DOT reports its surprise safety inspections of motor coaches, tour buses, school buses and other passenger vehicles will continue through Oct. 7, 2011. The inspections, which began this past Friday in conjunction with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Motorcoach Safety Summit, hope to ensure and strengthen safety within the industry.
FMCSA also plans to release a smartphone application in November 2011 that will allow consumers to access a motor coach company's safety record before booking a trip. In addition, the app will allow consumers to submit safety violations to FMCSA's compliant database.