One of the most popular Chinatown bus lines, which runs hourly service between Boston and New York City, was ordered to pull its fleet yesterday after flunking a surprise safety inspection.
The feds directed Fung Wah, which charges $15 for rides to Beantown, to “immediately cease passenger service” on its 28 buses.
The drastic order against the low-cost carrier came after the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities conducted a routine random inspection on Feb. 7.
Inspectors found serious problems, including cracks in the frames.
They sent their findings to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, requesting that Fung Wah be declared an “imminent danger.”
But Fung Wah was allowed to rent or lease other buses to continue operations. And it appeared that’s what it was doing yesterday.
Instead of the normal buses marked with Chinese lettering and the Fung Wah logo, the company used ones that read “Omega.”
Despite the shutdown orders, Fung Wah did a brisk business yesterday at its usual spot at The Bowery and Canal Street.
“This is the best deal in town,” said rider Tony Brown. “I’ve been taking this bus for the last 10 years and I never had a problem.”
The bus company was cited and fined more than $31,000 for a 2006 incident in Massachusetts in which a bus flipped over and injured dozens of riders.