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Va. bus company among 52 shut down by U.S. government

Posted at 2:21 PM, Dec 12, 2013
and last updated 2013-12-12 14:21:18-05

(CNN) — U.S. transportation officials Thursday shut down 52 bus companies and 340 vehicles as part of as an eight-month effort targeting unsafe motor coach companies, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Called Operation Quick Strike, the sweeping action — from New York to Florida, from Texas to California — involved companies in 22 states and the District of Columbia. The firms were put out of business after more than 50 specially trained investigators conducted detailed reviews of safety practices at the 250 most at-risk motor coach companies based on roadside inspection and safety data, according to a statement from the agency.

Advanced Ventures, LCC, based out of Springfield, Virginia, was the only Virginia-based bus company shut down in this strike. Click here to see the entire list of bus companies.

“Bus travel is increasingly popular because it is a convenient, inexpensive option for students, groups and families,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “But it must also be safe.”

As a result of the investigation and inspections, 52 motor coach companies were put out of business and shut down for safety violations such as failure to maintain their buses adequately, inadequate drug and alcohol driver testing and overwork of drivers.

Other companies took action to correct the safety violations, and 28 avoided being shut down, the agency said.

In all, 340 vehicles of the more than 1,300 inspected were taken off the road for safety and maintenance violations, according to the report.

Additionally, inspectors looked into more than 1,300 carriers that had little to no inspection history with the safety agency, and more than 240 were will be investigated further.

“This year we evaluated and enhanced our investigation methods to dig deeper than ever before and uncover dangerous patterns of unsafe behavior and business practices,” said Anne S. Ferro, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.