WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), along with U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, (D-NY) announced on Friday it has shut down 26 bus operations, declaring them imminent hazards to public safety, including one Rochester-based company. This action is the largest single safety crackdown in the agency’s history. Additionally, FMCSA ordered 10 individual bus company owners, managers and employees to cease all passenger transportation operations, which includes selling bus tickets to passengers.  The bus companies transported over 1,800 passengers a day along Interstate-95, from New York to Florida.

Following a year-long investigation, FMCSA shut down three primary companies - Apex Bus, Inc., I-95 Coach, Inc. and New Century Travel, Inc. – that oversaw a broad network of other bus companies. The 26 shutdown orders apply to one ticket seller, nine active bus companies, 13 companies already ordered out of service that were continuing to operate and three companies attempting to apply for operating authority.

• Apex Bus, Inc. operated two carriers in the state of New York under the names Apex Bus NY, Inc. and A One Bus, Inc.  Based in New York City, Apex Bus NY, Inc.’s operating authority registration was revoked in 2008 and has never been reinstated.  A One Bus Inc., based in Rochester, was an active bus company with authority to operate. 

• I-95 Coach, Inc. operated one carrier in the state of New York under the name Twins Jiang Corp.  Based in East Meadow, the carrier was already out of service, but continuing to operate illegally as I-95 Coach, Inc. 

• New Century Travel, Inc. operated one carrier in the state of New York under the name Black Leopard Travel, Inc.  Based in Brooklyn, the carrier was an active bus company with authority to operate.

In addition to New York, the various companies are based out of Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. 

“Let this be a warning to unscrupulous discount bus carriers: If you flout the rules, cut corners, or put profit ahead of passenger safety, you will be caught and you will be shut down. There are two choices for the low-cost discount bus industry, play by the rules or don’t play at all,” said Schumer