Bus & Motorcoach News
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BUS & MOTORCOACH NEWS February— February 1, 1, 2005 2005 — 1 INDUSTRY NEWS OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MOTORCOACH EXPO 2005 Passenger carriers face tough battle with new Congress WASHINGTON — The mo- the United Motorcoach Associa- torcoach industry and its private- tion, the American Bus Associa- sector passenger transportation tion, the National School Trans- partners appear to be facing long portation Association and about a odds in their bid to make critical dozen other national, regional and changes to the stalled federal high- state passenger transportation asso- way and public transportation reau- ciations. The associations not only thorization bill. represent bus operators but also Members of the Coalition of school bus companies, paratransit Private Transportation Associa- services, and taxicab, shuttle and tions met late last month with key limousine operators. staff members from the House and The group was organized last Greyhound cuts move to Southwest Senate, and the meetings were less year to fight for the inclusion of a than encouraging. half-dozen provisions in the federal DALLAS — The overhaul of added in the next couple of The eastern half of the U.S. is In fact, the coalition’s meeting highway and public transit reautho- Greyhound Lines’ route structure months as the company winds due for the same type of system with top staffers from the House rization bills being considered by moved into the Southwest, West down phase one of its massive revamping, although the company Transportation and Infrastructure the House and Senate. Generally, and other regions this month with cost-cutting effort, according to says it has not yet developed a Committee was “fairly negative in the coalition has been battling to: abandonments announced for 68 Greyhound Vice President of timetable for phase two. terms of their lack of support gener- • Keep public transit agencies communities. The cutbacks are Corporate Communications Lynn “We are going to continue to ally for all of the issues important to from expanding their ability to pro- the second cycle in the top-to-bot- Brown. do this and it will be over the next the coalition,” said one coalition vide charter services. tom retooling of the Greyhound Most of the cities abandoned couple of years,” said Ms. Brown. member who attended the session. • Expand the involvement of system designed to eliminate drags so far have been west of the The initial route restructuring, The coalition is composed of CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 þ on the company bottom line. Mississippi River, which was the which was announced last year The latest cutbacks by the initial target area selected by the and took effect in August, elimi- nation’s largest intercity carrier company when it announced its nated 260 stops in 13 northern bring the number of communities system restructuring last June. The and western states, while the latest MCI to deliver 125 it has stopped serving to more than company said at the time it want- changes that go into effect Feb. 3 300 since the restructuring began ed to complete the first phase some involve cities in Texas, New Mex- coaches to New York last summer. time around the end of the first ico, Arizona, California, Nevada, SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Mo- New York commuters daily also are And, additional cities could be quarter of this year. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 þ tor Coach Industries is selling 125 slated to be purchased by the city of its D4500 commuter coaches to during the next three months. MTA Bus Co., a newly formed sub- To mark the purchase of Liberty sidiary of the New York Metro- Lines Express, New York Mayor Feds want no changes to truckers’ hours politan Transportation Authority. Michael Bloomberg greeted Bronx WASHINGTON — In a stun- the rules would enhance driver rules, Congress ordered them not to Deliveries on the $57 million commuters early last month as they ning move, the Federal Motor health. be changed until later this year to order begin next month and are boarded a newer MCI commuter Carrier Safety Administration has A court in Washington over- give the FMCSA time to respond expected to be completed by June. coach. re-proposed its driver hours-of-serv- turned the rules in July, agreeing to the court’s ruling. The first 40 coaches are being Bloomberg told a New York ice rules for truckers. with a lawsuit by Public Citizen While the FMCSA did not pro- deployed on Bronx routes formerly news outlet that commuters will The agency wants to make no and other interest groups that the pose any changes to the rules, the served by Liberty Lines Express, a like the new MCI coaches because changes to the regulations it put FMCSA had not considered driver safety agency did ask for public private operator that was purchased “they’re safe, they’re more comfort- into effect just over a year ago but health in its April 2003 revision of comment “on what changes to that by the city last month and then able, they’re more efficient and that a federal court overturned. HOS regulations, which went into rule, if any, are necessary to respond transferred to the MTA. they’re easier for MTA to maintain. Instead, the FMCSA has added effect in January 2004. to the concerns raised by the Six other private companies They’re a good deal for everybody.” several pages of references to how After the court overturned the court.” that serve hundreds of thousands of CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 þ , ry e xu th , lu to 5 – es in 00 nc p 2 e ste A ulg e, UM 1 nd or at 0 r i m ” 7 Fo & ne & es Zo 20 riz e 1 p vic hs er ot “S Bo How Can We Serve You Better? Introducing SERVICE FIRST from ABC – Right now, you can take advantage of these great programs, People, products and programs obsessed with customer satisfaction. designed to keep your business running flawlessly: Order your parts online and get a 2% discount Delivering the highest possible level of service first and foremost is our promise to you. through June 2005. 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He came close The Port Authority, as the The Pittsburgh media has been “better management” led to less Coach Tours, which specializes in to selling Peninsula Charter to agency is called, places most of the dissecting the Port Authority and overtime. The driver who racked tours, charters, airport transfers and Pacific Coast Bus Service of San blame for its plight on years of some of its findings have been, up the highest wages reportedly corporate travel, has purchased Francisco about two years ago. (See “inadequate operating subsidies” shall we say, enlightening. lives a half-block from the garage. most of the assets of Peninsula April 1, 2003, issue of Bus & under the administration of former So much so that if you operate “Anytime, day or night, they need- Charter Lines of East Palo Alto, Motorcoach News.) Gov. Tom Ridge and, more recent- a small bus company in the vicinity ed a driver, he was there in 10 min- Calif. Now, at age 65, Demeter was ly, the failure of the legislature to of Pittsburgh you may want to give utes,” said an official with the Peninsula is best known region- ready to exit the coach business. provide long-term, dedicated fund- up your day job and go to work for union representing Port Authority ally for providing transportation for He said the changing economics of ing to help it and four dozen other the Port Authority as a driver.