Bus & Motorcoach News

February 1, 2007 WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE BUS INDUSTRY MOTORCOACH EXPO 2007 FMCSA administrator vows to upgrade fed’s coach safety oversight NEW ORLEANS — Although in August, Hill said federal regu- motorcoach companies make up lators have taken a fresh look at the only a small fraction of the 675,000 motorcoach industry and identified motor carriers registered with the five key areas that need urgent U.S. Department of Transportation, attention. the industry can expect increased They include compliance in- attention from federal and state spections, safety audits for new safety regulators over the next many companies, state inspection pro- months. grams, expanded data on the indus- John Hill, new head of the Fed- try, and early warnings for potential eral Motor Carrier Safety Adminis- safety problems. tration, told coach operators at the Hill said more annual compli- Motorcoach Expo 2007 that he has ance inspections are badly needed loaded his agenda with issues and the agency is stepping up its aimed at improving safety in the inspection program, although he over-the-road bus industry. did not say by how much. A former Indiana state police Additionally, he said inspectors officer who was FMCSA’s chief will pay closer attention to com- safety officer for more than three panies that have never received a years before taking over the agency CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 þ Early Mardi Gras UMA launches academy New Orleans’ famed Mardi Gras was a popular theme for exhibitors at this year’s Motorcoach Expo. A healthy industry, along with the enigma that is for bus, coach industry stormed-battered New Orleans, combined to produce NEW ORLEANS — The new talent to provide authoritative record attendance, including Brenda Tidwell of United Motorcoach Association business knowledge to not only Leisure Time Charter & Tours of Emerson, Ga., and Jo has announced the launch of the motorcoach owners and operators Lynn Anderson of Spirit Coach of Huntsville, Ala., at Bus & Motorcoach Academy, a but also to drivers, school bus oper- right. Prevost Car Vice President Dann Wiltgen, be- major continuing education pro- ators and other key industry per- low, was one of scores of Expo attendees who volun- gram for the industry. sonnel.” teered for New Orleans’ Habitat for Humanity project. The academy will tackle a pair To execute its plan, UMA is Expo coverage on this page and in Section Two. of the private bus industry’s most establishing a relationship with the pressing and longest running chal- College of Southern Maryland, lenges: The need to broaden and which will host the Bus & Motor- deepen the business acumen of coach Academy, and has lined up operators — especially small oper- industry consultant Carmen Daech- ators, and the dearth of readily ac- er to be dean. cessible industry-specific resources The various programs to be available to bus company owners, offered by the academy will carry executives and managers to devel- either a certification or an accredi- op business and operational skills. tation. For example, there will be The solution, says UMA Presi- an Accredited Passenger Transpor- dent and CEO Victor Parra is to tation Operator module and a Cer- establish “an institution of compre- tified Motorcoach and Bus Oper- hensive learning. One that consoli- ator program. dates and coordinates existing and CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 þ Bus & Motorcoach NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS Feburary 1, 2007 3 Security grant program Violations cost Peter Pan $237,000 BOSTON — Peter Pan Bus exceptions. According to the set- EPA rules. “But once we were Lines and two of its subsidiaries tlement consent agreement, Peter made aware that we weren’t, we’ve gets more money for ’07 will pay $237,179 and will install Pan violated the anti-idling law at been working to make sure we WASHINGTON — The U.S. nity number”: DHS-OGT-057- filters on most of its buses to settle least 45 times from February meet and exceed their standards.” Department of Homeland Security 1548. The Web site is busy and violations of federal clean air and through April of last year in and EPA says Peter Pan mainte- says it will award $11.6 million in users may get an error message. In clean water rules, the U.S. Envi- around Boston and Springfield, nance facilities in Providence, R.I., over-the-road bus security grants in that case, the department says to ronmental Protection Agency an- Mass. and Chelsea, Mass., failed to obtain fiscal 2007. keep trying. nounced. “Diesel pollution is very harm- storm water discharge permits, and The deadline for coach opera- In addition, the Department of The settlement involves viola- ful, especially for sensitive popula- failed to prepare and fully imple- tors to