Surprise inspection follows horrific accident in Union Square

SAN FRANCISCO – On December 22, 2015, California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) Member and Motor Carrier Specialist for CHP Kevin Dee reported to the media that a surprise inspection at a tour bus company involved in a major crash near Union Square last month revealed multiple and serious violations.

Dee told KRON, “Any violation that puts a vehicle out of service is considered a bad violation.”

Dee and the CHP Motor Carrier Safety Unit conducted a surprise inspection at City Sightseeing just one week after a City Sightseeing  double-decker tour buses careened into a construction site seriously injuring 20 people.

The surprise inspection on November 20, 2015 involved six buses in which 61 violations were discovered including 29 equipment issues such as brake lights not working properly, inoperable emergency exits, a fuel leak, and a steering problem.   Four of the six buses were immediately ordered out of service.

The Motor Carrier Specialists found other violations involving the company’s own inspection of its fleet and driver logs.

“We trust that when we get on a tour bus, or any bus for that matter, that the company is maintaining its vehicles and keeping excellent track of its drivers,” said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona.  “Our CSLEA members in CHP’s Motor Carrier Safety Unit are overwhelmed with the number of commercial vehicles in this state that should be checked out.  These inspections are vital to our safety out on the road, as pedestrians on sidewalks and as passengers in the vehicles.  Motor Carrier Specialists and School Pupil Transportation Safety Coordinators should never be an afterthought, they are frontline when it comes to our safety.”