and 2004, the out-of-service rate for coach drivers was 2.7 percent. In 2003, the driver out-of-service rate was a modest 1.7 percent.

The out-of-service rate for truck drivers also increased this year to 6.2 percent, up from 5.6 percent last year.

The number of motorcoaches checked this year as part of Roadcheck dropped dramatically from last year even though more states had inspectors looking at buses.

Motorcoach safety was one of three principal focus areas for this years Roadcheck. Also given special attention this year were Level 1 North American standard inspections, the comprehensive 37-step checks of both vehicle and driver, and seatbelt usage.

A total of 25 states, plus Canada, had inspectors out this year examining buses as part of Roadcheck. Last year, 14 states had inspectors looking at buses.

Also last year, a record number of coaches - 1,238 -- were inspected. The number of coaches inspected has generally gone up in recent years, making the 2007 total 949 -- an anomaly. In 2005, 860 coaches checked, up from 589 in 2004, 515 in 2003, 334 in 2002, 501 in 2001 and 433 in 2000.

State, federal and local inspectors, working with CVSA, which has sponsored Roadcheck for the past 20 years, inspected a total of more than 62,000 commercial vehicles during this year's 72-hour program. The out-of-service rate for all vehicles was 21.5 percent, meaning that a high percentage of trucks were parked for safety violations. Last year's overall rate was 21.7 percent.

The Roadcheck inspections occurred at 1,449 locations and 7,708 CVSA-certified inspectors participated. Those numbers are down from 2006 when 8,500 inspectors were camped out at 1,850 locations.