Bus & Motorcoach News

October 15, 2003 THE NEWS RESOURCE FOR THE BUS AND MOTORCOACH INDUSTRY Frustrated New York operators eye new association TERRYTOWN, N.Y. - The lia- $21,000 and more per bus are com- BANY’s membership is com- attending were Victor Parra, presi- ance next year is an open question; bility insurance crisis in New York monplace. During the past five prised of intercity, charter, tour, dent and CEO of the United his insurer is considering pulling has prompted a large group of bus years, insurers have abandoned the transit and commuter companies. Motorcoach Association, and Peter out of New York. operators to explore the idea of New York market in droves. But critics say it is effectively dom- Pantuso, president and CEO of the The insurance crisis in New forming a new state motorcoach Privately, many of the coach inated by line-haul carriers and the American Bus Association. A York is being driven by a number of association. executives who attended the meet- seven coach companies that con- handful of BANY members also factors, including a very aggressive About 70 people, representing ing expressed disappointment with tract with New York City Transit to were in attendance, including three personal liability bar, the absence of upwards of 45 operators, met here the performance of the Bus provide commuter service in and directors. meaningful tort reform, insurance late last month to discuss critical Association of New York, com- out of Manhattan. “There are three companies left fraud, an increase in the number of issues they are facing, including the monly known as BANY, in repre- The meeting was organized by that will insure operators in New crashes, the turmoil in the reinsur- insurance crisis, which forces New senting the industry and going to Stuart Weisberg, president of One York,” said Weisberg. “My insurance market and, most importantly, York operators to pay three times bat for it in Albany, the state capi- If By Land Tours, a charter and ance went up 21 percent last year outsized and out-of-control jury the national average for auto liabil- tal. BANY has been operating in shuttle operator based in Flushing, and 29 percent this year.” Whether awards. ity coverage. Annual rates of the Empire State for 65 years. a section of Queens. Among those Weisberg will be able to get insur- CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 FTA awards wheelchair lift grants WASHINGTON — Seventy- four motorcoach companies — from Maine to Hawaii — are receiving grants from the Federal Transit Administration to help make their fleets more accessible to individuals with disabilities. The FTA announced early this month it was awarding grants totaling $6.87 million to private coach operators, with $5.2 million The Federal Transit Administration has rejected an appeal by Amador Stage Lines in Sacramento, Calif. (right) of a regional FTA ruling going to intercity coach companies Face Off that allowed Regional Transit of Sacramento (left) to take over a shuttle service that Amador had been providing. See story on page 3. and $1.7 million to charter, tour and commuter operators. About 95 percent of the money will be used to defray the cost of Quebec operator is first ‘certified carrier’ installing wheelchair lifts in new QUEBEC — The first “certified ous stages of trying to complete the “Getting certified is a serious Autocars Murray Hill has a fleet coaches and retrofitting lifts in carrier” program in North America program. business and the Murray Hill team of 26 coaches and has been in busi- existing coaches. has recognized the first motorcoach Staff and management of can be proud to have met all the ness 20 years. It will celebrate its The grant program, which is company to meet its rigorous quali- Autocars Murray Hill worked for requirements of the program,” said certification with a presentation called the Over-the-Road Bus ty standards. nearly 18 months to satisfy all of Romain Girard, executive vice and party later this month. Accessibility Program, has award- Autocars Murray Hill, a the program’s quality, safety, per- president of the Quebec Bus The Quebec Bus Owners ed $17.5 million to private coach Quebec-based charter operator, formance, customer service, train- Owners Association. Association created the quality car- operators during the past four became the first operator to com- ing, financial, maintenance and Autocars Murray Hill is a sub- rier recognition program early last years. The fiscal 2003 grants bring plete the demanding Private Bus regulatory-compliance standards. sidiary of Le Groupe Gaudreault year as a marketing tool for its oper- the total to $24.3 million, which is Transport Company Certification “It took a lot of time to make sure Inc., which offers a wide range of ator members, giving them a leg up CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 Program established by the Quebec everything was okay,” said Serge bus transportation services through on their competitors by differenti- Complete grant list page 6 Bus Owners Association. A dozen Rochon, general manager of nearly a dozen companies that ating their services, and as a means other Quebec operators are in vari- Autocars Murray Hill. operate more than 500 vehicles. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 TheThe Intercity Security Money that go into effect on Jan. 1. But DOCKETDOCKET Congress gave the Department of now the Pennsylvania Turnpike Homeland Security $29 billion for Commission is looking at raising Wide Awake fiscal ’04, including $10 million for its tolls. Page 4 New Jersey becomes the first intercity bus security. Page 4 state to make it illegal to drive Charter Notices while drowsy. Motorcoach driv- Toll Time Four public transit agencies ers appear particularly vulnera- The Delaware River Joint Toll serve up charter service notices. ble to the new law. Page 4 Bridge Commission rolls back tolls Page 7 Financing Rates As Low As 5.85% On Select Units *With approved credit; additional terms and conditions may apply. WESTERN SOUTHEAST MIDWEST NORTHEAST SOUTHWEST 800-322-2877 800-222-2871 800-222-2875 800-222-2873 800-222-2877 www.abc-companies.com BUS & MOTORCOACH NEWS — October 15, 2003 — 3 OPERATOR NEWS Coach USA parent company experiments with no-frills service with low, low fares PERTH, Scotland — Think the to switch to public transport.” fares charged by New York’s In August, a pilot megabus.com Chinatown bus operators are low? service was launched between The parent company of Coach Oxford and London, England, with USA is experimenting with an 3,000 tickets sold in three weeks. If Internet-driven bus service that is the Scottish routes are a success, offering travel between major cities Stagecoach plans to roll the service in Scotland for the equivalent of out to other parts of the U.K. $1.66, or one British pound. All megabus.com fares will Last month, Stagecoach Group remain at 1 pound until the service PLC launched megabus.com, a no- is established. The company will frills, point-to-point service. The then yield manage the seats in the Web-based ticketless service pro- same way as the airlines, with vides passengers with cheap travel slightly higher fares for last-minute between Glasgow, Edinburgh, bookings or popular destinations. Perth and Dundee, Scotland, using “At least 40 percent of our seats double-decker buses. will always be at the lowest 1 Distinctive blue and yellow pound fare and the highest prices Megabus coaches run 10 times a will still be competitive at around 3 Maine partnership boosts service day on the competitive route to 4 pounds ($5-$6.65 U.S.),” PORTLAND, Maine — When Downeaster and the popular bus while the buses have 12 daily runs. between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Souter said. Amtrak started its Downeaster service, as well as the public.” Both Concord Trailways and Seven runs a day link Perth and Stagecoach is using Olympian service between Portland and The Flexpass went on sale at the Amtrak also hope the arrangement Dundee to Edinburgh and coaches that it previously operated Boston, Concord Trailways didn’t beginning of this month at the will encourage more people to try Glasgow. in Hong Kong. The double-decker welcome the new competition. introductory rate of $99 for six one- their services. Stagecoach Chief Executive buses carry 94 passengers, allowing Now, nearly two years later, way tickets between Portland and When the Downeaster service Brian Souter said: “This is a totally megabus.com to target high-vol- Concord and Amtrak have decided Boston, representing a savings over began, Concord Trailways feared new concept. … We’ve looked at ume, low-cost business. The buses that trains and motorcoaches make regular train and bus fares. the train would lure away cus- the way the cheap airlines run their have no toilets, but no route on the better partners than competitors. But while the discounted fare is tomers and the company noted the operation and we believe there’s a new service is longer than two The Concord, N.H.-based seen as a plus for travelers, the real heavy federal subsidies that big market out there that doesn’t hours. The coach interiors have intercity carrier and Amtrak have benefit is expected to be the added Amtrak reaps. Ken Hunter, vice use the bus at present but can be been refurbished, leaving them joined to offer passengers a flexibility the arrangement gives president of Concord Trailways, attracted to our new product. clean and comfortable. “Flexpass” that allows travelers a travelers when it comes to schedul- now says cooperation makes more “We feel young people, and stu- Megabus.com has an attractive choice of taking the train or bus. ing the time of their trips. The sense. Together, the Downeaster dents in particular, will catch on to Web site, featuring its Megadriver One newspaper in Maine said Downeaster, which shares Concord and Concord Trailways can better the service.

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