A Houston bus company was fined $55,000 for violating passenger carrier accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), announced the Departments of Justice and Transportation.
In addition to the fine, a consent agreement reached with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Justice Department requires Autobuses Ejecutivos LLC dba Omnibus Express to upgrade its fleet to meet ADA requirements by July 2011 or have its operating authority revoked.
An extensive investigation conducted by FMCSA uncovered that Omnibus Express was operating a fleet of 85 leased buses, and none were equipped with wheelchair lifts. In the past 12 months, the bus company leased 22 new buses that were not accessible to individuals with disabilities.
ADA regulations require that at least 50 percent of a carrier’s buses be accessible, and that all new buses leased or purchased be accessible by individuals with disabilities.
“Equal access to transportation is at the cornerstone of autonomous and independent living, and this agreement demonstrates the strong commitment both the Justice Department and the Department of Transportation have to joint enforcement of the requirements that transportation be accessible to all,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division.
“Every day, thousands of people rely on motorcoaches and other types of commercial passenger buses to travel where they need to go safely and efficiently,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “We owe it to the traveling public to make sure commercial buses are safe and accessible for everyone.”
Related Federal Cases
- Autobuses Ejecutivos LLC, Hiring Bias, Texas 2013 · Alaska
- Pablo David Cajti-Tzoy, Immigration Violations, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Tornado Bus Company Inc., Failure to Comply with ADA, Texas 2010 · Florida
- Umeka Treymane Myers, Embezzlement, Texas 2023 · Alaska
- KIK (Virginia) LLC, Environmental Pollution, Virginia 2003 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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