Trucking industry negligence and government oversight failures contributed to a deadly Greyhound bus crash that claimed three innocent lives, revealing dangerous gaps in America’s transportation infrastructure that continue to put law-abiding citizens at risk.
Key Takeaways
- Critical shortage of safe truck parking facilities directly contributed to a fatal 2023 Greyhound bus crash that killed three passengers and injured twelve others in Illinois
- The crash was entirely preventable according to NTSB investigators, exposing regulatory failures that place American travelers at unnecessary risk
- Greyhound employed a driver with a troubling history of four prior accidents and repeated speeding violations
- Illegal truck parking on highway ramps continues unchecked due to inadequate enforcement and insufficient infrastructure
- Many injuries could have been prevented if passengers had used the required seatbelts mandated by federal regulations
Regulatory Failures Lead to Deadly Bus Collision
In another tragic example of government negligence endangering American lives, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that a critical shortage of safe truck parking directly contributed to a deadly Greyhound bus crash in Illinois last year. The July 2023 incident, which claimed the lives of three passengers and injured twelve others, occurred when the bus veered off Interstate 70 onto a rest area ramp near Highland and slammed into three semi-trucks illegally parked on the shoulder. This preventable tragedy spotlights the Biden administration’s ongoing failure to address dangerous infrastructure gaps that put law-abiding citizens at risk every day on our nation’s highways.
NTSB Chairperson Jennifer Homendy placed the blame squarely on regulatory failures and infrastructure deficiencies that have been ignored for too long. “Our investigation brought to light a critical shortage of safe truck parking and made clear a painful lesson: Until we address this important safety issue, lives are at risk on our nation’s roads,” said Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Chairperson. While parking on rest stop entrance and exit ramps remains illegal, enforcement is virtually non-existent due to insufficient facilities for America’s 13 million trucks. This regulatory neglect forces truckers to choose between breaking hours-of-service rules or parking illegally, creating hazardous conditions for all travelers.
Overnight parking for long-haul truckers at interstate rest stops is critically short and was a key contributor to a 2023 Greyhound bus crash in Illinois that killed three people. https://t.co/t7npcuhnKp
— WAND TV News (@wandtvnews) May 21, 2025
Greyhound’s Negligent Hiring Practices Exposed
The NTSB investigation revealed alarming failures in Greyhound’s hiring and supervision practices that should outrage every American who puts their safety in the hands of commercial transportation companies. The bus driver responsible for the crash had an extensive history of dangerous driving behaviors, including involvement in four previous accidents and multiple speeding violations. Despite these clear red flags, Greyhound allowed this individual to transport dozens of passengers through the night. Driver fatigue was identified as a primary factor in the collision, highlighting how corporate negligence and inadequate oversight directly endanger public safety.
“Greyhound Lines has fully cooperated with the NTSB since the beginning of this investigation,” said a Greyhound spokesperson.
The crash occurred at 1:48 a.m., a time when many passengers were likely sleeping and particularly vulnerable. According to investigators, the bus veered off the interstate and slammed into three illegally parked semi-trucks, sliding along their sides with devastating consequences. While the truck drivers escaped unharmed, bus passengers suffered the deadly impact of these combined safety failures. Most telling is that many injuries could have been minimized if passengers had worn the seatbelts provided – another example of how existing safety regulations without proper enforcement prove useless in protecting American citizens.
Infrastructure Crisis Demands Immediate Action
This preventable tragedy highlights President Trump’s ongoing concerns about America’s crumbling infrastructure and the need for practical, targeted investments rather than the wasteful spending characteristic of the previous administration. While billions of taxpayer dollars were diverted overseas and to wasteful pet projects, critical safety needs on our highways remained unaddressed. The NTSB report makes clear that the shortage of truck parking facilities represents a serious danger to all Americans on the road. Without adequate parking, truck drivers face impossible choices between violating hours-of-service regulations or creating dangerous conditions by parking in unauthorized areas.
A 2019 federal rule requires all commercial buses to have seatbelts for passengers and drivers, and Illinois state law mandates their use. Yet without proper education and enforcement, these regulations become merely symbolic gestures that fail to protect citizens. The NTSB’s findings should serve as a wake-up call to transportation officials who have neglected fundamental safety issues while pursuing costly ideological agendas. Until our government prioritizes practical infrastructure solutions over wasteful spending, preventable tragedies like this Greyhound crash will continue to claim innocent American lives on our highways.
