The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has withdrawn a proposal for mandatory bus safety inspections.
The measure was withdrawn on April 28 and is effective immediately.
According to The Hill, the FMCSA issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking in April 2016. It would have compelled states to conduct annual inspections of commercial motor vehicles that carry passengers. As of April 2016, 22 states had mandatory inspection programs that the FMCSA Administrator recognized.
The FMCSA said it looked at existing federal standards and state inspection requirements. It also compared the risks of buses that are inadequately maintained to the costs of establishing such inspections, noting that it “is not aware of data or information that supports the development” of these rules.
Currently, commercial motor vehicles are required to be inspected at least once per year, according to the FMCSA. Carriers have the option of either having their qualified personnel conduct such inspections or having a qualified third party perform them.
There were seven comments in favor of the measure and 10 in opposition, the FMCSA said.