I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1135 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for enhanced motorcoach 
safety, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 23, 2009 
Mr. SHUSTER (for himself and Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on 
Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Small Business, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for 
enhanced motorcoach safety, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Bus Uniform Standards and Enhanced Safety Act of 
2009’’ or the ‘‘BUSES Act of 2009’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.— 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
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TITLE I—MOTORCOACH SAFETY 
Sec. 101. Improved oversight of providers of motorcoach services and other 
motor carriers of passengers. 
Sec. 102. Motorcoach driver training. 
Sec. 103. Review of requirements for commercial driver’s license passenger en-
dorsement. 
Sec. 104. Improved physical fitness oversight and commercial driver medical 
certificates. 
Sec. 105. Commercial motor vehicle safety inspection programs. 
Sec. 106. Registration of motor carriers. 
Sec. 107. Effective periods of registration. 
Sec. 108. Duties of employers and employees. 
Sec. 109. Required safety standards for motorcoaches. 
TITLE II—CREDIT FOR COST OF MOTORCOACHES COMPLYING 
WITH FEDERAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS 
Sec. 201. Credit for costs of motorcoaches complying with Federal safety re-
quirements. 
TITLE III—OTHER PROVISIONS 
Sec. 301. Department of Transportation grants. 
Sec. 302. Small business administration loans and loan guarantees. 
Sec. 303. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE I—MOTORCOACH SAFETY 
SEC. 101. IMPROVED OVERSIGHT OF PROVIDERS OF MO-
TORCOACH SERVICES AND OTHER MOTOR 
CARRIERS OF PASSENGERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 31144 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(h) SUSTAINED MONITORING OF OWNERS AND OP-
ERATORS OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES DESIGNED 
OR USED TO TRANSPORT PASSENGERS.— 
‘‘(1) SAFETY MONITORING.—Not later than 3 
years after the date of enactment of this subsection, 
the Secretary shall require monitoring on a regular 
basis, through a comprehensive safety analysis, of 
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the safety performance of each owner or operator of 
a commercial motor vehicle designed or used to 
transport passengers. 
‘‘(2) ELEMENTS OF MONITORING AND SAFETY 
ENFORCEMENT.—Regulations issued under para-
graph (1) shall provide for the following: 
‘‘(A) Monitoring of the safety performance 
of an owner or operator of a commercial motor 
vehicle designed or used to transport passengers 
in critical safety categories, as defined in the 
regulation. Monitoring activities shall include 
activities that can be conducted either on-site at 
the offices of the owner or operator or off-site. 
‘‘(B) Progressive interventions designed to 
correct unsafe practices of an owner or operator 
of a commercial motor vehicle designed or used 
to transport passengers. In the event such prac-
tices are not corrected, the interventions shall 
result in an enforcement action and, if nec-
essary, a final determination that the owner or 
operator is not fit and prohibited from oper-
ating as provided in subsection (c)(2). 
‘‘(3) ENFORCEMENT STRIKE FORCES.—In addi-
tion to the enhanced monitoring and enforcement ac-
tions required by paragraph (2), the Secretary may 
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organize special enforcement strike forces targeting 
owners or operators of commercial motor vehicles de-
signed or used to transport passengers, when and 
where the Secretary considers appropriate.’’. 
(b) REVISION OF SAFETY FITNESS DETERMINATION 
METHODOLOGY.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation 
shall revise the safety fitness determination methodology 
of the Department of Transportation established pursuant 
to section 31144 of title 49, United States Code, to ensure 
that such methodology meets the goals of Safety Rec-
ommendation H–99–6 of the National Transportation 
Safety Board, issued February 26, 1999. 
SEC. 102. MOTORCOACH DRIVER TRAINING. 
The Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe regu-
lations establishing minimum training requirements for 
drivers seeking a commercial driver’s license passenger en-
dorsement. The training shall include certification that a 
driver has met the requirements established by the Sec-
retary. The training may be provided by an owner or oper-
ator of a commercial motor vehicle designed or used to 
transport passengers if the owner or operator has in effect 
a training program that meets or exceeds the minimum 
training requirements established by the Secretary. 
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