Illinois Bus Company Shut Down by FMCSA
An Illinois passenger carrier bus company was shut down after an investigation by the DOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Illini Tours, Inc. in Illinois has been shut down by the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The company's drivers and vehicles were declared an imminent hazard to public safety.
The bus company operates five motorcoaches and charter services in Illinois and across state lines. According to a FMCSA, Illini Tours was not systematically inspected and did not enact a program of maintainance and repairs for the vehicles.
“Safety is our highest priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in a DOT statement. “Companies that don’t abide by safety regulations and put the public at risk will not be allowed to operate.”
One of the company's vehicles remained in service for days after multiple drivers complained the anti-lock breaking system warning indicator light was illuminated.
“Each investigation involves specialized training, expertise and teamwork resulting in ‘raising the safety bar’ for all commercial passenger operations everywhere in the country,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro, in a DOT statement. “Every member of our FMCSA team, working in close collaboration with our state partners, continues to make their unique contribution in protecting the motoring public by removing unsafe carriers and commercial drivers from the road.”
The owner of Illini Tours, Robert L. Fraizer, also owned another passenger carrier company that was shut down by FMCSA last December for violations including making false entries on vehicle maintaince reports.