ST. LOUIS • Megabus officials said Friday they are working with state and federal investigators to determine whether all safety protocols were followed on a St. Louis-bound bus that apparently blew a tire and crashed into a bridge pier at Litchfield, Ill., killing a woman and leaving more than four dozen people injured.
The blue double-decker vehicle, built in 2011, passed a full preventive maintenance check less than a week ago, company spokesman Ronald Hauser said. He would not say whether the driver performed an inspection before leaving Chicago Thursday morning, Such an inspection is required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of all commercial interstate drivers.
Megabus, which reported more than 5.7 million passengers over 100,000 trips in 2011, is best known for its promotional $1 fares, and for loading passengers at curbside stops instead of depots.
In a statement, the company said its safety standards are stricter than federal regulations. It also said each bus has tire-monitoring technology that provides an alert if pressure changes, helping prevent blowouts.
Some low-cost bus lines have been targeted by regulators for their safety practices.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation shut down 26 bus companies operating along the Northeast after declaring them “imminent
