A recent report published by the Boston Globe is raising the question of whether the commercial bus industry is safe, and why the federal government isn’t doing more to make it safer. Though some actions have been taken recently, including the shut down of the Fung Way bus line for repeated violations of safety regulations, many are starting to wonder whether the entire industry isn’t far too deadly and whether more needs to be done.

Among the notable statistics that the Globe takes note of are the fact that over 170 people have died in bus crashes in the United States in the last four years, a number that is made more notable when compared to the number killed in commercial plane crashes, which is zero. With 700 million people riding on American motor coaches every year, it is worth noting that when compared to other forms of transportation, buses are second only to cars for the number of deaths per 100 million passenger miles, coming in at .05 deaths per 100 million passenger miles compared to automobiles at 0.61. Passenger trains trail closely with .06 deaths per 100 million passenger miles, while scheduled airline deaths are far behind and have the best safety record with .003 deaths per 100 million passenger miles.

Though these differences are significant, it is still important to keep in mind that statistically speaking the number of deaths that occur as a result of bus accidents in America is one for every two billion miles driven. Still, industry experts believe that much more should be being done to make riding on buses safer, and according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s chief regulator, they would like to be able to do more but there are not enough resources available. With small operators like Fung Wah slipping under the radar and avoiding being noticed by federal regulators, the larger carriers like Greyhound are being forced to cut corners in order to remain competitive, and many worry that this is a recipe for disaster.

Some believe that the bus industry needs to be regulated in the same way that airlines are, while others argue that it can’t be because the cost and speed differential between the two is so different. Though increased regulation may make things more safe, it will also make it more expensive, forcing people without financial resources to turn to other, less safe options.

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