Questions remain about bus safety records after deadly crash

KNOXVILLE, TN — As investigators continue to sort through the details of a horrific church bus crash in Knoxville, Tenn., question remain about the bus itself.

Sources said investigators have not confirmed whether the bus was registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation by Front Street Baptist Church. 

Pictures of the bus from the crash scene showed no USDOT registration number on the bus and a search for safety records turned up no results on the website of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).  Federal regulations, however, suggest the bus should have a USDOT registration number. 

IMAGES: Deadly bus crash in Tennessee

Regulations issued by the FMCSA say all church buses and other private motor carriers that cross state lines are required to have a USDOT number. 

Such registration ensures that buses have rigorous safety inspections.

Read more on how siblings are remember their parents and the bus driver who died in the crash here.

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WSOC