SEC. 4. STANDARDS FOR IMPROVED FIRE SAFETY. 
(a) EVALUATIONS.—Within 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete an 
evaluation of the following: 
(1) FLAMMABILITY STANDARD FOR EXTERIOR 
COMPONENTS.—The Secretary shall examine the 
feasibility of establishing requirements for fire hard-
ening or fire resistance of motorcoach exterior com-
ponents to prevent fire and smoke inhalation injuries 
to occupants. 
(2) SMOKE SUPPRESSION.—The Secretary shall 
review Federal motor vehicle safety standard num-
ber 302 (49 CFR 571.302; relating to flammability 
of interior materials) to consider more realistic tests 
to improve the resistance of motorcoach interiors 
and components to burning and permit sufficient 
time for the safe evacuation of passengers from 
motorcoaches. 
(3) PREVENTION
OF, AND
RESISTANCE
TO, 
WHEEL
WELL
FIRES.—The Secretary shall assess 
technologies to prevent and mitigate the propagation 
of wheel well fires into the passenger compartment 
and substantially reduce occupant deaths and inju-
ries from such fires. 
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(4) PASSENGER
EVACUATION.—The Secretary 
shall evaluate requirements for motorcoaches to be 
equipped with the following: 
(A) IMPROVED
EMERGENCY
EVACUATION 
DESIGNS.—Improved emergency exit window, 
door, roof hatch, and wheelchair lift door de-
signs to expedite access and use by passengers 
of motorcoaches under all emergency cir-
cumstances, including crashes and fires. 
(B) EMERGENCY
INTERIOR
LIGHTING.— 
Emergency interior lighting systems, including 
luminescent or retroreflectorized delineation of 
evacuation paths and exits, that are triggered 
by a crash or other emergency incidents to ac-
complish more rapid and effective evacuation of 
passengers. 
(5) AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION.—The Sec-
retary shall evaluate requirements for motorcoaches 
to be equipped with highly effective fire suppression 
systems that automatically respond to and suppress 
all fires in such motorcoaches. 
(b) PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 
3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall issue performance requirements for improved 
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fire safety and passenger evacuation based on the results 
of the evaluations conducted under subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. OCCUPANT PROTECTION AND COLLISION AVOID-
ANCE RESEARCH. 
(a) SAFETY RESEARCH INITIATIVES.—Not later than 
2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall complete research on the following: 
(1) COMPARTMENTALIZATION
SAFETY
COUN-
TERMEASURES.—Enhanced 
compartmentalization 
safety countermeasures for motorcoaches, including 
enhanced seating designs, to reduce substantially the 
risk of passengers being thrown from their seats and 
colliding with other passengers, interior surfaces, 
and components in the event of a crash involving a 
motorcoach. 
(2) INTERIOR IMPACT PROTECTION.—Enhanced 
occupant impact protection standards for motor-
coach interiors to reduce substantially serious inju-
ries for all passengers of motorcoaches. 
(3) COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS.—Forward 
and lateral crash warning systems applications for 
motorcoaches. 
(b) STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS.—Not later than 
2 years after the completion of each research initiative re-
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quired by subsection (a), the Secretary shall issue a stand-
ard or regulation based on the results of that research. 
SEC. 6. NEW ENTRANTS. 
(a) 
REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
13902(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
redesignating paragraphs (1) through (8) as paragraphs 
(3) through (10), respectively, and inserting before para-
graph (3), as redesignated, the following: 
‘‘(1) ADDITIONAL
REGISTRATION
REQUIRE-
MENTS
FOR
PROVIDERS
OR
MOTORCOACH
SERV-
ICES.—In addition to meeting the requirements of 
subsection (a)(1), the Secretary may register a per-
son to provide motorcoach services only after that 
person— 
‘‘(A) undergoes a pre-authorization safety 
audit, including verification, in a manner suffi-
cient to demonstrate the ability to comply with 
Federal rules and regulations, of— 
‘‘(i) a drug and alcohol testing pro-
gram consistent with part 40 of title 49, 
Code of Federal Regulations; 
‘‘(ii) the carrier’s system of compli-
ance with hours-of-service rules, including 
hours-of-service records; 
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‘‘(iii) the ability to obtain required in-
surance; 
‘‘(iv) driver qualifications, including 
the validity of the commercial driver’s li-
cense of each driver who will be operating 
under such authority; 
‘‘(v) disclosure of common ownership, 
common control, common management, 
common familial relationship, or other cor-
porate relationship with another motor car-
rier or applicant for motor carrier author-
ity over the past 3 years; 
‘‘(vi) records of the State inspections, 
or of a Level I or V Commercial Vehicle 
Safety Alliance Inspection, for all vehicles 
that will be operated by the carrier; 
‘‘(vii) safety management programs, 
including vehicle maintenance and repair 
programs; and 
‘‘(viii) the ability to comply with the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 
(42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and the Over- 
the-Road Bus Transportation Accessibility 
Act of 2007 (49 U.S.C. 10101 note); 
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