December 1, 2017

Texas history and culture to greet Expo 2018 attendees UNITED MOTORCOACH ASSOCIATION SAN ANTONIO — Truly deep vention Center hosts more than in the heart of Texas, San Antonio 300 events and 750,000 conven- is situated farther south than San tion delegates each year. Diego and the southern borders of “Approximately 70 percent of Arizona and New Mexico. Despite our visitors are leisure travelers,” MOTORCOACH EXPO 2018 or due to its location, it welcomes Matej said. “We do not currently 29.7 million visitors annually. have a mechanism for tracking the Among next year’s first visi- exact amount of those visitors who tors will be those attending the arrive via motorcoach. United Motorcoach Association “However, we can report that Motorcoach Expo 2018 at the the destination works with more Henry B. Gonzalez Convention than 140 motorcoach companies Center on Jan. 6-10. who bring in tens of thousands of “San Antonio is truly a unique visitors to San Antonio each year.” city that offers a rich and varied San Antonio, the seventh-larg- experience for all travelers,” said est and third-fastest-growing city Casandra Matej, president and in the U.S., has a history that chief executive officer of Visit San stretches back for centuries. Antonio. “The Alamo City’s en- When the first Spanish Catho- ticements range from culture, culi- lic explorers and missionaries ar- nary and history to family fun and rived in 1691, Payaya Native outdoor adventure.” Americans who called the area The Henry B. Gonzalez Con- CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 c Factory, electric in

The San Antonio River Walk is a city park and network of walkways along the banks of the San Temsa’s future U.S. plans Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of the city. It is lined with bars, shops, restaurants, FARIBAULT, Minn. — Grow- The Temsa nature, public artwork and five historic missions. Photo by Bob Howen for Visit San Antonio. ing market acceptance and healthy TS 45 accounted transportation demand delivered for more than another record year for Temsa mo- half of the 200 Chicago party ordinance angers operators torcoaches in North America. new Temsa CHICAGO — A city of Chica- ident and chief operating officer buses to have a licensed security Continued growth is anticipat- coaches sold by go ordinance designed to crack of Chicago . guard and cameras on board if ed for 2018 while the years further CH Bus in 2017, down on illegal party buses has Ekberg said the officers claimed there are more than 15 passengers ahead may bring a Temsa factory he said. been causing headaches for legal the bus wasn’t USDOT-certified, and if there is alcohol on the bus, and electric motorcoach to the U.S. “There has Duane Geiger motorcoach operators. “even though our USDOT numbers or if the bus plans to make multi- “We will probably sell 15- to been a strong In their zeal to rid the city of are all over the bus.” They also cited ple stops at venues where alcohol 20-percent more new units than we economy that has created a lot of unlicensed party bus operators the company for not displaying em- is consumed. did in 2016,” said Duane Geiger, demand for transportation needs. and rein in an increase in violent blems that weren’t legally required The problem is that alcohol president and chief executive offi- Everyone is prospering.” incidents caused by their passen- and for not having a Chicago char- isn’t just sold in bars and night- cer of CH Bus Sales LLC, distrib- A broad product range — 30-, gers, law enforcement agencies ter license, which isn’t required be- clubs, but also at museums, the- utor of the Turkish-built Temsa 35- and 45-foot motorcoaches — have been ticketing even law-abid- cause the company is based in a aters, hotels and airports. That vehicles. positions Temsa for further suc- ing operators, often for bogus vio- suburb, not in the city. means if a charter bus were trans- “It is the third year of our 45- cess in 2018, Geiger said. lations that routinely are over- “We got out of four of the tick- porting a student group to muse- foot bus. Introducing a new prod- “I think we will continue to in- turned in court. ets, but I have to go back to court ums that sell alcohol, the bus uct takes some time and there has crease our sales volume with the “City officials said they were in January on the other one,” Ek- would be required to have a guard been market acceptance,” Geiger Temsa products. We are looking not going after good operators, yet berg said. and security cameras that can said. “We are at a price point that is forward to a strong year and I am we were tagged for five viola- One of the most controversial monitor the interior of the bus. very attractive and that has gotten not aware of anything that would tions,” said Carl Ekberg, vice pres- elements of the ordinance requires CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 c the attention of a lot of operators.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 c Let an MCI pre-owned coach pro find the right fit for your fleet.

