Motorcoach Expo 2009
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INSIDE: EXPO SPECIAL SECTION January 1, 2009 Happy New Year! UNITED MOTORCOACH ASSOCIATION Where’s the money? MOTORCOACH EXPO 2009 Texas foot dragging puts operators in real crunch Instead of “Don’t mess with return to Texas the next time it needs Texas,” that state’s famous anti- a large contingent of coaches. littering slogan, motorcoach oper- Victor Parra, president of the ators from across the country soon United Motorcoach Association, may be chanting: “Don’t work with has written a strongly worded let- Texas.” ter to the governor of Texas, Rick At least that’s the growing sen- Perry, asking him to personally in- timent among operators who sent tervene and accelerate the pay- buses and drivers to the Lone Star ment process. state this past summer to help At issue are payments for evac- evacuate people from the paths of uations the carriers worked for the four major storms. last two storms of the season — Most say they’re still waiting to Hurricanes Gustaf and Ike — that be paid for their work, and they’re struck in early September. fed up with the lack of communi- While larger companies in- cations and run-around they say volved in the evacuation opera- they’ve been getting from state tions have managed to get by dur- officials. ing the long wait for their money So outraged are these operators by borrowing, most of the smaller Back to Orlando. UMA Motorcoach Expo opens a five-day run in America’s Playground that many insist it’s unlikely they’ll CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 c on Jan. 21. Expo was last in Orlando six years ago, when the industry was in the midst of a recession. That downturn failed to dampen Expo ’03 attendance or enthusiasm, just as the cur- Safety briefings, security rent slowdown won’t appreciably slow Expo ’09. See special section that begins on page 7. are issues at UMA forum Where to park 10,000 buses in D.C.? STERLING, Va. — If you formal recommendation in late haven’t yet started giving your pas- 2007, calling on operators to pro- WASHINGTON — It’s begin- ny and parade, creating an unprec- The D.C. Department of Trans- sengers safety briefings, now is a vide a safety message to passen- ning to look more and more like edented logistical challenge. portation has decreed that motor- good time to get started because if gers, informing them of the safety motorcoach operators planning to That number does not include coaches coming for the inaugura- you don’t you could be partially to features of the motorcoach, in- send coaches here for President- scores of midsize buses and vans tion will be required to follow blame for the voluntary briefings cluding how to use window and elect Barack Obama’s inauguration organized by churches and other specific guidelines. No. 1, opera- becoming mandatory. roof exits to evacuate the bus. later this month should plan for the groups. tors will be required to register Matt Daecher, president of the The message can be delivered worst… but hope for the best. The prospect of a massive and obtain a $50 D.C. trip permit Daecher Consulting Group, says live by the driver, prerecorded on And it might be prudent to let number of charter coaches, carry- — if they come into the district federal regulators are holding to a video or audio tape, or in a brochure. customers know sooner, rather ing as many as a half-million peo- and don’t have apportioned license pledge they made just over a year Safety regulators issued the than later, they likely will face ple, is having an enormous impact plates and list Washington, D.C., ago that if not enough operators suggestion after a bus accident in huge crowds, protracted waiting, on all aspects of the transportation on the cab card. are delivering the safety message which passengers complained they long lines, plenty of hiking, lots of planning for the event. As of mid-December, DCDOT on their own, the suggestion will had no idea how to quickly exit the bumping and pushing, and limited For example, widespread street was sending carriers looking for be turned into a requirement. vehicle or what to do after they got creature comforts. Plus, it’s win- closures — for security reasons — parking to “ClickandPark.com,” “If you aren’t doing it yet, then outside. ter, it’s January, and it’s D.C. will prevent coaches from drop- the official event parking contrac- you really should be,” he urged op- Peter Chandler of the FMSCA, District of Columbia transpor- ping passengers off at or close to tor for the inauguration, and the erators attending the fifth annual who also spoke at the seminar, tation planners are estimating that events, so officials have been operator of the parking lots around United Motorcoach Association noted that the warning about as many as 10,000 charter buses working on a plan for where buses RFK Stadium. ClickandPark.com Safety Management Seminar. the message becoming mandatory could arrive in the Washington will park and how their passengers is a collaboration of Gameday The Federal Motor Carrier still stands, although he said a area for the inauguration ceremo- will get to the parade route. