The bus involved in a fatal accident on the state Thruway in August is pictured during an investigation into the crash. Photo courtesy New York State Police via the National Transportation Safety Board

Several state lawmakers want to see motorcoaches inspected at designated rest stops throughout the state.

Legislation (A.7028/S.8497) was introduced earlier this year in the state Assembly by Assemblyman Scott Gray, R-Watertown, and more recently by Sen. Dan Stec, R-Glens Falls, in the Senate calling for mandatory in-route safety inspections for motor coaches carrying 16 or more passengers. The legislation aims to enhance operational oversight, reduce accident risks and bolster public confidence in motor coach travel.

Gray initially drafted his legislation in response to a 2023 St. Lawrence County crash that killed six migrant workers. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the probable cause was the truck driver’s fatigue due to insufficient sleep. Investigators found the driver was on his fifth consecutive overnight shift and had received no training on proper sleep hygiene. Gray reiterated his call for new safety measures for motorcoaches after an August accident on the state Thruway near Pembroke that killed five travelers returning to New York City from Niagara Falls when a tour bus with 54 passengers, ages 1 to 74, lost control, entered the median, over-corrected and overturned, killing five passengers and injuring dozens more. There have been no official finding regarding the cause of the accident.

“The continuous crashes and tragic fatalities on our roads are devastating, especially when we know there are simple, proven measures that can prevent them,” said Gray. “Beyond reinforcing the importance of always wearing your seatbelt, we must ensure regular vehicle inspections, pre-trip safety briefings and in-route safety checks to protect passengers.”

Gray is proposing rest area inspections at least once every 30 days to assess components such as seat belts, lighting systems, braking mechanisms, tires, emergency exits and equipment, and verify driver qualifications and adherence to mandated rest periods. Results would be sent to the state Transportation Department and an annual report published. Penalties could include fines, suspension of a motorcoach company’s operating authority or corrective action plans determined by the state transportation commissioner.

Gray has also introduced A.5915, the “Comprehensive Passenger Safety Enhancement Act,” which mandates seat belt use, pre-trip safety briefings, regular vehicle safety inspections and strengthened compliance measures for commercial passenger vehicles. These requirements align with NTSB recommendations following the 2023 Louisville crash.

“I believe most people would agree that enhancing safety on our roads is not overreach, it is common sense,” Gray added. “We cannot stand by while preventable tragedies continue to claim lives. Every step we take to improve oversight and accountability in commercial passenger vehicles saves lives.”