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M O VIN G F O R W A R D www.abc-companies.com Bus & Motorcoach News INDUSTRY NEWS December 1, 2017 3 Fire destroys Virginia bus museum, vintage vehicles ROANOKE, Va. — The Commonwealth The Virginia Museum of Transportation, Coach and Trolley Museum, home to sever- which recently took the Commonwealth al vintage buses, was destroyed in a fire Coach and Trolley Museum under its um- along with many of its vehicles. brella, has included a link to a donation sec- The fire consumed the 44,000-square- tion on its website, www.vmt.org. foot museum in the early morning hours of Fitzpatrick announced in July he would November 1. No one was injured. be retiring from the transportation museum The museum was opened in 1999 and at the end of this year. He planned to spend housed transit coaches collected by the Vir- more time at the trolley museum. But at 71 ginia Museum of Transportation. years old, he said, “I can’t re-invent the mu- Bev Fitzpatrick, executive director of the seum. It’s a terrible way to go out.” transportation museum and president of the Although a full list of the vehicles de- trolley museum, said the future of the muse- stroyed or damaged by the fire wasn’t im- um was unclear because the building and mediately available, museum curator Fred several vehicles were destroyed. Donaher said the following buses survived: However, he said several buses parked in • 1991 Phantom a yard outside the building survived, and • 1997 they’ll be moved to the transportation muse- • 2000 (DASH) The Commonwealth Coach and Trolley Museum in Roanoke, Va., home to several vintage buses, um until another building is found. was destroyed in a fire along with at least 13 vehicles. Several other buses survived the fire. • 1962 TDH-5302 “We are getting information together • 1973 TDH-3302 right now on the fleet,” Fitzpatrick said three “It still needs to be restored, but it appar- in the fire. The buses were insured for trans- • 2001 Gillig Phantom days after the fire. “We were not allowed ently made it though the fire,” Fitzpatrick porting the public, but not for physical • 1998 D40LF into the building until last night and it ap- said. damage. • 1982 GMC RTS T70-604 pears nothing survived. We lost 13 buses A museum volunteer described some of The museum was not well known, but its • 1989 TMC RTS T70-206 and had three more damaged. We believe the casualties, including a tangle of black- contents attracted bus enthusiasts and other • (2) 1947 Mack C-41 with help we can find the parts to restore ened metal he said was a rare 1955 split-lev- visitors from around the country. Nonprofit • 1953 Mack C-37 them.” el design Greyhound Scenicruiser. organizations used the buses, and they were • (2) 1948 GM PD-3751 He told a local television station that the Toward the back of the building lay the also brought out for community events, such • 1974 AM General museum has an old trolley that originally remains of a 1959 Southern Coach that was as parades. • 1970 GMC PD-4903 was a Roanoke railway and electric compa- in service at Camp Lejeuene in 1959. They served as shuttles for Explore • 1969 GMC TDH-3301 ny trolley that ran on rails in the streets of A massive collection of tools and parts Park, Mill Mountain Zoo, the National • 1990 Metro #184 Roanoke. used to maintain the fleet was also destroyed D-Day Memorial and churches. • Possibly salvageable: 1991 Orion I 4 December 1, 2017 Bus & Motorcoach News

NTSB says fatigue contributed to deadly California crash WASHINGTON — The Na- ity work. When traffic resumed, agnosed, moderate-to-severe ob- Sleep apnea, often undiag- to encounter stopped traffic. tional Transportation Safety Board the truck did not move. structive sleep apnea. nosed, is characterized by shallow “In this crash, not one but two has determined that a fatal 2016 The 47-passenger motorcoach, The truck driver, 51-year-old or interrupted breathing during commercial vehicle drivers — collision between a motorcoach operated by USA Holiday, struck Bruce Guilford, was arrested in sleep and can leave sufferers people who drive for a living — and tractor-trailer truck near Palm the rear of the truck two minutes Georgia in October by a U.S. Mar- fatigued. were unable to respond appropri- Springs, Calif., was likely caused later, intruding about 13 feet into shals Service task force. He had The Obama administration had ately to cues that other motorists by undiagnosed obstructive sleep the truck trailer and pushing it 71 been charged a day earlier in Cali- been considering requiring com- acted on,’’ said NTSB Chairman apnea and inaction by a driver due feet forward. fornia with vehicular manslaugh- mercial motor vehicle drivers and Robert L. Sumwalt. “Federal and to fatigue. NTSB determined the proba- ter and reckless driving. railroad engineers to be screened state regulators, commercial motor NTSB also said inadequate ble cause of the crash was Cal- Despite the fact the truck driv- for sleep apnea, but the Trump ad- carriers and professional drivers plans by the California Depart- trans’ inadequate transportation er was severely obese and at a high ministration scrapped the effort in can do better. Given the stakes, ment of Transportation for stop- management plan for stopping risk for obstructive sleep apnea, he August. they must do better.’’ ping highway traffic near utility traffic, which resulted in a hazard- had not been tested for the condi- NTSB’s investigation also re- The board issued eight safety work contributed to the accident. ous situation in which law en- tion, NTSB said in a news vealed the bus driver had untreated recommendations including as- In the early-morning darkness forcement did not detect the release. diabetes, but the FMCSA-certi- sessing forward collision avoid- of Oct. 23, 2016, the motorcoach truck’s lack of movement follow- And, the board said, “although fied medical examiner did not di- ance systems in commercial vehi- was traveling at highway speed on ing the traffic break and did not the Federal Motor Carrier Safety agnose the condition or refer the cles and requiring new motorcoach Interstate 10 when it crashed into a provide any advance warning to Administration Medical Review driver for further testing despite a and bus designs to include a sec- stopped truck, resulting in the the bus driver of the potential for Board has developed guidance for positive glucose urine test during ondary door for use as an addition- death of the motorcoach driver stopped traffic ahead. screening for obstructive sleep the driver’s medical certificate al emergency exit. and 12 motorcoach passengers. The board also determined the apnea, FMCSA has not dissemi- examination. The abstract of the NTSB’s The truck, operated by Tri- truck driver did not resume driv- nated this guidance to the medical NTSB also found that the bus final report, which includes the State Collision LLC, and other ing after the traffic stoppage be- examiners it certifies to perform driver did not take actions to avoid findings, probable cause and safe- traffic had been stopped on the cause he most likely fell asleep commercial driver’s license medi- the crash because he, too, was ty recommendations, is available highway by police because of util- due to fatigue related to his undi- cal examinations.” likely fatigued and did not expect online at https://go.usa.gov/xn22F.

