Pennsylvania Passenger Van Company Vehicles Had Passed Inspection

The owner of the passenger van involved in a fatal crash in February in northeastern Pennsylvania operated vehicles that all passed inspection, although some record and maintenance issues were cited, a newspaper said.

The Pocono Record said March public records the paper sought from the New York state transportation department indicated that Universal Bus Travel of Syracuse, N.Y. was given six months to address some issues with record-keeping or compliance with maintenance standards.

A commuter van operated by the company was involved in a late February crash on I-380 near Tobyhanna that left one dead and 15 injured. The driver, 22-year-old Jiayuan Liang, was charged with aggravated assault and homicide by vehicle. His attorney had questioned the maintenance of the vans during a court appearance in March and said the firm chose a route unfamiliar to his client.

The paper said it was unclear which van was involved in the crash, which occurred during a trip from new York City to Binghamton, N.Y., and attempts to reach the company for comment were unsuccessful Friday with multiple listed numbers for the company either wrong numbers, disconnected or not returning messages.