H. R. 4348—405 
‘‘(iv) to implement or maintain a system to notify 
an employer of an operator of a commercial motor 
vehicle of the suspension or revocation of the operator’s 
commercial driver’s license consistent with the stand-
ards developed under section 32303(b) of the Commer-
cial Motor Vehicle Safety Enhancement Act of 2012. 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITIONS.—A State may not use grant funds under 
this subsection to rent, lease, or buy land or buildings.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
(1) The heading for section 31313 is amended by striking 
‘‘improvements’’ and inserting ‘‘implementation’’. 
(2) The analysis of chapter 313 is amended by striking 
the item relating to section 31313 and inserting the following: 
‘‘31313. Grants for commercial driver’s license program implementation.’’. 
SEC. 32605. COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND NET-
WORKS. 
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives that includes— 
(1) established time frames and milestones for resuming 
the Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks 
Program; and 
(2) a strategic workforce plan for its grants management 
office to ensure that it has determined the skills and com-
petencies that are critical to achieving its mission goals. 
Subtitle G—Motorcoach Enhanced Safety 
Act of 2012 
SEC. 32701. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Motorcoach Enhanced Safety 
Act of 2012’’. 
SEC. 32702. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle: 
(1) ADVANCED
GLAZING.—The term ‘‘advanced glazing’’ 
means glazing installed in a portal on the side or the roof 
of a motorcoach that is designed to be highly resistant to 
partial or complete occupant ejection in all types of motor 
vehicle crashes. 
(2) BUS.—The term ‘‘bus’’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 571.3(b) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations 
(as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this 
Act). 
(3) COMMERCIAL
MOTOR
VEHICLE.—Except as otherwise 
specified, the term ‘‘commercial motor vehicle’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 31132(1) of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(4) DIRECT TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM.—The term 
‘‘direct tire pressure monitoring system’’ means a tire pressure 
monitoring system that is capable of directly detecting when 
the air pressure level in any tire is significantly under-inflated
H. R. 4348—406 
and providing the driver a low tire pressure warning as to 
which specific tire is significantly under-inflated. 
(5) MOTOR CARRIER.—The term ‘‘motor carrier’’ means— 
(A) a motor carrier (as defined in section 13102(14) 
of title 49, United States Code); or 
(B) a motor private carrier (as defined in section 
13102(15) of that title). 
(6) MOTORCOACH.—The term ‘‘motorcoach’’ has the meaning 
given the term ‘‘over-the-road bus’’ in section 3038(a)(3) of 
the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (49 U.S.C. 
5310 note), but does not include— 
(A) a bus used in public transportation provided by, 
or on behalf of, a public transportation agency; or 
(B) a school bus, including a multifunction school 
activity bus. 
(7) MOTORCOACH SERVICES.—The term ‘‘motorcoach serv-
ices’’ means passenger transportation by motorcoach for com-
pensation. 
(8) MULTIFUNCTION
SCHOOL
ACTIVITY
BUS.—The term 
‘‘multifunction school activity bus’’ has the meaning given the 
term in section 571.3(b) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations 
(as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this 
Act). 
(9) PORTAL.—The term ‘‘portal’’ means any opening on the 
front, side, rear, or roof of a motorcoach that could, in the 
event of a crash involving the motorcoach, permit the partial 
or complete ejection of any occupant from the motorcoach, 
including a young child. 
(10) PROVIDER OF MOTORCOACH SERVICES.—The term ‘‘pro-
vider of motorcoach services’’ means a motor carrier that pro-
vides passenger transportation services with a motorcoach, 
including per-trip compensation and contracted or chartered 
compensation. 
(11) PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.—The term ‘‘public transpor-
tation’’ has the meaning given the term in section 5302 of 
title 49, United States Code. 
(12) SAFETY BELT.—The term ‘‘safety belt’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 153(i)(4)(B) of title 23, United States 
Code. 
(13) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Sec-
retary of Transportation. 
SEC. 32703. REGULATIONS FOR IMPROVED OCCUPANT PROTECTION, 
PASSENGER EVACUATION, AND CRASH AVOIDANCE. 
(a) REGULATIONS REQUIRED WITHIN 1 YEAR.—Not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
prescribe regulations requiring safety belts to be installed in 
motorcoaches at each designated seating position. 
(b) REGULATIONS REQUIRED WITHIN 2 YEARS.—Not later than 
2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall prescribe regulations that address the following commercial 
motor vehicle standards, if the Secretary determines that such 
standards meet the requirements and considerations set forth in 
subsections (a) and (b) of section 30111 of title 49, United States 
Code: 
(1) ROOF STRENGTH AND CRUSH RESISTANCE.—The Secretary 
shall establish improved roof and roof support standards for
H. R. 4348—407 
motorcoaches that substantially improve the resistance of 
motorcoach roofs to deformation and intrusion to prevent 
serious 
occupant 
injury 
in 
rollover 
crashes 
involving 
motorcoaches. 
