Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2007

A bill to improve the safety of motorcoaches, and for other purposes.

11/8/2007--Introduced.
Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to prescribe regulations requiring motorcoaches to be installed with:
(1) safety seat belts at each seating position;
(2) advanced glazing in each portal to prevent passenger ejection;
(3) improved firefighting equipment; and
(4) enhanced compartmentalization safety countermeasures and certain other motor vehicle safety features.
Requires the Secretary to complete, and report to Congress on, a study on improving bus crashworthiness, bus crash avoidance, and bus fire protection and passenger evacuation.
Amends federal transportation law to direct the Secretary to prescribe regulations:
(1) requiring providers of motorcoach services registered with the the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to undergo periodic safety reviews;
(2) establishing a training curriculum and providing certification for each driver of a motorcoach seeking a commercial driver's license (CDL) passenger endorsement;
(3) improving CDL testing;
(4) requiring a driver of a commercial motor vehicle that transports for compensation not fewer than 9 and not more than 15 passengers to have a CDL;
(5) requiring a federal medical qualification certificate to be made a part of CDLs;
(6) requiring the annual review of state licensing authorities to assess the accuracy of physical examination reports and medical certificates of CDL applicants that are submitted by medical examiners to such authorities; and
(7) requiring that all commercial motor vehicles be equipped with electronic on-board recorders that record driver hours of service. Sets forth a deadline for the Secretary to establish the national registry of medical examiners.
Requires a state to carry out an annual commercial motor vehicle inspection program in order to receive a grant for the development or implementation of programs for improving motor carrier safety.


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Sponsor

• Sen. Sherrod Brown [D, OH]
• and 2 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. John Cornyn [R, TX]
  • Sen. Kay Hutchison [R, TX]
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Committees

• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• 1 more
  • Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to S.2326

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
November 08, 2007

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All Bill Actions

• Sep 18, 2008: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security. Hearings held.
• Nov 14, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S14394-14395)
• Nov 08, 2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
• Introduced on Nov 08, 2007.

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Related Bills:

• H.R.6747

Related Issue Areas:

• Traffic accidents and safety
• State laws
• State and local government
• Seat belts
• 29 more
• Physical examinations
• Motor vehicle safety
• Motor buses
• Medicine
• Medical tests
• Medical records
• Medical care
• Law
• Labor
• Job training
• Hours of labor
• Governmental investigations
• Glass and glass industry
• Fire prevention
• Federal aid to transportation
• Executive departments
• Employee training
• Emergency management
• Driver licenses
• Driver education
• Department of Transportation
• Curricula
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Congress
• Business
• Bus drivers
• Budgets
• Administrative procedure
• Transportation

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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Blog Coverage

September 17, 2008 Motorcoach Safety to Be Focus of U.S. Senate Hearing and News Conference; Crash Victims' Families and Safety Advocates to Urge Passage of Languishing Motorcoach Safety Standards

Motorcoach Safety to Be Focus of U.S. Senate Hearing and News Conference; ... Act (S.2326 and HR 6747) -- that would require motorcoach safety upgrades that have been languishing ... motorcoach safety problems and pend

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Source: Automotive News

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February 28, 2008 Charter Bus Accident Safety Law

One of the six who died was sophomore David Betts of Bryan, Ohio, who’s father John Betts has launched a campaign to promote the Motorcoach Safety Act of 2007″ (S. 2326). The proposed bill would require seat belts on charter buses and ...

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Source: Reza Torkzadeh, California Law & Consumer...

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