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Anuncio B&MN .indd 1 6/2/17 20:58 6 December 1, 2017 THE DOCKET Bus & Motorcoach News FMCSA administrator selection supports ELD mandate WASHINGTON — Raymond hurt some small, independent rately track for vote to confirm Martinez during Martinez, who was tapped by the trucking firms, and said he would commercial motor vehicle drivers. the hearing, and hadn’t voted as of Trump administration as the next “look forward to working with in- “What we experienced in the early November, but was expected administrator of the Federal Motor dustry and all stakeholders, safety past was that it was paper-based, to do so by the end of the year. Carrier Safety Administration, is a advocates and particularly the im- which means it was very suscepti- Martinez, chairman and chief supporter of the electronic logging pacted sectors of commerce.” ble to fraudulent entries,” he said. administrator of the New Jersey device mandate that takes effect “I’d want to meet with those in- “The goal is to not cripple com- Motor Vehicle Commission, was December 18. volved in those areas who oppose merce. The goal is to make our selected by President Donald During his confirmation hear- the rule to learn more about their roadways safer. That is our mis- Trump to replace Daphne Jeffer- Raymond Martinez Cathy Gautreaux ing before the Senate Committee concerns,” he said. sion and that’s in everything we son, FMCSA’s deputy administra- particularly when it comes to tar- on Commerce, Science and Trans- But Martinez said the man- approach…through that lens of tor who has been serving as acting geting high-risk carriers within the portation, Martinez said he real- date, pushed by Congress for sev- safety.” administrator since Scott Darling Compliance, Safety, Accountabili- ized that the ELD mandate could eral years, is necessary to accu- The Senate committee didn’t resigned as administrator in Janu- ty program. ary when Trump took office. Congress pulled CSA’s BASIC Jefferson retired last month ratings from public view in 2015, and was expected to be replaced and the National Academies of by Louisiana Motor Transport As- Science this year issued a report to sociation Executive Director Congress and FMCSA with rec- Cathy Gautreaux as the agency’s ommendations on how the agency next deputy administrator. can reform the program to make it Gautreaux has been with the more accurate in its assessment of association for 32 years, serving as safety risk. the executive director for 29 years. scen Martinez told the committee he ic r During his Senate hearing, t ou he intends to review the report and e t Martinez also said he intends to k e “make appropriate changes (and) a . make FMCSA more data driven, T CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 c Independent truckers continue Ev e. ery tim efforts to delay ELD mandate GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — An not demonstrate how, without independent truckers’ association using ELDs, they would maintain that has been fighting the elec- a level of safety equivalent to, or tronic logging device mandate in greater than, the level achieved court and in the media is now ar- without the exemption, the news guing that recent requests for ex- release said. emptions prove there is no safety But in granting exemptions to benefit to ELDs. two other groups, the agency The Owner-Operator Indepen- made no mention of safety. dent Drivers Association is argu- “It’s the Nightmare on ELD ing that a surge in requests for ex- Street,” Spencer said. “Confusion emptions — some of them and concern surround this issue. approved by federal officials — is The best solution is an alternate one of many reasons the upcom- ending to the frightening scene by ing federal regulation requiring way of a delay.” trucks and buses to be equipped The timing of the announce- with ELDs should be delayed. ments comes at the heels of a recent The Federal Motor Carrier push by a coalition of companies Safety Administration’s ELD and organizations to delay the elec- mandate is scheduled to take ef- tronic logging device mandate. fect on December 18. OOIDA has contended that a “The reasons cited in the re- delay is necessary until FMCSA quests are not unique to just a sin- addresses numerous unresolved is- gle company or one sector of the sues identified by impacted stake- trucking industry,” Todd Spencer, holders. There are significant tech- Mobile observation has finally unprecedented 190° wide angle executive vice president of nological and real-world concerns come full circle with the SEE360 view, the SEE360 provides OOIDA, said in a news release. that have not been addressed by ® “Many of those same concerns FMCSA, the association camera system from Voyager. increased awareness on apply to all affected by this one- contended. This four-camera system the busiest city streets. size-fits-all mandate.” “These concerns include the gives you a seamless, 360° Keep your passengers and As of early November, OOIDA certification of devices (or lack said, 12 organizations had filed thereof), connectivity problems in panoramic view around the pedestrians safe while you exemption requests and 31 organi- remote areas of the country, cyber- entire vehicle. Because each maneuver your vehicle zations had requested a delay. security vulnerabilities, and the individual camera offers an with confidence. “In one instance, they denied ability of law enforcement to ac- the request, and in a couple of oth- cess data,” OOIDA said in its ers, they granted the requests, but release. in none of these did FMCSA’s de- “The ELD mandate is estimat- cisions show any consistency in ed to cost impacted stakeholders reasoning,” Spencer said. more than $2 billion, making it In its denial to one group, the one of the most expensive federal www.RVCams.com • Toll-free: 877.378.2267 • [email protected] agency said that the request did CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 c

