DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. -- Questions are being raised after 20 people were killed in a upstate New York limousine crash.
According to investigators, the vehicle failed inspection last month and the driver of the vehicle was not properly licensed.
FOX43 reached out to PennDOT, along with some local limousine companies to see what they are doing to make sure what happened in upstate New York, doesn’t happen in Central Pennsylvania.
Safety director, James Lombardo, at ‘Unique Limousine’ in Dauphin County says they take extra steps to make sure they are following protocol.
He tells FOX43 that like many companies in the area, when they receive a driver application, they make sure they are looking at a ten year driving record.
Speeds are monitored with daily safety logs, which Lombardo says are reviewed my management regularly.
Lombardo says per PennDOT, his vehicles are inspected annually and if they have an issue, they are taken off the road until that problem is fixed.
“Filling out those logs it tells you everything you need to know and if there’s an issue with the vehicle, drivers can’t close that log out without doing a safety check at the end. If there is something wrong and a vehicle has to be taken out of service, it goes out of service automatically," said Lombardo.
FOX43 reached out to PennDOT to see what additional requirements there are for limousines and they say that in addition to yearly inspection — quote -- “In Pennsylvania, a modified vehicle must undergo an enhanced safety inspection at the time the vehicle is modified, in order to be titled in Pennsylvania." - PennDOT
PennDOT also says a CDL is required for the driver of a limousine, depending on the number of passengers the vehicle is designed to transport. If the limo is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, a CDL is required.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is in charge of regulating limo companies and suggests anyone using a limo company, to check it is properly licensed and that vehicles are up to date.
For more information you can visit: puc.pa.gov
