While budget bus carrier Fung Wah pulled 21 of its 28 buses from service this week after Boston officials raised safety concerns, it had continued to run a reduced route using charter buses. That didn’t fly with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. While the feds investigate the entire fleet, the MBTA has blocked Fung Wah from operating out of the city’s South Station.

After the Department of Public Utilities asked the federal government to look into Fung Wah over concerns of cracked buses, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration told the company to stop using those vehicles. But Fung Wah found a way around that by using charter buses at first.

In the cease-and-desist order, the MBTA forbids Fung Wah from operating its Chinatown line between Boston and New York City in both directions, reports the Boston Herald.

“Due to the safety issues involved in the suspension of your company’s right to operate a passenger bus service for a substantial portion of your bus fleet, the MBTA insists that your company immediately cease all passenger bus operation from South Station Bus Terminal until further notice,” read the letter for the managing agent for the MBTA at South Station Bus Terminal. “In the interest of safety the MBTA cannot allow buses which have been suspended from operation, or any other buses which are not properly licensed and inspected to operate from South Station Bus Terminal.”

Feds are looking into the company’s “present state of unacceptable safety compliance” which “poses an imminent hazard to public safety.”

Fung Wah says any tickets already purchased will be refunded, but hasn’t said when service and operation will be up and running again.

MBTA cracks down on Fung Wah charters from South Station [Boston Herald]

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