8 December 1, 2017 THE DOCKET Bus & Motorcoach News Federal Highway Trust Fund failed to grow in FY 2017 WASHINGTON — The feder- cline in retail taxes on commercial billion, for a 4.6 percent increase. “Those numbers reflect the help explain why industry groups al Highway Trust Fund, which trucks more than offset mild gains The combined 2017 increase volatility that stems from such rev- are lobbying Congress to find uses fuel taxes and excise taxes to from fuel taxes. in receipts from taxes on gasoline, enue streams as equipment sales, ways to add dedicated revenues to fund road construction and mass The publication said Treasury diesel and related fuels was about which can fluctuate sharply based the trust fund. transit, showed no growth during Department reports on the various $941 million, for a 2.6 percent on market demand or changes in “Congress and the nation can- the fiscal year that ended Septem- Highway Trust Fund contributions gain. However, revenue from retail interest rates for high-cost pur- not depend on the trust fund’s cur- ber 30. for the last two fiscal years showed truck taxes for the trust fund chases,” the Journal said. rent mix of fees to even keep The AASHTO Journal, pub- that gasoline tax receipts of nearly reached only $3.1 billion in fiscal Joung Lee, policy director for growing year to year, depending lished by the American Associa- $26.6 billion in the year through 2017, down by 27 percent, more the American Association of State on market conditions,” Lee said, tion of State Highway and Trans- September were up 1.8 percent than enough to offset the relatively Highway and Transportation Offi- “and it continues to generate far portation Officials, said the fund from the previous year, while die- small gains from motor fuel user cials, told the AASHTO Journal less than Congress has authorized failed to grow because a large de- sel taxes generated about $10.7 fees. that the 2017 excise tax receipts the trust fund to spend.” Martinez FMCSA employs more than million drivers and the titling, reg- ELD delay but the bill failed. 1,000 people in all 50 states and istration and inspection of more CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 OOIDA listed the following the District of Columbia, and its than 6 million vehicles. companies and organizations that evaluate how best we can move primary mission is to reduce “I have developed close work- transportation rulemakings over had requested exemptions but had forward” with the program. crashes, injuries and fatalities in- ing relationships with both FMCSA the last decade,” Spencer said. yet to receive responses: G4S Se- “We need to be using sound volving large trucks and buses, ac- and NHTSA (National Highway “This is a massive, unfunded cure Solutions Inc.; Hub Group science,” he said. “The key thing cording to the agency. Traffic Safety Administration) as mandate that provides no safety, Trucking, Inc.; Motion Picture is whether the data we use to com- In his opening statement to the well as with safety advocates, in- economic, or productivity bene- Association of America; National pile these assessments are accu- Senate committee, Martinez dis- cluding AAA, the National Safety fits for those ensnared by the man- Pork Producers Council; Power rate, reliable and fair. If the data is cussed his experience as the former Council, and MADD,” Martinez date. This is another example of a and Communication Contractors unreliable, we lose credibility with commissioner of the New York said. “I believe that open communi- costly regulation imposed on Association; Western Equipment stakeholders and the entities we State Department of Motor Vehicles cation and collaboration are very small-business truckers that has Dealers Association; and YRC regulate. And we do a disservice and chairman of the Governor’s important and would continue this no bearing on safety.” Yellow Freight Corporation. to the public.” Traffic Safety Committee, as well practice as FMCSA administrator.” OOIDA sued FMCSA in an FMCSA has responded to re- Martinez will be joining as his current post heading the New He noted that while serving in effort to block the ELD mandate, quests by these companies: MBI FMCSA as it is reviewing several Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. both the New Jersey and New York but lost the case when the U.S. Su- Energy Services, Inc. (Denied); pending rules affecting the mo- The New Jersey agency has agencies, he “routinely engaged preme Court refused to reconsider Pipe Line Contractors Association torcoach and trucking industries to more than $1 billion in annual rev- with thought leaders at some of the a lower court’s ruling rejecting the (Denied); Truck Renting and meet the Trump administration’s enue and an operating budget of university research institutions in association’s suit. The association Leasing Association (Partially call for reducing burdensome fed- approximately $330 million. It is our region that continue to do great also lobbied Congress to pass a granted); and United Parcel Ser- eral regulations. charged with licensing nearly 6 work in the area of traffic safety.” bill delaying the rule for two years, vice (Partially granted). CHARTER l Yes. 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370 W. Park Avenue, P.O. Box 9004, Long Beach, NY 11561 | www.lancerinsurance.com 10 December 1, 2017 THE DOCKET Bus & Motorcoach News UCR fees for commercial carriers delayed indefinitely WASHINGTON — The annu- begin each year on October 1, but a UCR board said in its website and the delayed registration start It requires motor carriers, motor al Unified Carrier Registration Federal Register notice issued by posting. period. private carriers, freight forward- fees for commercial motor carriers FMCSA in September announced The board also sent a letter to A court agreed with the plain- ers, leasing companies and bro- have been indefinitely delayed, ac- that the annual registration period state administrators telling them tiffs in the case and required the kers based in the , cording to a notice posted to the had been delayed until November 1. not to accept any carrier fees for board to post the minutes from its Canada and Mexico to pay fees UCR board of director’s website. FMCSA also said it planned to 2018 until further notice. “If re- September meeting on its website. through their base states on behalf The board recommended that reduce UCR fees by 9.1 percent in ceived prior to the final rulemak- However, the court said it lacked of all participating states. all states delay the enforcement 2018. ing, please return to the entity that the authority to rescind the deci- Federal regulations require period of 2018 registration com- However, FMCSA’s failure to paid the fee.” sions made by the board at the FMCSA to reduce the fees for all pliance until 90 days after the Fed- complete the formal rulemaking A lawsuit filed in late Septem- meeting. motor carriers if the total fees in eral Motor Carrier Safety Admin- process regarding 2018 registration ber claimed the UCR board violat- UCR is a federally mandated, the previous year exceed the istration publishes a final rule and fees has prompted a further ed federal open meetings acts by state-administered program for amount necessary to satisfy the setting the registration period and delay in the registration period. failing to notify the public of a registering and collecting fees revenue entitlements of the partic- an updated fee structure. “We regret this inconvenience September 14 meeting in which it from operators of commercial ve- ipating states and the UCR plan’s Registration is supposed to and appreciate your patience,” the determined the 2018 fee structure hicles engaged in interstate travel. administrative costs. U.S. Supreme Court to decide employee arbitration case By Caroline J. Berdzik Corporation v. Lewis case, which waiver of class-action employ- upheld arbitration agreements. more employers may consider the is before the U.S. Supreme Court ment claims in the arbitration Nevertheless, arbitration agree- use of arbitration agreements to In recent years, more compa- this term. agreement interferes with their ments are still being challenged in resolve employment disputes. nies have begun requiring employ- The federal courts have been Section 7 rights under the NLRA courts and in a variety of settings Caroline J. Berdzik is a part- ees to sign mandatory arbitration deeply divided on this issue. Spe- to engage in protected, concerted (employment, consumer, nursing ner with Goldberg Segalla LLP in agreements and have all employ- cifically, the Seventh and Ninth activity. home residents). Princeton, N.J. She devotes her ment disputes decided in arbitra- Circuit Courts of Appeals have In its last few rulings on arbi- In the meantime, employers practice to helping corporate cli- tion, as opposed to in court. found such arbitration agreements tration agreements, the U.S. Su- are well advised to have any arbi- ents navigate employment law is- Some of these arbitration to violate the National Labor Rela- preme Court has narrowly upheld tration agreements they may uti- sues from proactive counseling agreements do not permit employ- tions Act (NLRA). the use of mandatory arbitration lize reviewed by legal counsel to through dispute resolution and ees to assert claims on a class- To the contrary, the Fifth Cir- agreements in the employment attempt to avoid having the agree- trial. wide basis and limit arbitration to cuit has permitted class-action context by relying on the Federal ment challenged and found to be Her clients include transporta- individual claims. waivers in arbitration agreements. Arbitration Act. unenforceable. tion companies. She can be Consequently, employers are Employees in this Epic Sys- Additionally, the Supreme If class waivers are ruled to be reached at cberdzik@goldbergse- closely watching the Epic Systems tems case are arguing that the Court in the consumer setting has proper in the employment setting, galla.com. Prevost initiates coach recall to fix fuel tank problem WASHINGTON — The Na- XL2 motorcoaches. The recall tar- The government recall report ground, it could disable the vehicle tober 2. tional Highway Traffic Safety Ad- gets vehicles manufactured with states: increasing the risk of a crash or “We have decided to do this re- ministration has issued a self-re- fuel cradles bearing Prevost part “The front of the fuel tank cra- personal injury.” call as safety is a core value for ported recall for 3,190 Prevost numbers 030940, 032905 or dle is attached to the frame at two Prevost will contact owners of Prevost and there is a potential risk motorcoaches from the 2008 032970. locations. At these locations, a gap the affected motorcoaches and associated with this defect. This is through 2018 model years. According to Prevost’s filing exists between the structural lugs make repairs free of charge, the a proactive measure and no crash- The defect was caused by a gap to NHTSA, a service claim was re- and the cradle support tubing. government stated. es or injuries have been reported,” between structural lugs and the ceived on September 11 regarding Over time, this gap can cause the As the manufacturer told said Emmanuelle Toussaint, vice fuel tank cradle. While this could fuel cradle front attachment points. bolt torque to loosen, which could NHTSA, “The remedy is shim- president of legal, regulatory and cause the fuel tank to “separate A company search found two ad- compromise the integrity of the ming a gap that exists between the public affairs and external com- from vehicle,” no incidents or in- ditional claims. bolt. If the cradle attachment structural lugs and the cradle sup- munications for Prevost in Sainte- juries have resulted, Prevost said. Prevost reported the issue to points (i.e. both bolts) fail, the fuel port tubing.” Claire, Quebec. The recall covers Prevost H3- federal regulators on October 3. cradle, complete with the fuel The shims became part of the Owners of the recalled motor­ 41, H3-45, H3-45 VIP, X3-45, The recall was announced on Oc- tank, can drop to the ground. fuel tank installation procedure on coaches may call Prevost at (866) X3-45 VIP, VIP Entertainer and tober 30. “If the fuel cradle drops to the new motorcoaches beginning Oc- 870-2046.

