Downtown Express: New Regulations on Bus Safety Could Fuel Revival of Chinatown Budget Buses

Supporters and riders of budget Chinatown bus companies are hopeful new regulations put into place will signal a revival of the popular travel service, reports the Downtown Express.

Federal regulators over the last few months have shut down several inexpensive Chinatown bus companies that take riders from various East coast cities including New York, Boston and Washington, D.C.

“The growing demand for intercity bus travel corresponds to an essential need to regulate these services,” New York City Councilwoman Margaret Chin said in a statement.

According to the Chinatown Partnership Business Improvement District, the buses carry between five to six million passengers a year.

But several companies including Fung Wah and Lucky Star  have been shut down after being cited for safety violations.