Month: March 2014

New York State Police doubles the national average for AED “saves”

March 3 2014

Article 19A Information and Forms Easier to Access Through New and Improved NYS DMV Website

Albany, NY (February 28, 2014)

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled dmv.ny.gov, a new, redesigned website for the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that will allow customers to order replacement driver licenses and renew registration on mobile devices, make online reservations for DMV visits, as well as more easily utilize 35 other DMV services online. Additionally, users can sign up for mobile alerts to be reminded when registration and vehicle inspection deadlines approach.

“This new website is a one stop shop for DMV resources – updated to match the ever changing ways New Yorkers use technology to access information in the 21st century,” Governor Cuomo said. “This redesign is another step in the state’s effort to make government more innovative, efficient and available to the people it serves.”

The new website improves two of the most popular online customer service transactions, registration renewal and replacement driver license, learner permit or non-driver ID cards, which now have an optimized look and feel for use on mobile devices. It also lets users more easily find specific online transactions and make a reservation at any state-run DMV office.

The Information and Forms (Article 19A) page, which can be accessed at http://dmv.ny.gov/motor-carriers/information-and-forms-article-19 is a clear and concise source for passenger carriers who operate in New York State seeking information regarding Article 19A of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.

Bravo Zulu LLC is a safety consultation company located on New York’s Long Island that offers expert Article 19A compliance solutions.  Carriers needing assistance with complying with Article 19A should contact Bravo Zulu at 888-272-8698.

FMCSA Shuts Down Salem, Massachusetts Passenger Van Company for Disregarding Safety Regulations, Endangering the Traveling Public

Friday, March 7, 2014

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has ordered Salem, Mass.-based passenger carrier D’Boston Transportation, LLC, USDOT No. 2456132, to immediately cease all passenger transportation services due to widespread and serious noncompliance with federal safety regulations that has endangered the lives of its drivers, passengers and the motoring public. A closely related company, D’Family Transportation, LLC, USDOT No. 2332595, ordered out-of-service in Dec. 2013, was also cited in today’s federal shut-down order.

“We demand that every commercial bus, van, and truck company operating on our highways and roads make safety their highest priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Companies that choose to disregard the regulations and needlessly put the traveling public at risk will be shut down.”

Federal investigators found that the owners of D’Boston failed to ensure that its vehicles were systematically and properly inspected, repaired or maintained. Investigators also found that the company failed to monitor and ensure that its drivers were qualified or complied with hours of service requirements. Trips were scheduled in such a way making it impossible for drivers to reach their destination without either speeding or violating driving and on-duty limitations.

“Companies and their drivers should have no doubt that we will vigorously enforce all federal safety regulations to the fullest extent possible,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “Purposely exposing the motoring public to needless risk will land you out of business.”

The imminent hazard out-of-service order issued by FMCSA prohibits the D’Family and D’Boston companies, both controlled, managed, and operated by Luis Contreras, Juan Stepan, and Ramon Castillo, from commercial passenger transportation operations and it blocks the unapproved use of its buses by another company or any driver.

The findings of an investigation by a team of FMCSA safety investigators are outlined in the imminent hazard operations out-of-service available at: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/about/news/2014/DBostonTransportation.pdf.

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As part of FMCSA’s work to make safety data readily available to the traveling public, the SaferBus mobile app gives bus riders a quick and free way to review a bus company’s safety record before buying a ticket or booking group travel. The app, available for iPhone, iPad, and Android phone users, can be downloaded for free by visiting FMCSA’s “Look Before You Book” webpage at: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/saferbus.

Travelers planning a bus trip are also encouraged to think safety first before buying a ticket or chartering a bus by using FMCSA’s multilingual passenger carrier safety checklist at: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/lookbeforeyoubook.

FMCSA urges consumers and whistleblowers to report any unsafe bus company, vehicle, or driver to the agency through a toll free hotline 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238) or FMCSA’s consumer complaint web site: http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov/HomePage.asp.

Consumers who bought a ticket on a bus company that FMCSA has recently placed out-of-service may be entitled to a credit from their credit card company under the Fair Credit Billing Act if they paid for the ticket by credit card. For more information, visit: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/pcs/bus-credit-refund.aspx.