ISSUE NO. 343 How to contact us Jeff Polzien Red Carpet Charters To submit or report news, Letters to To advertise: Interested in placing an ad, Oklahoma City the Editor, articles, news releases or and new to Bus & Motorcoach News? Tom Ready Ready Bus Lines to report corrections: Call: Jamie Williams at (352) 333-3393 A PUBLICATION OF THE UNITED MOTORCOACH ASSOCIATION LaCrescent, Minn. E-mail: E-mail: [email protected] Ray Sargoni [email protected] Gray Lines of San Francisco Staff Advisory Board San Francisco Mail: 2250 W. Roper Lane Existing advertisers, or to submit Publisher, Executive Editor: William Allen Larry Hundt Brian Scott Cottonwood, AZ 86326 advertising materials: Stacy Tetschner Amador Trailways Great Canadian Trailways Escot Bus Lines Call: (602) 284-6049 Call: Johnny Steger at (866) 930-8426 Sacramento, Calif. Kitchner, Ontario Largo, Fla. E-mail: Editor: Hal Mattern Brian Annett Dale Krapf Tim Stout To subscribe or inquire about your Annett Bus Lines Krapf Coaches Stout’s Transportation [email protected] Sales Director: Johnny Steger Sebring, Fla. West Chester, Pa. Ewing, N.J. subscription: Mail: 2200 N. Yarbrough, Suite B Industry Editor: Ken Presley Roman Cornell Joan Libby Dennis Strief E-mail: Box No. 336, El Paso, TX 79925 ABC Companies Cavalier Coach Trailways Vandalia Bus Lines [email protected] Associate Editor: Ellen Balm Orlando, Fla. Boston, Mass. Caseyville, Ill. Fax: (405) 942-6201 To contact the Dave Dickson Marcia Milton Alan Thrasher Art Director: Mary E. McCarty Elite Coach First Priority Trailways Thrasher Brothers Trailways Mail: 3108 NW 54th Street United Motorcoach Association: Ephrata, Pa. District Heights, Md. Birmingham, Ala. Oklahoma City, OK 73112 Call: (800) 424-8262 Editorial Assistant: Gladys Gillis David Moody Larry Willaims Call: (866) 930-8421 Online: www.uma.org Maggie Vander Eems Starline Luxury Coaches Holiday Tours L.W. Transportation Seattle Randleman, N.C. Chantilly, Va. Editorial Assistant: Julianne Ryder Bob Greene Michael Neustadt T. Ralph Young ©2017 by the United Motorcoach Association. Reproduction in whole or in part without Amaya-Astron Seating Coach Tours Young Transportation written permission is prohibited. Accountant: Ted Williford Omaha, Neb. Brookfield, Conn. Asheville,CONTINUED N.C. ON PAGE 15 c 11Bus &December Motorcoach 1, News 2017 OPINION DecemberBus & Motorcoach 1, 2017 News11 When changing lanes, pray that a UFO is protecting you By Dave Millhouser dental and deliberate. danger involved each time we road hazard or a sneaky toll booth), stream as op- A number of things may initi- cross Hines’ lines, avoiding chang- you may be able to avoid an acci- posed to creating “The new driver is weaving,” ate inadvertent lane changes. es where possible is good practice. dent, or at least know what you one by ramming. the passenger whispered in my Blown tires, hydroplaning, wind There are, however, a number of squished. It never hurts pal’s ear. gusts, falling into a coma (or just good reasons to deliberately Signaling is a complex issue. to know how Walter had just finished a 24- not paying attention). Hydroplan- change lanes — passing, setting Irrelevant in the event of acciden- long your coach hour shift and was snoozing in the ing is a personal favorite. At speed up a turn, avoiding road debris or tal lane changes, it represents a is. A 35-foot bus front seat of a 4104 while the it can cause a steroidal lane change aiming for the correct tollbooth. complex moral dilemma in the fits into a smaller “fresh” driver took command. that sweeps the whole highway. Whether purposeful or acci- case of intentional ones. space than a 45- Dave Millhouser Fresh being a relative term, the New technology like tire moni- dental, a number of cosmic truths In New England, where I live, foot one. When “relief ” guy had 12 driving hours toring systems and lane departure are involved. the common wisdom is to never let slipping into a gap in another lane, under his belt in another bus be- warning systems help some. The First, since two objects can’t them know what you’re gonna do it is VERY important to know fore staggering onto Walter’s vehi- latest lane departure systems are occupy the same spot, don’t slide so they can’t snarf your space. In where your rear end is. Good ad- cle, and he was changing lanes neat. When you stray, the driver’s into a space without checking for civilized regions, like the Mid- vice any time. indiscriminately. seat vibrates, so only the driver is other vehicles. You knew that. west, signaling is the gallant thing I learned to drive by sliding Raising an eyelid, Walter mum- awakened. It’s worthwhile to step it up a to do. Each area has it’s own eti- into the driver’s seat of a moving bled, “Shut up, he’s just practicing In ye olden days, my boss notch and constantly keep score of quette (or neurosis). bus. The only way I could center it his passing,” and resumed his nap. would sit behind us with a cattle all the traffic around you. If a While I personally recommend in the lane was to align the inspec- Let’s begin at the beginning. In prod and if we wandered, he would you’re tracking disappears, either a that you consistently signal (or at tion sticker in windshield corner 1911, Edward N. Hines was fol- nuke our bums. Some passengers UFO beamed it up or it’s in your least subtly hint) lane changes, be with the stripes in the highway as lowing a leaky milk tanker in found our screams unnerving blind spot. Wishing the UFO got it aware of the local customs. Just they whizzed by. when he noticed that it (kidding). doesn’t make it so. because you’re paranoid doesn’t With this navigational tech- was leaving a white line in the Of course there is the “hybrid” Adjusting mirrors correctly can mean they’re not after you. nique, lane changes were only pos- middle of the road. He cleverly change, where you drift into the reduce those pesky visual black Slow is better than fast. Enjoy sible where there were no stripes. figured that painting the line other lane, realize you’re halfway holes, and since modern buses have your lane changes. By easing into This is not a good way to go. would be more permanent and there without having crushed any- remote-controlled mirrors, you can another lane, you offer a stealth You can end up in some strange might serve to prevent collisions. thing, and keep going maintaining aim them appropriately for the type vehicle lurking in your blind spot places, particularly if you’re fol- Hines invented the lane. the illusion you meant to change driving you’re doing. the opportunity to greet you with lowing a leaky milk tanker. Since changing lanes is one of lanes. Some other time we can dis- If you’re consistently keeping horn blasts (or, more likely, an up- Dave Millhouser is a bus indus- the riskier aspects of driving, it cuss the subtle differences between track of traffic and one of those in- turned finger). try marketing consultant and free- seems worth exploring. There are hybrid lane changes and weaving. advertent changes rears its ugly Plan ahead for lane changes, lance writer. Contact him by email two kinds of lane changes, acci- Since there’s an element of head (in the form of inattention, a targeting an open spot in the traffic at [email protected].

