A new phone application provided free by the U.S Department of Transportation will help give peace of mind to parents who see their kids board buses for long trips to athletic and other school events in Colorado.
At least that’s how Michele Lucas sees the new app for iPads and iPhones, which will allow anyone to review a bus company’s safety record.
“A lot of people, especially parents, would appreciate something like this,” said Lucas, who schedules bus trips for the athletic department at Loveland’s Thompson Valley High School. “Schools, too, could use this because we are the ones chartering these buses.”
“Everyone,” Lucas said, “wants to make sure kids are safe when they go on these trips.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration unveiled its SaferBus app last week.
Officials said they wanted to introduce the app just before everyone starts making travel plans for spring and summer.
“As college students, families and tour groups start thinking about spring and summer travel,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, “we encourage everyone to use the SaferBus app to look before you book your next bus trip.”
The SaferBus app can be downloaded for free at the Apple iTunes App Store or by going to the FMCSA’s “Look Before You Book” website at .
SaferBus provides access to safety records on nearly 6,000 interstate commercial passenger carriers operating in the United States today, which includes privately owned motorcoach, school- bus and tour-bus companies.
The data, which cover up to 24 months of a bus company’s safety record, provide insight into a bus company’s performance in five areas: unsafe driving, fatigued driving, driver fitness, controlled substances/alcohol and vehicle maintenance.
Percentiles in any area can range from 0 (best) to 100 (worst) and are based on the company’s compliance with federal safety standards.
Denver’s Ramblin’ Express — which has provided bus service in Denver and Colorado Springs since 1993 — said the app will benefit the company.
“We have always received and maintained the highest safety ratings available through our required inspections from the (U.S.) Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense,” said Ramblin’ Express president Todd Holland.
The company also gets regular inspections from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, Holland said.
Too often, he added, people who book group charters are interested only in price and not a carrier’s safety record. Holland said his company has often directed clients and prospective customers to the FMCSA’s website, which has safety information.
“The iPhone app seems to make accessing that publicly available information even faster and easier,” he said.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
