Bus Safety Measure Clears Senate
Legislation prompted by the bus fire tragedy that killed 23 nursing home patients near Dallas in 2005 was passed by the Senate on Tuesday. The measure by Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, would prohibit buses that are deemed unfit for interstate travel from being used on highways in Texas. The bus that caught fire south of Dallas, killing 23 passengers, did not meet federal requirements for interstate travel, but “unfortunately” complied with state regulations, according to Mr. Carona.
“We want to make sure the two laws are consistent,” the senator explained. “If you can’t be certified for interstate travel, they you should be automatically disqualified from traveling within Texas. We still can’t prevent someone who is a bad actor from going out and driving an improperly registered vehicle, but at least this puts more teeth in the law in the punishment phase.” The measure also would allow for greater damages in civil suits. The nursing home patients were fleeing Hurricane Rita in September 2005 when their bus – operated by a South Texas transportation company – caught fire because of poorly maintained wheel bearings. The flames that raged through the bus were fed by the oxygen bottles of several of the elderly evacuees.