belts to be installed in motorcoaches at each des-
ignated seating position. 
(2) FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT.—The Secretary 
shall require the installation in motorcoaches of im-
proved fire extinguishers or other readily available 
firefighting equipment for the purpose of effectively 
extinguishing fires in motorcoaches to prevent pas-
senger deaths and injuries. 
(b) 
REGULATIONS
REQUIRED
WITHIN
MONTHS.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regu-
lations— 
(1) establishing improved roof standards for 
motorcoaches that substantially improve the resist-
ance of motorcoach roofs to deformation and intru-
sion to prevent serious occupant injury in rollover 
crashes involving motorcoaches; and 
(2) requiring advanced glazing to be installed in 
each motorcoach portal to prevent partial or com-
plete ejection of passengers of motorcoaches, includ-
ing such passengers that are children. 
(c) REGULATIONS REQUIRED WITHIN 2 YEARS.— 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall prescribe commercial motor vehi-
cle regulations as follows: 
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(1) ROLLOVER CRASH AVOIDANCE.—The Sec-
retary shall require motorcoaches to be equipped 
with stability enhancing technology, such as elec-
tronic stability control, or torque vectoring, to re-
duce the number and frequency of rollover crashes 
among motorcoaches. 
(2) COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE TIRE PRES-
SURE MONITORING SYSTEMS.— 
(A) The Secretary shall issue regulations 
that require motorcoaches to be equipped with 
direct tire pressure monitoring systems that 
warn the operator of a commercial motor vehi-
cle when any tire exhibits a level of air pressure 
that is below a specified level of air pressure es-
tablished by the Secretary. 
(B) The regulations prescribed by the Sec-
retary under this section shall include perform-
ance requirements to ensure that direct tire 
pressure monitoring systems are capable of— 
(i) providing a warning to the driver 
when 1 or more tires are underinflated; 
(ii) activating in a specified time pe-
riod after the underinflation is detected; 
and 
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(iii) operating at different vehicle 
speeds. 
(3) TIRE PERFORMANCE STANDARD.—The Sec-
retary shall upgrade performance standards for tires 
used on motorcoaches, including an enhanced endur-
ance test and a new high-speed performance test. 
(d) APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS.— 
(1) NEW MOTORCOACHES.—A regulation pre-
scribed in accordance with subsection (a), (b), or (c) 
shall apply to all motorcoaches manufactured more 
than 2 years after the date on which the regulation 
is published as a final rule. 
(2) RETROFIT SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR EX-
ISTING MOTORCOACHES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.— 
(i) Except as provided in subpara-
graph (B), a regulation prescribed in ac-
cordance with subsection (a)(1) shall apply 
to all motorcoaches used for motorcoach 
services on or after the effective date of 
such regulation. 
(ii) Except as provided in subpara-
graph (B), a regulation prescribed in ac-
cordance with subsection (a)(2) shall apply 
to all motorcoaches used for motorcoach 
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services on or after the effective date of 
such regulation. 
(B) EXCEPTION.—In the case of a motor-
coach that was used for motorcoach services be-
fore the effective date of a regulation described 
in subparagraph (A), such regulation shall not 
apply to such motorcoach until— 
(i) 2 years after the effective date of 
such regulation; or 
(ii) if the Secretary determines that 
the application date described in clause (i) 
would cause undue hardship, 5 years after 
the effective date of such regulation. 
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-
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ber 302 (49 C.F.R. 571.302; relating to flamma-
bility of interior materials) to consider more realistic 
tests to improve the resistance of motorcoach inte-
riors and components to burning and permit suffi-
cient 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. 
(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 
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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 
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, 
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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-
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 
REQUIREMENTS FOR PROVIDERS OR 
MOTORCOACH SERVICES—In addition to 
meeting the requirements of subsection (a)(1), the 
Secretary may register a person to provide motor-
coach services only after that person— 
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‘‘(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; 
‘‘(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 
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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); 
‘‘(B) has been interviewed to review safety 
management controls and the carrier’s written 
safety oversight policies and practices; and 
‘‘(C) has demonstrated, through the suc-
cessful completion of a written examination de-
veloped by the Secretary, proficiency to comply 
with and carry out the requirements and regu-
lations described in subsection (a)(1). 
‘‘(2) PRE-AUTHORIZATION
SAFETY
AUDIT.— 
The pre-authorization safety audit required by para-
graph (1)(A) shall be completed on-site no later than 
90 days following the submission of an application 
for operating authority. 
‘‘(3) FEE.—The Secretary may establish, under 
section 9701 of title 31, a fee of not more than 
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$1,200 for new registrants that as nearly as possible 
covers the costs of performing a preauthorization 
safety audit. An amount collected under this sub-
section shall be deposited in the Highway Trust 
Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account).’’. 
(b) SAFETY REVIEWS OF NEW OPERATORS.—Section 
31144(g)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting ‘‘transporting property’’ after ‘‘each oper-
ator’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 7. REINCARNATED CARRIERS. 
(a) 
REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
13902(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
redesignating paragraphs (1) through (8) as paragraphs 
(2) through (9), respectively, and inserting before para-
graph (2), as redesignated, the following: 
‘‘(1) DISCLOSURE OF PRIOR RELATIONSHIPS.— 
In addition to meeting the requirements under sub-
section (a)(1), the Secretary shall require applicants 
for authority to transport passengers to disclose any 
relationship involving common ownership, common 
management, or common familial relationship be-
tween that person and any other motor carrier, if 
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(A) by striking ‘‘basis; and’’ in subpara-
graph (E) and inserting ‘‘basis;’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘certification.’’ in subpara-
graph (F) and inserting ‘‘certification; and’’; 
and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(G) each year, review the licensing au-
thorities of 10 States to assess the accuracy, 
validity, and timeliness of physical examination 
reports and medical certificates submitted by 
certified medical examiners to such State licens-
ing agencies and the processing of such submis-
sions by the licensing authorities.’’. 
(2) INTERNAL OVERSIGHT POLICY.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall establish an oversight policy and 
process within the Department of Transpor-
tation for purposes of carrying out the require-
ment of subparagraph (G) of such section 
31149(c)(1), as added by paragraph (1). 
(B) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The requirement 
of subparagraph (G) of section 31149(c)(1) of 
title 49, United States Code, shall take effect 
on the date that the oversight policies and proc-
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