Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-1396
Sponsor: Rep. Lewis, John [D-GA-5]
Introduced: 2009-03-09 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accidents
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Business investment and capital
Department of Transportation
Employment and training programs
Fires
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Income tax credits
Licensing and registrations
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Motor carriers
Motor vehicles
Small business
Transportation employees
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: 
Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe regulations requiring motorcoaches to be installed with: (1) safety seat belts at each seating position; (2) advanced glazing in each portal to prevent passenger ejection; (3) improved firefighting equipment; and (4) enhanced compartmentalization safety countermeasures and certain other motor vehicle safety features.
 
Requires the Secretary to study and report to Congress on improving bus crashworthiness, bus crash avoidance, and bus fire protection and passenger evacuation.
 
Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations: (1) requiring providers of motorcoach services registered with the the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to undergo periodic safety reviews; (2) establishing a training curriculum and providing certification for each driver of a motorcoach seeking a commercial driver's license (CDL) passenger endorsement; (3) improving CDL testing; (4) requiring a driver of a commercial motor vehicle that transports for compensation between nine and 15 passengers to have a CDL; (5) preventing the submission and use of invalid or fraudulent medical certificates by applicants for a CDL; (6) requiring the annual review of state licensing authorities to assess the accuracy of physical examination reports and medical certificates of CDL applicants that are submitted by medical examiners to such authorities; and (7) requiring that all commercial motor vehicles be equipped with electronic on-board recorders (that record driver hours of service) and event data recorders, as well as direct tire pressure monitoring warning systems. Sets forth a deadline for the Secretary to establish the national registry of medical examiners.
 
Requires the Secretary to establish a performance standard for retreaded commercial motor vehicle tires that ensures such tires achieve a safety level of performance equivalent to that of new commercial motor vehicle tires.
 
Requires a state to conduct an annual commercial motor vehicle inspection program in order to receive a grant for the development or implementation of programs for improving motor carrier safety.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a qualified motorcoach safety credit to a taxpayer for 10% of the costs of qualified new motorcoaches and of improvements to existing in-service motorcoaches to satisfy new federal safety standards for installation of occupant protection systems.
 
Requires the Secretary to award supplemental grants (not to exceed $20,000 per vehicle) to motorcoach operators to assist with the cost of retrofitting motorcoaches to comply with such federal standards.
 
Amends the Small Business Act to grant the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) authority to make SBA loans and loan guarantees to small business manufacturers of motorcoaches and small business motorcoach service providers, including to help retrofit their buses and motorcoaches for occupant protection.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-03-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2009-03-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Finance and Tax.
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: Referred to House Small Business
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: 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 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-03-09
text: Introduced in House