2 B.C. bus drivers banned from U.S. roads after Ore. crash
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The U.S. Department of Transportation says two bus drivers employed by the Canadian tour bus company involved in a deadly Oregon crash are imminent hazards to public safety.
The department is prohibiting both men from driving commercial vehicles in the United States, alleging that speeding played a part in the crash that killed nine and injured dozens more.
The U.S. regulator body says Mi Joo Tour & Travel's driver Haeng Kyu (James) Hwang was driving too fast for road conditions when he lost control on icy roads and his bus plunged down an embankment.
A second driver on the trip working for the Coquitlam, B.C., bus company, Choong Yurl Choi, is also accused of driving too fast for conditions.
The department says both drivers were also found to have been driving well beyond the 70-hour limit over a seven-day period.
Police have not yet said what caused the Dec. 30 crash, so the federal department's assessment of excessive speed is the first suggestion of what may have contributed to the tragedy.
The department is prohibiting both men from driving commercial vehicles in the United States, alleging that speeding played a part in the crash that killed nine and injured dozens more.
The U.S. regulator body says Mi Joo Tour & Travel's driver Haeng Kyu (James) Hwang was driving too fast for road conditions when he lost control on icy roads and his bus plunged down an embankment.
A second driver on the trip working for the Coquitlam, B.C., bus company, Choong Yurl Choi, is also accused of driving too fast for conditions.
The department says both drivers were also found to have been driving well beyond the 70-hour limit over a seven-day period.
Police have not yet said what caused the Dec. 30 crash, so the federal department's assessment of excessive speed is the first suggestion of what may have contributed to the tragedy.
It's no secret that many tour buses from both the US and Canada travel faster than the posted speed limits.
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Like lots of truckers, they typically travel 8-10 MPH above the posted truck speed limits. So where is the WSP or county sheriff cars? Guess they prefer to ignore heavy vehicles and go after cars. Not that they shouldn't pull over speeding cars, but I'll bet that big trucks and buses are very seldom stopped for 8-10 over compared to the number of cars that get stopped for the same excessive speeds.
I like how they're saying that they were driving too fast for road conditions, then they say they're still trying to determine the cause. Mmm. I think I may have an idea....
So we'll just let Canada deal with them. Sucks to be you Canada!
there are still many canadian commercial drivers driving recklessly on our roads. Speeding and following too close. Maybe we need to transfer cargo and or passengers at the border to keep the bad drivers out of the u.s.a. All you need is a transfer facility on the border. that would also put american bus drivers and truckers back to work.
 @32jim2 Most canadian drivers are as good as US drivers. The problem is in the container haulers. There are virtually no english speaking drivers in the canadian container hauling market, almost the same here in the US. Most all of these container hauling outfits are very poorly managed and try to circumvent federal laws every chance they get.
The major problem is really the drivers themselves allowing these companies to pay piece work which requires the driver to break the law every chance he gets just to feed his family. Time to make all these jobs salary jobs and create a safer work environment.
@Blindman @32jim2 This is why I call them "Wharf Rats". I drive a truck for my living and I stay as far as I can from the wharf rats. Their dangerous and aggressive driving style worries me when I am out on the road.
Some of the Canadian drivers drive way too fast and I see them cutting people off at least once a week to get on the northbound I-5 express lanes. Rather that cutting them off perhaps I should say changing lanes dangerously in front of cars with little room to spare in most cases. Our troopers could write a lot of unsafe lane change tickets if they hung out near the northbound express lane entrance in the afternoons.
 @32jim2 Are you implying that there aren't bad drivers here in the U.S.? I've encountered some of the worst drivers in my life right here in Washington with Washington plates.
nope. Oregon drivers are THE WORST
 @lisamba09 Nope, California drivers are the worst.
Tight schedules. Just like trucking. You either speed and falsify logs or you're fired.
 @Blindman And that is what gets trucking and bus companies shut down. their is no excuse for a company or even an independent  driver to drive carelessly. if the vehicle crashes the contents don't make it there anyway.
 @32jim2 Its the money. Tour bus drivers and truck drivers get paid by the mile. If you ain't cranking out the miles you're not making any money for either the company or the driver. Time to do away with piece work of all types. Pay drivers either a wage or a flat salary just like everyone else gets paid and you'll stop a lot of these unnecessary tragedies.