New at MOTORCOACH EXPO 2017
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April 15, 2017 UNITED MOTORCOACH ASSOCIATION FMCSA backs off changes to New at MOTORCOACH EXPO 2017 Safety Fitness Determination WASHINGTON — Federal FMCSA’s action came only regulators, responding to industry weeks after more than 60 industry criticism of their proposed changes groups, led by UMA, sent a letter to the way carriers are rated to de- to new Transportation Secretary termine their fitness to operate, Elaine Chao asking her to rescind have backed off on the proposal the rule. pending the results of a major study. In the letter, the industry groups The Federal Motor Carrier Safe- contended that the safety fitness de- ty Administration said in the Feder- termination proposal should be al Register that it would withdraw placed on hold until FMCSA fixes its January 2016 proposal to rework the CSA system, as it was ordered to the Safety Fitness Determination do by Congress. rule until the National Academy of The groups said there are a Sciences completes its study of the number of flaws in the data that agency’s Compliance, Safety, Ac- drives the current Safety Measure- countability (CSA) program. ment System (SMS) within CSA. Withdrawal of the rule repre- “This regulatory win is a victory sented a key regulatory victory for for the common-sense safety reform the United Motorcoach Association, that our nation needs,” said Dale which focused on the issue through- Krapf, chairman of UMA and out 2016. Krapf’s Coaches. “UMA thanks UMA also made blocking the Secretary Chao and many members rule a priority during last April’s of Congress who have helped us on Capitol Hill Days lobbying effort, this issue.” during which association members The proposed rule would have held more than 400 meetings with established a new motor carrier ABC Companies showcased the Van Hool NextGen FX prototype bus (above) during Expo. It has a federal legislators. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 c multi-zoned floor plan featuring new and emerging technologies. Below, Eugene Hotard of Alliance Bus Group stands in a Caleche USA convertible based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis. Alliance is the eastern U.S. distributer of the vehicles. See Expo stories beginning on Page 10. Court rejects UMA appeal of Austin charter bus regulations NEW ORLEANS — A federal the court. appeals court has ruled against the The ruling, issued last month, United Motorcoach Association in was the latest response to a federal upholding the authority of Austin, suit filed by UMA in 2013 after Texas, to regulate interstate motor Austin adopted an ordinance that carriers through a permitting imposed fees and numerous pre- regulation. requisites for operating motor- The U.S. Court of Appeals for coaches in the city. the Fifth Circuit ruled that the or- In addition to a number of de- dinance does not contradict appar- tailed operating regulations, the ent federal interstate commerce ordinance would require motor- preemptions because of a stated coach operators to pay a $375 an- “nexus to safety.” nual vehicle fee to operate in Aus- “The city’s safety concerns are tin or face impoundment of their real enough that the court is con- vehicles. Violations also would re- vinced that they are both reason- sult in citations charging operators ably related and genuinely respon- with Class C misdemeanors pun- sive to safety concerns,” stated the ishable by fines of up to $500. ruling from a three-judge panel of CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 c THE RIGHT PREOWNED COACH FOR YOUR NEEDS ALL MAKES & MODELS AVAILABLE https://www.prevostcar.com/pre-owned PERMIT NO 1424 NO PERMIT Contact for more information: PHOENIX AZ PHOENIX Eloy Torres Carl Stevens Tom Crowl Jean Dupont US POSTAGE PAID POSTAGE US 817-371-6173 904-610-9568 530-945-0401 418-554-5290 PRESORT STD PRESORT 5 1 April on or before deliver Please ostmaster: P CENTRAL U.S. EAST U.S. WEST U.S. CANADA Bus & Motorcoach News INDUSTRY NEWS April 15, 2017 3 Former Coach USA executive gets 15 months in prison NEW YORK CITY — A for- stemmed from the investigation, Groen directed his subordinates to (and its parent company Stage- by the U.S. Justice Department mer vice president of information the U.S. Department of Justice recall, conceal and destroy end-of- coach Group) and CitySights’ for- Antitrust Division Washington technology at Coach USA was announced. month backup tapes containing mation of the Twin America joint Criminal I Section and the FBI sentenced late last month to 15 Groen was ordered to serve 15 emails that were related to the in- venture in 2009. (See April 1 Bus Washington field office. months in prison for obstruction of months in prison and to pay a vestigation and litigation. & Motorcoach News.) During the investigation and justice in connection with the $5,000 criminal fine. Additionally, say the court