(2) ANTI-EJECTION
SAFETY
COUNTERMEASURES.—The Sec-
retary shall consider requiring advanced glazing standards for 
each motorcoach portal and shall consider other portal improve-
ments to prevent partial and complete ejection of motorcoach 
passengers, including children. In prescribing such standards, 
the Secretary shall consider the impact of such standards on 
the use of motorcoach portals as a means of emergency egress. 
(3) ROLLOVER CRASH AVOIDANCE.—The Secretary shall con-
sider requiring motorcoaches to be equipped with stability 
enhancing technology, such as electronic stability control and 
torque vectoring, to reduce the number and frequency of rollover 
crashes among motorcoaches. 
(c) COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING 
SYSTEMS.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe the following commercial 
vehicle regulation: 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall consider requiring 
motorcoaches to be equipped with direct tire pressure moni-
toring systems that warn the operator of a commercial motor 
vehicle when any tire exhibits a level of air pressure that 
is below a specified level of air pressure established by the 
Secretary, if the Secretary determines that such standards 
meet the requirements and considerations set forth in sub-
sections (a) and (b) of section 30111 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(2) 
PERFORMANCE
REQUIREMENTS.—In 
any 
standard 
adopted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall include 
performance requirements to meet the objectives identified in 
paragraph (1) of this subsection. 
(d) TIRE PERFORMANCE STANDARD.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall con-
sider— 
(1) issuing a rule to upgrade performance standards for 
tires used on motorcoaches, including an enhanced endurance 
test and a new high-speed performance test; or 
(2) if the Secretary determines that a standard does not 
meet the requirements and considerations set forth in sub-
sections (a) and (b) of section 30111 of title 49, United States 
Code, submit a report that describes the reasons for not pre-
scribing such a standard to— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives; and 
(C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives. 
(e) APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS.— 
(1) NEW
MOTORCOACHES.—Any regulation prescribed in 
accordance with subsection (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall— 
(A) apply to all motorcoaches manufactured more than 
3 years after the date on which the regulation is published 
as a final rule;
H. R. 4348—408 
(B) take into account the impact to seating capacity 
of changes to size and weight of motorcoaches and the 
ability to comply with State and Federal size and weight 
requirements; and 
(C) be based on the best available science. 
(2) RETROFIT ASSESSMENT FOR EXISTING MOTORCOACHES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may assess the feasi-
bility, benefits, and costs with respect to the application 
of any requirement established under subsection (a) or 
(b)(2) to motorcoaches manufactured before the date on 
which the requirement applies to new motorcoaches under 
paragraph (1). 
(B) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit a report on 
the assessment to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives 
not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 32704. FIRE PREVENTION AND MITIGATION. 
(a) RESEARCH
AND TESTING.—The Secretary shall conduct 
research and testing to determine the most prevalent causes of 
motorcoach fires and the best methods to prevent such fires and 
to mitigate the effect of such fires, both inside and outside the 
motorcoach. Such research and testing shall consider flammability 
of exterior components, smoke suppression, prevention of and resist-
ance to wheel well fires, automatic fire suppression, passenger 
evacuation, causation and prevention of motorcoach fires, and 
improved fire extinguishers. 
(b) STANDARDS.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary may issue fire prevention and 
mitigation standards for motorcoaches, based on the results of the 
Secretary’s research and testing, taking into account highway size 
and weight restrictions applicable to motorcoaches, if the Secretary 
determines that such standards meet the requirements and consid-
erations set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of section 30111 of 
title 49, United States Code. 
SEC. 32705. OCCUPANT PROTECTION, COLLISION AVOIDANCE, FIRE 
CAUSATION, AND FIRE EXTINGUISHER RESEARCH AND 
TESTING. 
(a) SAFETY RESEARCH INITIATIVES.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete 
the following research and testing: 
(1) INTERIOR
IMPACT
PROTECTION.—The Secretary shall 
research and test enhanced occupant impact protection tech-
nologies for motorcoach interiors to reduce serious injuries for 
all passengers of motorcoaches. 
(2) COMPARTMENTALIZATION SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES.— 
The 
Secretary 
shall 
research 
and 
test 
enhanced 
compartmentalization 
safety 
countermeasures 
for 
motorcoaches, including enhanced seating designs. 
(3) COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS.—The Secretary shall 
research and test forward and lateral crash warning systems 
applications for motorcoaches. 
(b) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 2 years after the completion 
of each research and testing initiative required under subsection