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876857_Motor.indd 1 8/24/17 3:34 PM 12Bus & DecemberMotorcoach 1, News 2017 UMA MOTORCOACHOPINION EXPO 2018 DecemberBus & Motorcoach 1, 2017 News12 UMA Expo driver competition attracting industry’s best SAN ANTONIO — The first-annual were Griffith of A.W. Griffith Transportation UMA International Driver Competition was Consulting LLC, Shade of Krapf’s Coaches, a major hit earlier this year at Expo 2017, Rory Birge of Happy Trails Charters Inc., and and several drivers already have committed Luman of Red Carpet Charters. to participating next year. This year several drivers who won their “We have seen a flurry of submissions state or regional association competitions and are looking forward to another exciting are expected to compete at Expo. All partic- group of drivers, including some of our ipating drivers are required to have a proven competitors from last year,” said Ken Pres- history of safe driving. ley, vice president of industry relations and The competition will include a written COO of the United Motorcoach Associa- inces competed. examination testing driver’s knowledge of the tion, the competition’s sponsor. The competition involved both written Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. One of those returning drivers is Antho- and driving tests, as it will in 2018. The drivers then will take the wheel of buses ny W. Griffith, a New York transit driver and The grand champion of the competition to complete a series of maneuvers including transportation consultant. was Stephen Davis of AT&T Charter Ser- Diminishing Lane, Backing, 90-Degree Turn, “Absolutely, I am already registered,” vice in Louisburg, N.C. Offset Alley, Parallel Parking, Serpentine, Griffith said of the 2018 competition, which First runner-up was Ronny Shade of Stop Line, and Onboard Evaluation. will be held during UMA Motorcoach Expo Krapf’s Coaches of West Chester, Pa., who Adding to the challenge is the high likeli- 2018 in San Antonio Jan. 6-10. tragically died only two days later. Second hood they will be driving an unfamiliar Griffith is no stranger to motorcoach runner-up was Dennis Luman of Red Carpet vehicle. driving competitions. He won his first one Charters in Oklahoma City. “These are some of the best drivers in New York transit driver Anthony W. Griffith in the 1990s and in October he won his latest The grand champion and runners-up the country,” Presley said, adding that in will compete in the UMA International Driver one — the New York Public Transit Associ- won $2,500, $1,000 and $500, respectively, 2017, 80 drivers initially registered to com- Competition. ation Bus and Maintenance Roadeo — for plus plaques. pete, with 26 qualifying. course is difficult and the drivers come from the second straight year. Griffith said the competition was close. “We are so proud of all the drivers and around the country and Canada. “Everybody is teasing me about it,” he “Everybody who didn’t win came in fourth,” the outstanding work they do every day “Along with allowing you to associate said. “They say, ‘You only won because I he joked. transporting 650 million passenger trips a with some of the best drivers in North wasn’t there.’” Besides the three winners in the 2017 year safely and securely,” he said. “Several America, the competition allows drivers to In the 2017 UMA International Driver competition, 22 drivers qualified for Excel- companies plan to send their top drivers this compare their skills with some of the best,” Competition, held in February during Expo lence in Driving certificates and four as year to be recognized and compete.” he said. “It’s truly an honor to compete with in St. Louis, 26 drivers representing 16 com- Master Drivers. Griffith said the UMA International these guys. panies in 21 states and two Canadian prov- Drivers earning Master Driver certificates Driver Competition is special because the “See you in San Antonio!”

