NTSB Hearing Set for June 5th on World Wide Tours Accident
It was an accident that never should have happened. Tragedy struck early on the morning of March 12, 2011, when a motorcoach operated by World Wide Tours of New York collided with a roadside barrier, killing 15 passengers and leaving 18 others with serious injuries. The motorcoach was traveling on I-95 in New York City, 23 miles per hour over the speed limit, by a driver whose license had been suspended 18 times, as the passengers returned from the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The NTSB will hold a hearing on Tuesday, June 5, at 9:30 a.m. (ET) to determine the probable cause of the accident and consider safety recommendations.
ABA staff will be at the hearing to observe the proceedings and be available for questions about motorcoach safety from the media that will be covering the event.
It is expected that the NTSB will make recommendations about keeping illegally operating motorcoach operators off the road, efforts ABA has long supported.
"Companies and their employees that flout the laws that safe, well-run bus companies follow, and the concentrated action to get these carriers shut down and prosecuted, are much appreciated. We will continue to support the NTSB and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and we urge our members to operate at the highest level of safety," said ABA President and CEO Peter Pantuso.
"The motorcoach industry is the safest form of surface transportation in the United States. As an association representing safe and reputable bus operators, ABA believes only well-run companies that make safety their top priority should be allowed to carry passengers. In recent years, our industry has made great strides to improve motorcoach safety, but still more can be done. We at ABA and our members are committed to doing that," added Pantuso.
For more information, visit the NTSB's World Wide Tours accident investation webpage: http://go.usa.gov/pxV
