A major bus manufacturer in China confirmed it has halted the production and sales of double-decker sleeper buses, complying with a March government edict. This came after a fatal road accident that killed 36 in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Sunday that sparked a renewed look at the industry.

This contradicts some news reports Tuesday that some buses, manufactured by the Henan-based Zhengzhou Yutong Group Co, are still being bought in regions including Beijing and the provinces of Sichuan and Shandong.

"Sales are still booming in spite of a central government edict, dating from March 1, banning the manufacturing and sales of sleeper buses," an anonymous industry insider was quoted by the International Finance News as saying on Tuesday.

"We have stopped selling sleeper buses for quite some time," Qiao Sen, a sales representative for Yutong in Shandong Province, told the Global Times.

"The demand for sleeper buses was very small. Their sales accounted for only less than 5 percent of our products," Qiao added.

Qiao's words were echoed by Yutong's sales manager in Shanghai. "The sales of sleeper buses have been halted for over a year, due to potential safety problems," Wang Zhenhua told the Global Times, adding that those buses still in operation were mostly sold in the past few years and have not yet been phased out.

When asked why Yutong's website still lists product information about these double-decker sleeper buses, Wang replied that it only shows the company had produced these buses in the past and does not represent the availability of the product.

"Besides the weak demand, there is no way to get a license for one," Wang added.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security in March jointly issued a ban on selling, producing and licensing sleeper buses.

"Though passengers usually choose to travel on sleeper buses for long-distance trips, there are many potential safety risks in their design," Du Fangci, assistant secretary general of the China Automobile Dealers Association, told the Global Times.

"A double-decker sleeper bus is more likely to overturn when moving at high speed, due to its higher center of gravity than other types," Du said, adding that the overcrowded conditions and narrow aisles make it hard for passengers to escape when an accident occurs.

"Even if the buses have two doors, it is really difficult to get out. Only those who sit very close to the doors may be able to evacuate. Given all these potential risks, a ban was unavoidable," Du said.

The Ministry of Transport has ordered a nationwide inspection of all long-distance buses to minimize further safety problems, according to the Xinhua News Agency Tuesday.