UNITED MOTORCOACH ASSOCIATON INTERNATIONAL DRIVER COMPETITION

2017 Driver Competition SemiFinalists Sign up for the UMA Driver Competition

and prove your skills! 2017 Champion Stephen Davis Compete for top honors and cash awards

Sign up online and learn more about the competition at WWW.UMADRIVERMEMBER.ORG Bus & Motorcoach News INDUSTRY NEWS December 1, 2017 13 Temsa’s future ary. The three models sold in North in January regarding Temsa’s U.S. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 America range from 30 to 56 seats. exposition plans for the year noted The smaller TS 30 includes a that the company sends its buses make us hesitant to increase our restroom and offers an alternative around the world. product sales.” to cutaway buses. It carries a “The U.S. market is one of the Temsa’s growth in the U.S. also 250-horsepower ISB 6.7 most challenging markets within will benefit from the expanding engine and Allison B300 these 66 countries,” said sales and presence of CH Bus. transmission. market director Kadri Ozgunes. “We opened two maintenance The 40-passenger TS 35E was “We believe that meeting the de- facilities this year. One is in Burl- the best-selling Temsa in the U.S. mand, adapting to the regulations ingame, Calif., near the San Fran- before the introduction of the TS of a country and selling a product cisco airport,” Geiger said. “We 45. The enhanced TS 35E, intro- in that market is a very important also opened a full-service facility duced at Motorcoach Expo 2016 indicator of success.” in Pine Brook, N.J.” in Atlanta, is powered by a Reaching Temsa’s goal of plac- Along with shops in Fort 345-horsepower Cummins ISL 8.9 ing 1,000 motorcoaches in the U.S., The Temsa TS 45 motorcoach accounted for more than half of the 200 new Worth, Texas, and Orlando, Fla., directed through an Allison B500 he said, “also is an important indi- Temsa coaches sold by CH Bus in 2017. Temsa began selling coaches in the “We have physical presence in transmission. cator of customer satisfaction.” U.S. market in 2010 and said it exported its 1,000th vehicle earlier this year. strategic markets. We are able to The full-size TS 45 is config- do service and warranty work for ured for 56 passengers and a re- our customers and parts are readily stroom. The power train consists of available. The market looks favor- the 425-horsepower Cummins ably on distributors having mainte- ISX12 and Gen 5 Allison B500. nance facilities in their region,” he Temsa’s electric motorcoach, said. the MD9 electriCITY, was re- The often-cited “barriers to vealed in 2016 and has been oper- entry” facing potential motorcoach ating on city routes in Europe. Available with startups are a factor in the indus- There is not yet a timetable for No Monthly Fees try’s development, Geiger said. bringing it to this market, Geiger “The barriers are large for said. someone interested in coming in “Temsa is working on electric and opening a new transportation vehicles for the U.S. market. They company. It is difficult to compete know there is a demand for a cer- with established companies,” he tain percentage of vehicles to be said. electric in the U.S.,” he said. New operators used to be sig- The electriCITY is 31 feet nificant consumers of the pre- long and can seat 26 along with a owned motorcoaches turned in by wheelchair passenger. Its batteries established carriers that could af- can provide a driving range of 143 ford to upgrade, he added. miles along with heat and air www.vdoroadlog.com “That is part of the reason the conditioning. secondary market is soft right Also, Geiger said, “Temsa has now.” stated their intention to manufac- Compliant now. Compliant in the future. Temsa began selling coaches in ture vehicles in the U.S. in the near the U.S. market in 2010 and said it future. They have made some press VDO RoadLog™ ELD. exported its 1,000th vehicle here announcements regarding that shortly after UMA Motorcoach matter in Istanbul.” ✓ Expo 2017 in St. Louis last Febru- A Turkish press release issued 100% FMCSA ELD mandate compliance – with free software updates to maintain compliance in the future. CVSA accepting nominations ✓ VDO certified and FMCSA registered. ✓ Works with VDO RoadLog Office™ – the online fleet for driver excellence award management and compliance reporting tool. GREENBELT, Md. — The receive his/her award on April 9, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alli- 2018, during the general session of ✓ Built-in printer to get through ance is accepting applications for the CVSA Workshop inspections faster. its annual International Driver Ex- • Two-night hotel stay at the cellence Award (IDEA), which Hilton Portland Downtown recognizes the extraordinary ca- Nominees must have: reers of professional commercial • At least 25 cumulative years FMCSA

