Senate Commerce Committee Introduces Safety Act

May 2, 2003

Senate Commerce Committee Introduces Safety Act
The leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee introduced a bipartisan bill this week call the Over-the-Road Bus Security and Safety Act of 2003, making available $135 million in grants over the next two years for motorcoach operators.

According to Travel Weekly, the Security and Safety Act of 2003 would be put in place to help motorcoach operators increase security measures. The grants could possibly be used to establish protection for drivers, implement passenger-screening programs, construct or modify terminals, train motorcoach employees in threat analysis, hire security personnel and install video surveillance and communications equipment.

"NTA has always supported the concept of Government assistance for enhanced motorcoach security measures," said Jim Santini, NTA legislative counsel. "Our association must now remain on the alert that this Senate bill does not become a vehicle for a sneak attack "passenger fee" to be collected by tour operators like the 25 cents per passenger head tax that was part of this same basic legislation in the last Congress."

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