ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Following a fatal crash in New York City involving a charter bus and a transit bus, several entities, politicians and government agencies called for adding regulations, increasing inspections and other activities that could be detrimental to the motorcoach industry.
The United Motorcoach Association believes that such actions likely would not have prevented such an unfortunate accident.
UMA President and CEO Stacy Tetschner recently sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao stressing the industry’s outstanding safety record and encouraging regulators to hold off on any new actions until a full report on the crash is completed.
Tetschner also reiterated UMA’s longstanding commitment to working closely with USDOT on issues of importance to its members and the motorcoach industry.
Here is a transcript of the letter:
Dear Secretary Chao:
The United Motorcoach Association members, leadership, and staff are deeply saddened by the recent tragic events involving a motorcoach in New York City.
While it is tempting to speculate and overreact to these incidents, true safety professionals readily agree that we must be patient while the experts investigate the accident and determine the probable cause and contributing factors.
The longstanding safety record of the diverse operations found in the motorcoach industry, combined with an extremely low fatality rate, demonstrates an overwhelming commitment from the professionals that work in the industry, regulatory bodies, and enforcement personnel.
It is our hope that under your tenure as Secretary of Transportation, the many professionals at USDOT that shape policy and regulations can share in these accomplishments and work closer with the industry to find solutions that mitigate the possibilities of future crashes, absent the burdensome process of additional regulations and expense of increased enforcement.
As always, the professionals at the United Motorcoach Association stand ready to work with the Department of Transportation agencies.
Sincerely,
Stacy Tetschner
President and Chief Executive Officer
