The U.S. Department of Transportation has shut down 26 bus operations across the country, inlcuding three in Indiana.

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The Department's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shut down the operations because it says they were imminent hazards to public safety. After a year-long investigation, three primary companies were shut down including New Century Travel, Inc. which operated three bus carriers in Indiana. Those carriers were Red Eagle Tours, Inc., Eagle Bus, Inc., and Sammy's Tours, Inc. The FMCSA says all of those carriers were either out of service but operating illegally or were never authorized to operate in the first place.

Red Eagle Tours, Inc. was based out of Mishawaka, Indiana. The other two were based out of Indianapolis. Investigators say the carriers had multiple safety violations including using drivers without valid commercial driver's licenses and operating vehicles that had not been regularly inspected and repaired.

Other companies that were shut down were based in Georgia, Maryland, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.