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 c Safety Administration issued a CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 c umaB&MCN 12/12/08 1:25 PM Page 1 At ABC, operations excellence is at the core of every transport solution we offer. Come see how the power of ABC’s global and domestic partnerships and extensive fleet support can drive greater value and operations excellence to your business! • Inspect advanced technology Van Hool and GCA/ABC 2009 equipment models • Check out ABC Parts Source Show Exclusives and Specials • Participate in ABC’s on-site Survey and contribute to ABC’s quest for product innovations and developments in new technologies • Learn more about The Maurer Foundation’s “Pink Bus” – driving breast health awareness and education to people nationwide! MIDWEST NORTHEAST SOUTHEAST SOUTHWEST WESTERN CANADA 800-222-2875 800-222-2873 800-222-2871 800-222-2877 800-322-2877 800-345-1287 www.abc-companies.com Bus & Motorcoach News INDUSTRY NEWS January 1, 2009 3 Want to cut insurance costs? Greyhound Canada beefs up security WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Grey- are the result of a two-year study other security steps that it was not Check your hiring practices hound is tightening security at its aimed at improving security. announcing publicly. The new STERLING, Va. — If your in- “And hiring the wrong people major Canadian bus terminals, in- “We believe these measures measures are at company termi- surance costs are running out of can also hurt your company’s cluding screening passengers with that we’re implementing make the nals in Calgary and Edmonton, control, it might be time to look at image and reputation,” he noted. hand-held metal detectors. most sense and will be the most Alberta, and Winnipeg. The beefed-up security comes effective at this point in time for Greyhound currently conducts your driver hiring practices. Fuller emphasized that opera- roughly five months after a horrif- our type of transportation,” said hand metal-detector screenings at Lancer Insurance executive tors need to know the important ic attack in which a man was be- Abby Wambaugh of Greyhound. random terminals in the U.S. Ron Fuller makes a strong case for risk factors in hiring drivers, and headed by a fellow passenger on a Passengers are being screened The company did not release such a personnel review, empha- look very carefully at applicants Greyhound coach near Portage La with a magnetometer for weapons the cost of the increased Canadian sizing that motorcoach drivers are who are aggressive, inpatient, inat- Prairie, Manitoba. and required to stow their luggage security but said it was “several the key to controlling the cost of tentive, inexperienced, unhappy, or The new measures do not stem in the baggage bays rather than million dollars” and was hoping insurance and accident claims. have numerous violations or seri- directly from that event, according take on board, the company said. the Canadian government would He told an audience of motor- ous medical problems. to a Greyhound spokeswoman, but Greyhound said it would take pick up part of the tab. coach executives attending the “If you do hire them, then you fifth annual United Motorcoach better manage them because if you Association Safety Management don’t, it is going to cause prob- Seminar here that they can help lems,” he cautioned. themselves by hiring the best driv- He recommended, too, that ap- ers they can find, putting them plicants from other companies through a formal training program, who have current medical cards be and keeping tabs on them once required to have a new medical ex- they are out on their own. amination from the hiring compa- “You should have fundamental ny’s doctor to make sure the driver procedures and follow them,” he did not falsify the record. Such a said. “Deviate from them and there disclosure, he said, could anger a could be problems.” jury if the driver was involved in Fuller said operators need to be an accident and the case went to even more meticulous these days court. because the current driver short- Fuller said an important part of age has made things more diffi- the training given to new drivers is cult, not only raising the cost of re- teaching them what to say if they cruiting but also increasing the are involved in an accident. potential of hiring the wrong peo- “They should say very little,” ple to drive their buses.