[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2023 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2023

To establish a safety performance rating system for motorcoach services 
                            and operations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 16, 2011

  Mr. Schumer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a safety performance rating system for motorcoach services 
                            and operations.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DISCLOSURE OF SAFETY PERFORMANCE RATINGS OF MOTORCOACH 
              SERVICES AND OPERATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 141 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 14105. Safety performance ratings of motorcoach services and 
              operations
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Motorcoach.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), the term `motorcoach' has the meaning 
                given to the term `over-the-road bus' in section 
                3038(a)(3) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 
                21st Century (49 U.S.C. 5310 note).
                    ``(B) Inclusions and exclusions.--The term 
                `motorcoach'--
                            ``(i) includes a motor vehicle used to 
                        transport passengers that has a gross vehicle 
                        weight of at least 10,001 pounds; and
                            ``(ii) does not include--
                                    ``(I) a bus used in public 
                                transportation that is provided by a 
                                State or local government; or
                                    ``(II) a school bus (as defined in 
                                section 30125(a)(1)), including a 
                                multifunction school activity bus.
            ``(2) Motorcoach services and operations.--The term 
        `motorcoach services and operations' means passenger 
        transportation by a motorcoach for compensation.
    ``(b) Rulemaking.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall require, by 
        regulation--
                    ``(A) each motor carrier that owns or leases 1 or 
                more motorcoaches that transport passengers subject to 
                the Secretary's jurisdiction under section 13501 to 
                display prominently in each motorcoach it operates, and 
                in all announcements, advertisements, and points of 
                sale for such motorcoach services and operations, a 
                simple and understandable letter grade rating system 
                that allows motorcoach passengers to compare the safety 
                performance of motorcoach operators; and
                    ``(B) any person who sells tickets for motorcoach 
                services and operations to display the letter grade 
                rating system described in subparagraph (A) in all 
                announcements, advertisements, and points of sale for 
                such motorcoach services and operations.
            ``(2) Items included in the rulemaking.--In promulgating 
        safety performance ratings for motorcoaches pursuant to the 
        rulemaking required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
        consider--
                    ``(A) the frequency with which safety performance 
                ratings will be assigned and updated, which updates 
                shall take place at least once per year;
                    ``(B) the specific data elements and sources of 
                information to be utilized in establishing and updating 
                safety performance ratings for motorcoaches;
                    ``(C) the need and extent to which safety 
                performance ratings should be made available in 
                languages other than English; and
                    ``(D) penalties authorized under section 521.
            ``(3) Insufficient inspections.--Any motor carrier that has 
        not received sufficient inspections or been subject to a 
        compliance review during the most recent 12-month period shall 
        display a `No Safety Data' rating in lieu of a letter grade 
        rating in accordance with paragraph (1)(A).
    ``(c) Effect on State and Local Law.--Nothing in this section may 
be construed to preempt a State, or a political subdivision of a State, 
from enforcing any requirements concerning the manner and content of 
consumer information provided by motor carriers that are not subject to 
the Secretary's jurisdiction under section 13501.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis of chapter 141 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 14104 the following:

``Sec. 14105. Safety performance ratings of motorcoach services and 
                            operations.''.
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