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NY Cracks Down On Tour Buses, 14 Fail Inspection
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 20, 2011
Modified Mar 20, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 20, 2011
Modified Mar 20, 2011
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During a surprise checkpoint in Manhattan 14 tour buses were inspected on Friday night and none of them passed. According to the AP, "Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed the operation at DOT checkpoints as part of his order to investigate the Bronx crash of the tour bus, which was serving casino customers, while stepping up enforcement of all tour buses statewide." State DOT spokeswoman Deb Rausch said of the 14 failed inspections, "This is quite extraordinary."
The NY Times reports, "According to a state official, Transportation Department inspectors determined that nine drivers should not have been behind the wheel: four because of lack of qualifications and five because they had been driving for too long. Ten buses were deemed unfit for the road and had to be towed, the official said." In the case of the Bronx bus crash, the bus overturned, slid hundreds of feet, crashing into a highway sign pole, shearing the top of the bus off and killing 15. The driver claimed a tractor trailer clipped him, but witnesses said that the driver drifted into the rumble strips repeatedly and investigators suspect he fell asleep.
Yesterday, a Buddhist ceremony was performed at the site of last week's crash: "Incense was burned. Fake money and letters written to the deceased were burned in a can as gifts to the deceased when their spirits were released. Food in small dishes was left as offerings for the dead."
Tagged
bronx
bus
bus crash
fatal bus crash
inspections
state department of transportation
state dot
tour bus
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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