A deadly bus accident that killed seven people outside Big Bear in February has opened up discussions on the safety of Mexican – run bus companies that are able to sidestep US bus regulations.
In January of this year, the Scapadas Magicas tour bus company, based in Tijuana, Mexico, attempted to evade a regulation inspection by US officials by providing an address of a bus terminal in San Diego that did not exist. Later, two buses were presented to the California Highway Patrol for inspection, where they were found to be in good working order and were cleared for operation by patrol officials.
However, just two and a half weeks after the inspection, another of Scapadas Magicas buses that was not inspected was involved in an accident on Highway 38 in San Bernadino County, while returning from a tourist trip to Big Bear. Seven people were killed. Although the cause of the accident remains under investigation, the accident has opened a discussion on the safety of trans-border bus companies such as Scapadas, which are not subject to stringent US pokie magic safety laws.
Bus safety in the US is overseen by the US Department of Transportation, and in California is under the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol. All bus companies that travel through the United States should be subject to the same safety regulations as US based companies, which includes both random roadside stops and inspections as well as annual reviews of the company’s safety records, vehicles maintenance and drivers.
US based companies typically have scheduled inspections at bus yards, where all the vehicles belonging to that operator can be assessed. However, some Mexican based companies are dealt with differently. Scapadas, for example, have their main bus yard in Tijuana, but presented to a CHP station in San Diego for their inspection with two of their buses, rather than having the authorities travel to Mexico to visit their bus yard. Officials were unaware that the company was operating a third bus, and gave the company satisfactory ratings based on the two buses that were inspected and driver records from the operator.
According to authorities, it is not uncommon for bus operators based in other countries to set up a pre-arranged location for inspections to be carried out, and that it is easy for such operators to conceal poorly maintained vehicles. Scapadas Magicas was shut down by authorities one week after the Feb 3 accident, but some may say it is too little, too late.