DMV Finds Fairfield Middle School Students in DC on Unregistered, Uninsured Buses [UPDATE]

6:24 p.m.

First Selectman Ken Flatto told Patch that the school district secured replacement buses to replace the unregistered buses. DMV officials announced that they are going to investigate how the bus company used unregistered, uninsured buses, Flatto said.

Deputy Superintendent of Schools Jack Boyle issued a statement late Thursday, commending the school district's manager of transportation for taking swift action.  

"We are very pleased that all students safely continued with their end of year eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. thanks to the quick action by the school district's manager of transportation and the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles.  The manager of transportation contacted the DMV at 6:15 a.m. on the day of the trip to check on the registrations of the vehicles that were contracted by the tour company.  After learning of the expired registrations, he was able to procure replacement buses so the trip would continue without interruption. The staff and students were reported to have taken the brief delay in stride."

The new bus company retained by the school district is GAMCO; the initial buses secured by the school community, ABC, Affordable Bus Charter, Inc., had been cancelled and the company with the unregistered buses was hired the day before the trip, Flatto told Patch.

"I am so pleased that the school district reacted so quickly to rectify this potentially very risky situation and thankful there was no impact on anyone's safety," Flatto said.

Original story

The Department of Motor Vehicles Tuesday gave about 250 Fairfield middle school students visiting Washington, D.C., some added excitement when the agency asked district police and other officials to stop their buses because they were unregistered and uninsured.

The five 55-passenger motor coaches carrying the children were stopped at the gates of Arlington National Cemetery as they were leaving. This followed calls from DMV to local and U.S. Park Service police that buses’ registrations and insurance had expired in late March. The buses were all put out of service.
Students remained on the parked buses until school officials arranged for alternate transportation.

DMV and the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are investigating the incident. The Northford company that was transporting students in the unregistered and uninsured buses is known as ABC, Affordable Bus Charter, Inc.

“We are very glad that students are fine, that nothing happened to anyone and that they can continue on their school trip,” said DMV Commissioner Melody A. Currey, who has been in contact with school officials about the incident.
“For the safety of the children involved, DMV’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Division took action quickly to have the buses stopped because of this violation of state laws.” 

The DMV’s review of these motor coaches, which are not the large yellow school transportation buses, began after reports from Fairfield school transportation supervisor. He sent an e-mail to the agency Tuesday about a possible problem with the buses, which had left Fairfield early in morning for Washington.

DMV  then checked the bus records provided from the Fairfield school transportation official. Based on that review, DMV officials found that on March 31, 2011, the registrations had expired and had not been renewed.
That same review also found that insurance had been canceled in late March, too. Reviews of the bus drivers’ licenses found that the five had currently valid licenses for operating the vehicles.

DMV and federal officials today went to the bus company, which is located at 1071 Middletown Ave., to review company records and files.  The company has a vehicle out-of-service rating of 22.4 percent while the national average is 20.72 percent and a driver out-of-service rating of 15 percent while the national average is 5.51 percent.

The state and federal in-depth review includes examining maintenance files, inspection records, safety programs, driver licensing and training files, proper equipment on the buses and other federal and state requirements for operating motor coaches.

The company, which has six motor coaches used for charter service, also provides livery service.