doc- On Nov. 17, the district court litigation, Coach USA/Stagecoach long-running investigation of Twin In October, Groen pleaded uments, Groen provided false and entered a final judgment requiring Group asserted it was cooperating America LLC. guilty to corruptly obstructing, in- misleading information to Coach Coach USA/Stagecoach Group with the investigation, implying, Ralph Groen, who apparently fluencing and impeding a civil an- USA’s investigators and to prosecu- (parent company of Coach USA) however, it may have had employ- now lives in North Carolina, was titrust investigation and subse- tors during the course of a deposi- and CitySights to pay $7.5 million ees who engaged in wrongdoing. accused of attempting to conceal quent litigation brought by the fed- tion taken as part of the litigation. in disgorgement and to make di- In February, Stagecoach and destroy documents related to eral government and the State of The civil litigation, which was vestitures to address the competi- Group confirmed it had sold its in- the civil antitrust investigation of New York. filed in the U.S. District Court in tive harm alleged in the govern- terest in the Twin America joint Twin America and for providing According to documents filed New York, related to the New York ment’s lawsuit. venture for an undisclosed sum. false and misleading statements in the U.S. District Court for the City hop-on, hop-off tour bus mar- Groen’s sentencing resulted Stagecoach North America sold its during the course of litigation that Southern District of New York, ket and challenged Coach USA’s from an investigation conducted interest to CitySights. Most U.S. employers affected by prescription drug abuse WASHINGTON — More than employee. drugs and opioids can impair work- many employers are struggling to pain relief treatment so that employ- 70 percent of employers in the Only 19 percent of employers ers and create hazards on the job. address. ees can avoid taking opioids, and United States are feeling the direct feel “extremely prepared” to deal We hope these findings prompt em- Other key findings from the nearly 60 percent believe the insur- impact of prescription drug misuse with prescription drug misuse in ployers to take the lead on this survey include: ance company will be responsive. in their workplaces, according to a the workplace. emerging issue so that workplaces • Although just 13 percent are • 70 percent would like to help survey from the National Safety The survey found that about 57 can be as safe as possible.” “very confident” that employees employees who are struggling with Council. percent drug test all of their em- According to the research, can spot the signs of misuse, 76 prescription drug misuse return to The survey, “How the Prescrip- ployees. “Employers must under- drug poisonings, largely from opi- percent do not offer training to their positions after completing tion Drug Crisis is Impacting stand that the most dangerously oid painkillers, now eclipse car help close that knowledge gap. treatment. American Employers,” also found misused drug today may be sitting crashes as the leading cause of pre- • 81 percent of respondents’ The National Safety Council that although 71 percent of em- in employees’ medicine cabinets,” ventable death among adults. policies are lacking at least one provides a free Prescription Drug ployers agree that prescription said Deborah A.P. Hersman, presi- Seventy-five percent of those critical element of an effective Employer Kit to help employers es- drug misuse is a disease that re- dent and CEO of the National Safe- struggling with a substance use drug-free workplace program. tablish policies and manage opioid quires treatment, 65 percent feel it ty Council. “Even when they are disorder are in the workforce, re- • 88 percent are interested in use at work. It can be obtained at is a justifiable reason to fire an taken as prescribed, prescription vealing a hidden epidemic that their insurer covering alternatives to http://safety.nsc.org/rxemployerkit. 4 April 15, 2017 Bus & Motorcoach News Utah lowers driver blood-alcohol limit to .05 percent SALT LAKE CITY — Utah than one talking hands-free on a owners out of business because who legally carry guns in the state. from drinking and driving. Gov. Gary Herbert has signed a cellphone. their operational margin is already “Apparently the legislature Although his office has been bill into law that lowers the maxi- They maintained that Utah’s so slim. People will stay home to never saw the connection between inundated with calls and the state mum blood-alcohol limit for driv- move to the lower limit will crimi- have a drink with dinner rather this bill and gun rights, and as labeled as punitive in a national ers to .05 percent from the current nalize moderate drinkers, hurt than risk the law, she said. such, this issue was never debat- advertising campaign by the legal threshold of .08 percent.