The Dept. of Transportation has proposed a rule change involving motorcoaches and 3 pt. restraints. Public comments must be given on or before 10/18/10 so please hurry, your voice is needed.
Please send comments to: Mr. David Strickland, Document Management Facility, M-30 U.S. DOT West Building, Ground Floor Rm. W 12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20590, or email via e-Rulemaking Portal @ www.regulations.gov ,or fax to 202-493-2251.
If interested you can review the proposed rule at the Department of Transportations web site under NHTSA 49 CFR Part 571, Docket No. NHTSA-20110-0112.
Or if you would prefer you can submit the following comments:
1) you fully support the DOT’s proposed rule that all new motorcoaches be equipped with 3 pt. restraints,
2) 3 years is too long of a lead time to so implement this rule and that 18 months is a much more reasonable time frame, and
3) Retrofitting existing motorcoaches with some form of restraints is an absolute necessity.
FYI—last week before congress recessed; Senator Coburn, from Oklahoma, was the lone dissenting vote (99-1) against debating the Brown/ Hutchison Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act S. 554 which would have resulted in this critical and long awaited bill moving to the House.
Now the bill may need to be debated in a lame duck session or may need to be re-introduced all together after the first of the year.
To all those who find this setback unnecessary and costing lives please let Senator Coburn know of your displeasure with his action, thank-you.