Court puts brakes on Montco bus company

DRIVERS for a Montgomery County-based bus company cited for allegedly endangering the safety of passengers has been hit with a restraining order for ignoring a Department of Transportation mandate to cease operations.

"Safety is our highest priority," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in announcing the restraining order yesterday, issued by U.S. District Court against Double Happyness Inc., headquartered in Huntingdon Valley. "We will not tolerate irresponsible bus companies that jeopardize the safety of bus passengers and other motorists."

The injunction was issued, LaHood said, because the company ignored an order last month from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to stop transporting customers.

The company, which shuttled passengers to and from New York City, Albany, Baltimore and Wilmington, Del., was called an "imminent hazard to public safety" by the FMCSA in its first order to cease-and-desist, issued Dec. 23. The company allegedly doctored driver logs, failed to properly maintain its buses and hired drivers who had failed pre-employment drug screenings.

But Double Happyness continued to sell tickets after being told to shut down, according to the restraining order. Under the order, the company is not allowed to run its buses or contract with other companies until its preliminary hearing on March 26.

An employee at the company's headquarters said yesterday the office was still open for business but declined to elaborate.