Bus & Motorcoach News
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March 15, 2008 WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE BUS INDUSTRY Operators are urged to register for charter notices WASHINGTON D.C. — Pri- to become effective April 30. (See motorcoach operators getting elec- normal bus fare. transit agencies on the Website vate motorcoach operators take Feb. 1 Bus & Motorcoach News.) tronic notifications whenever a Although the new procedure and e-mailed to operators that notice. Under the new rules, the “will- transit agency in their area be- does not take effect until May 1, the have registered. If you’re interested in continu- ing-and-able” public notice provi- comes aware of a charter opportu- United Motorcoach Association is To sign up, go to www.fta.dot. ing to compete for charter work sion that currently allows motor- nity that legally should be done strongly urging coach operators to gov/charterregistration, click on that has been offered to public tran- coach operators to compete for only by a private carrier. sign up now so they are on the list “I accept these terms” and then sit agencies, you’ll have to register charter work that public transit These include charters that are well before the change begins. “submit new charter operator reg- with the Federal Transit Agency. agencies may be interested in pro- subsidized by a third party, and After April 30, there will be no istration.” The requirement is part of the viding is out and the registration those that if a transit agency did notices mailed or published in local The registration form is a sim- new charter service rules that were procedure is in. them would require a “premium” newspapers. All notices and charter ple one-page application that adopted in January and which are The registration will result in or fare that is different than the opportunities will be posted by CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 þ Coach groups seek fixes, clarifications to new charter rules WASHINGTON — Leading The petition was signed by the motorcoach industry trade associ- United Motorcoach Association, ations and two of the industry’s American Bus Association, Calif- largest companies have asked the ornia Bus Association, Coach Federal Transit Administration to America, Coach USA, Trailways make changes to the revised char- Transportation System, National ter bus rules before they go into School Transportation Associa- effect April 30. (See Feb. 1 issue tion, Northwest Motorcoach Asso- of Bus & Motorcoach News.) ciation, and Taxicab, Limousine Seven motorcoach organiza- and Paratransit Association. tions, plus the two companies, all Their targets include wording Detroit Diesel reportedly has told coach builders it will continue to support its engines. of which took part in drafting the that indicates the FTA is willing to rules during months of negotia- exempt from the rule college cam- tions with public transit operators, pus shuttle services performed by Say ‘good-bye’ to Detroit Diesel filed a formal request asking the transit agencies. FTA to reconsider its final product. The nine petitioners contend REDFORD, Mich. — Detroit Prevost Car, Motor Coach In- were powering coaches that com- Separately, two members of that section of the new rule may Diesel has decided to say good-bye dustries and Van Hool no longer peted directly with buses made by the group filed individual petitions lead to some transit agencies to most of the motorcoach industry. will be able to provide Detroit other Daimler companies. seeking additional modifications believing they can run campus The No. 1 supplier of engines Diesel engines in their over-the- But other, perhaps more impor- to the rule. shuttles that actually are charters to the over-the-road bus industry road buses. tant, factors were at play as well. — since, well, almost forever — While Detroit Diesel’s deci- 2010 is another watershed year “In general, the petitioners and which should be handled by has decided it will no longer sell its sion, which wasn’t announced by for diesel engines. While there has believe the final charter rule is a private carriers. engines to any bus builder it Detroit Diesel but by Prevost Car, been a lot of attention paid to 2007 significant improvement over the The group suggested the FTA doesn’t own. seems startling on its face, it’s not a engines and their stricter emissions current rule,” the larger group either drop the wording or add Right now that means that total shocker. requirements, the 2010 diesel en- wrote in its filing with the FTA additional details explaining when starting in 2010 the only new mo- Since Detroit Diesel was pur- gine emissions rules are exponen- before complaining that some pro- college shuttle service would be torcoaches sold in North America chased by DaimlerChrysler eight tially tougher. visions of the new rules lack clarity considered charter service. that will have Detroit Diesel en- years ago, it has been considered The regulations are so stringent and others were revised in a man- Also under attack by the group gines will be Setras. That’s because possible Daimler might one day that Detroit Diesel spent $1.5 bil- ner that will harm charter bus oper- is a provision that expands from Setra is part of Daimler Buses North turn off the engine spigot. After all, lion to develop a brand new engine ators and make compliance with three days to 40 days a special America, a unit of Daimler AG, the thinking went, engines pro- to meet the 2010 requirements the rule impracticable, unreason- exemption transit agencies can þ able and not in the public interest. which also owns Detroit Diesel. duced by a subsidiary of Daimler CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 þ INTRODUCING3035RE A New Class of Passenger Transport has Arrived! Make room for our big innovation in smaller group The new ABC 3035RE brings smaller group transport transport. 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The company vehicles from its base in Brook- ary tales about horrific or exasper- blow up and catch fire, stranding est motorcoach operator in Ohio considers it a niche business that park, Ohio. ating events, generally live long passengers, federal officials are and 20th largest in North America, helps keep its coaches on the road Should the deal be completed and die hard. now insisting they are, in fact, safe. plus its sister company, Hopkins and producing revenue. it would mark a significant geo- Perhaps the bus industry’s most The safety performance of Airport Limousine Service. It also offers casino runs, shut- graphic shift for Coach America, prominent urban legend of the 21st Chinatown buses “is no worse or Although Coach America has tle services and a wide range of which is the nation’s largest tour century is that Chinatown bus op- no better than the traditional termi- filed an application with the tours. and charter motorcoach operator erators are synonymous with dan- nal-to-terminal motorcoach carri- Surface Transportation Board of All of the stock in Lakefront is and controls 29 bus and passenger gerous transportation. ers,” says Duane DeBruyne, a the USDOT, seeking approval of owned by Thomas Goebel, Jack transportation operations. Now it appears that perception spokesman for the Federal Motor the acquisition, the president of Goebel and Mike Goebel, with a Virtually all of Coach Ameri- may be withering. Carrier Safety Administration. Lakefront Lines/Lakefront Trail- small number of preferred non- ca’s motorcoach operations are And it is the federal govern- The Chinatown operators, it ways says a deal has not been voting shares owned by other fam- concentrated along the East and ment that is taking the lead in would seem, have learned some les- completed or a definitive agree- ily members. Hopkins Limousine West Coasts and across the south- debunking the notion that China- sons from being in the public spot- town bus companies, operating light and having regulators lean on ment signed. Service also is owned by the ern U.S., from Florida to Cali- primarily in the northeastern U.S., them for the past three-plus years. “We’re still negotiating,” said Goebel family. fornia. Thomas Goebel.