apply for the money is Homeland Security and the Trans- tions by Peter Pan in Massachu- tions such as the young, elderly ment oil spill prevention plans. March 6. portation Security Administration setts, Arrow Lines in Connecticut and people who suffer from asth- Storm water permits are critical to The amount being awarded this are hosting conference call ques- and Bonanza Bus in Rhode Island. ma,” said Robert W. Varney, re- reducing pollutants in storm water year — to help operators pay to tion-and-answer sessions. Access The EPA said all three compa- gional administrator of EPA’s New runoff, according to the EPA. Fuel beef up passenger, bus and facili- these Q&A sessions by calling, nies violated Clean Water Act England Office. spills and oil leaks from mainte- ties security — is the most since (888) 323-4702 at 1 p.m. Washing- storm water permit requirements, “Companies like Peter Pan can nance activities at these garages fiscal 2003, when more than $19 ton time Feb. 2 or 16. On the 2nd, as well as federal oil spill preven- play a big role in improving New can contaminate storm water run- million was awarded. In the past enter passcode 1278 to gain access, tion regulations and associated England’s air quality by ensuring off and nearby rivers, the agency three years, less than $10 million and on Feb. 16, punch in 2356 as spill prevention plan requirements. their vehicles don’t idle for long added. was handed out annually. the passcode. Additionally, Peter Pan violated periods of time.” The three Peter Pan garages in And, in keeping with what has The awards are scheduled to be Massachusetts’ anti-idling laws. Christopher Crean, Peter Pan’s Milford, Waterford and East Hart- become tradition, the Department announced in April, and officials Massachusetts anti-idling rules director of safety and security, was ford, Conn., all had storm water of Homeland Security has changed encourage early registration and prohibit engine idling for more quoted as saying the company permit coverage through prior the program parameters. This year, applications. than five minutes, with certain thought it was in compliance with CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 þ the department appears to be mak- In fiscal 2006, grants totaling ing an effort to reduce the percep- $9.5 million were awarded to 35 tion that small operators must com- motorcoach companies. Most of Texas bus owner gets probation pete with large operators for the the money was to be used to McALLEN, Texas — The company, but was acquitted of the and his defunct company was fined money. improve driver, vehicle and facility owner of the Texas motorcoach more serious charge of falsifying $100,000 and placed on probation To do that, it has broken the security; install systems to monitor, company whose bus caught fire, driver logbooks. (See Oct. 15 Bus for five years. The company was program into two tiers: track and communicate with resulting in the death of 23 people & Motorcoach News.) convicted of all three charges and • Tier I: $8.1 million for oper- coaches, and provide training. during the Hurricane Rita evacua- As part of his probation, the faced up to a $500,000 fine on the ators that have 250 or more over- Only 111 operators nationwide tion in 2005, has escaped jail time, judge said Maples can no longer conspiracy count and a $200,000 the-road buses. applied for the grants. Those appli- receiving instead a sentence of five work for the bus company he has fine on each of two other convic- • Tier II: $3.5 million for oper- cations represented 181 projects, years probation. been working for or any other bus tions. ators that own 249 or fewer over- with 163 of the projects judged eli- James Maples, a former player company. He will be confined dur- Maples’ trail last summer fo- the-road buses. gible for consideration. A total of Obviously, the ploy doesn’t 42 projects were funded in ’06. in the NFL and owner of Global ing the first year — six months in a cused almost entirely on the man- exactly work because nearly 70 For more information, contact Limo, could have received up to halfway house and six months at agement of his company and buses percent of the money is going to DHS/TSA by e-mailing askcsid@ two years in jail. home with electronic surveillance, and vehicle inspections and not the large operators and there are only dhs.gov or call (800) 368-6498. In early October, Maples was but he will be allowed to work. catastrophic fire. 10 or 11 operators nationwide that convicted of poorly managing his Maples also was fined $10,000, CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 þ qualify as Tier I operators under the DHS criteria. The remaining 3,000+ U.S. operators have fewer than 250 coaches and they will be competing for only 30 percent of the money.

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