Riders can now identify safer buses with free Point-to-Point listing

FAIRFAX, Va., June 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Transportation Safety Exchange (TSX), an industry-pioneering, independent rating organization that inspects, monitors, and reports the safety performance of motor carriers in the ground transportation industry, today announced that it has launched its free Point-to-Point Motor Carrier listing so customers can easily identify the safer carriers who provide point-to-point and curbside service. Point-to-point bus travel is becoming increasingly popular for convenient and cost-effective intercity travel by operators that pick up passengers at a predetermined location such as an intersection or parking lot rather than a central terminal or depot. With the TSX Point-to-Point Motor Carrier listing and the click of a mouse, riders can identify the safer TSX Approved motor carriers that have implemented and maintain the highest safety standards in the industry as quickly and easily as they can compare fare information.

"With the TSX Point-to-Point Motor Carrier listing, the traveling public will now have free, unlimited access to safety information that is up to date and is based on a comprehensive on-site inspection and an ongoing evaluation process of performance data. TSX protects consumers by providing accurate, real-time safety ratings of operators so riders can make their travel choices based on safety, rather than solely on price," said Patrick Labriola, President of Transportation Safety Exchange. "Until now, the traveling public has not had an easy and reliable way to determine the safety of operators, which leaves price as the main criterion by which a motor carrier was selected."

This release of the free TSX Point-to-Point Motor Carrier listing is particularly timely as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced today that it has shut down 26 point-to-point bus operations for safety violations in what federal officials say is the government's largest single safety crackdown of the motor coach industry in at least a decade. The violations included using drivers who did not hold valid commercial driver's licenses, and failing to administer alcohol and drug tests to drivers. Many of the unsafe motor carriers are "reincarnated", meaning that when they are shut down, they simply reopen for business under a different name or in a different location.

This crackdown comes after the Report on Curbside Motorcoach Safety issued by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in October 2011 reported many of the point-to-point motor carriers are not safe and may cut corners when it comes to safety in order to compete effectively on price. Many fatal and injury-causing accidents have focused considerable attention on these point-to-point carriers, raising awareness and concern over the safety of these operators.

"We feel so strongly about our vision of making the roads safer that we created the TSX Point-to-Point Motor Carrier listing and are offering free, unlimited access to the public," noted Labriola. "We want to ensure that everyone has access to the most current safety information about motor carriers so they can be confident about traveling to their destination as safely as possible and can focus instead on enjoying their trips."

About Transportation Safety Exchange (TSX)
Transportation Safety Exchange (TSX) is an industry-pioneering, independent rating organization that inspects, monitors, and reports the safety performance of motor carriers in the ground transportation industry. Our mission is to reduce highway accidents, save lives, and minimize the cost of damages from motor carrier accidents across North America.

To access the TSX Point-to-Point Motor Carrier listing, visit www.GetThereSafely.com.
For more information about TSX, log on to www.transportationsafetyexchange.com or call 855-890-8879.

Contact:
Sarah Cody
(202) 997-6798
[email protected]

SOURCE Transportation Safety Exchange