US orders Fung Wah to suspend bus service

[alp227]

Source: Boston Globe

The US Department of Transportation said Tuesday it has ordered Fung Wah Bus Transportation Inc. to “immediately cease passenger service and provide its entire fleet of 28 motorcoaches for thorough and detailed safety inspections by qualified inspectors.”

Fung Wah operates service primarily between Boston and New York.

A Tuesday story in the Globe noted that the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities was requesting the Transportation Department’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to shut down Fung Wah until it addresses safety concerns.

In a letter to the federal agency, state officials said Fung Wah does not understand basic safety requirements and is “currently incapable of maintaining a fleet of motor coaches.”

Read more: http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/02/26/orders-fung-wah-bus-line-suspend-passenger-service-over-safety-concerns/qmpsnTKMDtEfw7NQTc8QiN/story.html

[jberryhill]

1. Those guys are a sight to see on the 95 corridor

It's like high speed rail. But it's a bus. And usually one with black smoke coming from the engine.

The drivers of Fung Wah do not know what fear is.

[srican69]

5. They pro'lly think they are competing with the Delta Shuttle out of LGA

[jberryhill]

13. Except they are faster

[Submariner]

15. On Boston TV news last night

during a spot inspection they showed the frame of one bus welded in the wrong spot making it split and weakened to no end.

[sharp_stick]

2. I took Fung Wah once

from New York to Boston. We seemed to be doing OK until we hit the I-91 cutting North through CT. The driver cranked that bus up to around 80 and started moving... left lane, center lane, left... all the way over to the right and then way over to the left. I thought the frame was going to shake off the body when he took the exit onto the I-84 toward Boston.

Three days later I took Amtrak back to New York.

[srican69]

4. I love the Amtrak ... and in fact prefer the NE corridor over the Acela ...

Both have Wifi an the NEC takes about 30 minutes more ....

[Marrah_G]

28. Pretty much the same story here

I took the train home.

[sir pball]

3. I know these guys, they're out of Chinatown..

..and they operate like they're back home. Can't say this is a surprise. Never taken them so I can't speak to their comfort, reliability or safety, but it's like five bucks!

[jberryhill]

11. Their safety record reads like Napoleon's Russian campaign

But, no, you can't beat the price.

[Mopar151]

23. I remember that year!

I was commuting to Salem NH, listening to Boston traffic reports. "Where FungWah crashed/broke down/caught fire!" was a regular feature, like "Rt 1 backed up to the "99"".

[Mopar151]

34. The NYC wreck and more "Fun with Fung Wah"

Hunka Hunka burnin' bus.....

[Fearless]

6. Cited for failure to speak English?

I mean, the company is clearly unsafe but... umm... what??

[jberryhill]

9. That can be a condition of federal transportation licensing

For example, all air control communications - no matter where - are conducted in English.

Of course, in the United States, anyone is free to use whatever language they like. But as a condition of commercial transportation licensing, it's another ball of wax.

[Fearless]

10. Oh no, I don't want to think about the possibility of a Fung Wah airline!

[jberryhill]

12. funny you should mention that....

[Fearless]

14. "In a strange twist of fate..."

"Fung Wah travelers were spared a mid-flight collision by simply being unable to get off the ground properly. Sources suggest the cause of the accident was pilot error, as she disengaged the landing gear prior to take-off..."

[Ikonoklast]

16. All operators of commercial vehicles in this country must be able to understand basic English.

Failing to do so is an immediate "Out-of'service" order under the provisions set forth by the FMCSA under rule 391.11(b)(2).

[Marrah_G]

29. It's a safety issue.

[Mopar151]

35. Especially when (IIRC)

The driver has a bus hung up on a lane divider at a MassPike toll plaza, and can't understand the cops.........

[TygrBright]

7. "Fung Wah"? Really?? n/t

[geek tragedy]

8. The dreaded Chinatown bus line.

Really a long time coming for this.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. Fung Wah is a continual problem. GoBus rocks: $15-$25, NYC<-->Cambridge or NYC<-->Newton

GoBus has free WiFi, vehicles are clean, etc. Ends up taking roughly the same time as a plane, without the lines and patdown, at a small fraction the price.

Fung Wah's been a continual problem:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fung_Wah_Bus_Transportation#Safety
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/09/12/fung_wah_bus_line_agrees_to_abide_by_new_state_strictures/
etc.

[aggiesal]

18. The guy in the article . . .

I won't mention his name, was quoted with:
[font color=RED]“I’m just trying to get home to my daughters, and as long as I just get to where I’m going safe I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t ride them,”[/font]

Really?
You're willing to risk your life for $15?

I'm glad we don't live in a Libertarian Paradise like Haiti or Somalia.

[Drunken Irishman]

26. Like the people who would fly on ValuJet

[Arkana]

19. Am I wrong for thinking this is sorta funny?

I mean, I realize it's not supposed to be, but...

[Eugene]

20. Fung Wah Using Charter Buses To Get Around Federal Shutdown Order

Source: CBS

Fung Wah Using Charter Buses To Get Around Federal Shutdown Order

February 26, 2013 2:58 PM

BOSTON (CBS) – Fung Wah Bus Transportation, Inc. has found a way around a federal order to “immediately cease passenger service” by contracting outside charter buses to transport passengers back and forth from South Station to New York City.

On Tuesday, The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued the shutdown order after a WBZ-TV I-Team investigation that found major safety concerns on a number of the company’s buses.

An FMCSA spokesperson later clarified the order, saying it only prohibits Fung Wah from transporting passengers in its 28 buses.

“The company, if it chooses, has the prerogative to rent or lease other vehicles; the company is not shut down,” Duane DeBruyne said in a statement to WBZ-TV.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/02/26/feds-shut-down-fung-wah-bus-company-following-i-team-investigation/

[Arkana]

21. Then at least the buses they're driving won't be shoddily-constructed POSes.

[Mopar151]

24. Those buses were fine when they were new

Just like airplanes - they last a long time (million miles +) IF they are properly maintained and repaired. Operating conditions matter, too - from a couple of the posts here, the FungWah drivers "Could break an anvil in a sandbox!"*


*How my friend, a professional racing engine builder, describes some of his customers.

[Fumesucker]

32. And then lose one of the pieces

At least that's the way I heard it when I was a racer.

[Mopar151]

33. Sure fits one of the stories he told me!

I think maybe the vintage racer (289 FIA Cobra) who took another lap of the Glen with the oil light on.....

[Veri1138]

22. Outsourcing strikes again...

Amazing what "corporations" can do.

[Sunlei]

25. They must be terrible, the Department of Transportation almost never shuts anyone down

Maybe Fung Wah will keep on truckin' and pay the tiny fines some year.

[Marrah_G]

27. Ahhh, the ten dollar death buses!!!!!!

~shiver~

[Euphoria]

30. Ah Fung Wah

I took Fung Wah a couple of times, about 3 years ago. Had no problems but we certainly got to Boston really fast! And man, it's great to do take-out Chinese food for bringing on the trip.
I've also taken Megabus and Bolt. On one trip with one of them, the one starting with a "B", we had to make a stop to buy some engine oil. A couple of us helped our driver figure out where to pour it in! But that was just one time.
Traveling by bus is a lot more fun than sitting in a private car.
BTW - does Fung Wah really mean "obstruct sleep"?

[limpyhobbler]

31. I used to ride the chinatown bus, Boston to NYC. It was dirt cheap to ride.

Never had a problem with it. Just thought it was a great service but this was like maybe 15 years ago. I hope they get their safety issues taken care of.