II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2023 

To establish a safety performance rating system for motorcoach services 

and operations. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 16, 2011 

Mr. SCHUMER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To establish a safety performance rating system for 

motorcoach services and operations. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. DISCLOSURE OF SAFETY PERFORMANCE RAT4 INGS OF MOTORCOACH SERVICES AND OPER5 ATIONS. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 141 of 

7 title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

8 end the following: 


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1 ‘‘§ 14105. Safety performance ratings of motorcoach 

2 services and operations 

3 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 ‘‘(1) MOTORCOACH.— 

5 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

6 subparagraph (B), the term ‘motorcoach’ has 

7 the meaning given to the term ‘over-the-road 

8 bus’ in section 3038(a)(3) of the Transpor9 tation Equity Act for the 21st Century (49 

10 U.S.C. 5310 note). 

11 ‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS.—The 

12 term ‘motorcoach’— 

13 ‘‘(i) includes a motor vehicle used to 

14 transport passengers that has a gross vehi15 cle weight of at least 10,001 pounds; and 

16 ‘‘(ii) does not include— 

17 ‘‘(I) a bus used in public trans18 portation that is provided by a State 

19 or local government; or 

20 ‘‘(II) a school bus (as defined in 

21 section 30125(a)(1)), including a 

22 multifunction school activity bus. 

23 ‘‘(2) MOTORCOACH SERVICES AND OPER24 ATIONS.—The term ‘motorcoach services and oper25 ations’ means passenger transportation by a motor26 coach for compensation. 


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1 ‘‘(b) RULEMAKING.— 

2 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

3 the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec4 retary shall require, by regulation— 

5 ‘‘(A) each motor carrier that owns or 

6 leases 1 or more motorcoaches that transport 

7 passengers subject to the Secretary’s jurisdic8 tion under section 13501 to display prominently 

9 in each motorcoach it operates, and in all an10 nouncements, advertisements, and points of sale 

11 for such motorcoach services and operations, a 

12 simple and understandable letter grade rating 

13 system that allows motorcoach passengers to 

14 compare the safety performance of motorcoach 

15 operators; and 

16 ‘‘(B) any person who sells tickets for mo17 torcoach services and operations to display the 

18 letter grade rating system described in subpara19 graph (A) in all announcements, advertise20 ments, and points of sale for such motorcoach 

21 services and operations. 

22 ‘‘(2) ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE RULEMAKING.— 

23 In promulgating safety performance ratings for 

24 motorcoaches pursuant to the rulemaking required 

25 under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider— 


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1 ‘‘(A) the frequency with which safety per2 formance ratings will be assigned and updated, 

3 which updates shall take place at least once per 

4 year; 

5 ‘‘(B) the specific data elements and 

6 sources of information to be utilized in estab7 lishing and updating safety performance ratings 

8 for motorcoaches; 

9 ‘‘(C) the need and extent to which safety 

10 performance ratings should be made available 

11 in languages other than English; and 

12 ‘‘(D) penalties authorized under section 

13 521. 

14 ‘‘(3) INSUFFICIENT INSPECTIONS.—Any motor 

15 carrier that has not received sufficient inspections or 

16 been subject to a compliance review during the most 

17 recent 12-month period shall display a ‘No Safety 

18 Data’ rating in lieu of a letter grade rating in ac19 cordance with paragraph (1)(A). 

20 ‘‘(c) EFFECT ON STATE AND LOCAL LAW.—Nothing 

21 in this section may be construed to preempt a State, or 

22 a political subdivision of a State, from enforcing any re23 quirements concerning the manner and content of con24 sumer information provided by motor carriers that are not 


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1 subject to the Secretary’s jurisdiction under section 

2 13501.’’. 

3 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis of chap4 ter 141 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 

5 inserting after the item relating to section 14104 the fol6 lowing: 

‘‘Sec. 14105. Safety performance ratings of motorcoach services and operations.’’. 

Æ 


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