TIFIED motor vehicle drivers. of crash-free driving in a commer- VDO CER ELECTRONIC The award acknowledges indi- cial motor vehicle with a clean LOGGING DEVICE viduals who go above and beyond driving record for the past three the performance of their duties as a years professional truck or bus driver, • No felony convictions distinguishing themselves through • No safety-related driving www.vdoroadlog.com the achievement of safe operation suspensions in the past three years (855)-ROADLOG and compliance for an extended • No driver violations in the [email protected] period of time. past three years, excluding form The 2018 IDEA winner will and manner violations receive: CVSA is accepting nomina- • A check for $2,500 tions through Jan. 12, 2018. Nomi- • A crystal trophy nation forms can be downloaded at: VDO, RoadLog, and RoadLog OfficeTrademarks – of the Continental Corporation • Airfare for the winner and http://cvsa.org/program/programs/ one guest to Portland, Oregon, to idea/idea-nomination-form/.

CO4462 Bus_and_Motorcoach_RoadLog_CompliantNow_2ThirdV_12-17_v2.indd 1 10/20/17 12:19 PM

Bus & Motorcoach News INDUSTRY NEWS December 1, 2017 15 Chicago party bus wasn’t safe to ride charter buses in Chicago. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 They said that if their companies stopped of- fering such trips, several businesses in the Ekberg said that if one of his buses city could be destroyed. picked up the Little Sisters of the Poor at a They suggested that the city compile a hotel and then stopped at another hotel to list of locations that would be exempt from pick up the pope, “I’d need a security guard the regulations, such as museums, theaters and a camera on board just because the ho- and hotels, and that guards only be required tels serve alcohol. If you stop at multiple lo- when alcohol is being consumed on the cations, they consider you to be a bar crawl.” buses. Some city officials appear to realize that Ekberg said the real problem is with the regulations are excessive or have unin- gang members chartering party buses, get- tended consequences. ting drunk and having shoot-outs. Eleven At a recent city meeting with industry shootings, including three homicides, have representatives, operators asked if a bus tak- been connected to party buses over the past ing a senior group to the theater would need two years in Chicago. a guard since the passengers are not big “I understand what the city is trying to drinkers or troublemakers. accomplish, but they did it without talking A Chicago official responded that the Even though Chicago Classic Coach operates charter buses in Chicago, not party buses, the com- to anyone in the industry,” Ekberg said. city wouldn’t enforce the regulation in that pany has been cited by law enforcement officials cracking down on illegal party bus companies. “This regulation is like using a sledge­ case because “they know you are the good mark, saying, “If we are checking buses at you for no guard or camera.” hammer to drive a carpet tack. It is a steam- operators.” the theater and you are there, we cannot turn Operators attending the meeting said the ing turd on a plate that they don’t know what But another official contradicted that re- our head. We would check you and ticket regulations were sending a message that it to do with.” Businesses warn Toronto not to overregulate marijuana TORONTO — Toronto businesses hop- to design their own distribution system and suming it outside of private homes would visitors have been bringing their own canna- ing to cash in on legalized marijuana are usage regulations. stifle their burgeoning industry. bis to her café since 2003. But with the gov- warning officials that unless regulations are Ontario is the first province out of the “Canada is already renowned for its can- ernment cracking down on unapproved dis- loosened, the city and province of Ontario gate with a detailed plan to sell and distrib- nabis and renowned for its relaxed atmo- pensaries, she said places like hers are also could lose out on a mini tourism boom. ute recreational marijuana. sphere around it,” said Abi Roach of Toron- in the province’s crosshairs. The federal government introduced leg- However, businesses looking to offer to’s Hotbox Café. “If (officials) decide not “There are millions of tourists that come islation in April with a goal of legalizing and marijuana tours in Toronto say they are wor- to embrace it, if they clamp down, we’ll lose to Toronto each year,” Roach said. “That’s a regulating the use of recreational pot by July ried strict regulations that would restrict pot that tourism market that already exists.” lot of people with nowhere to consume their 1, 2018, but left it up to individual provinces sales to state-run stores and prohibit con- Roach (apparently her real name) said legal cannabis.” HUGE INVENTORY OF QUALITY COMPONENTS

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isi V oo or Operat ors Count on UMA The United Motorcoach Association has been on the side of the independent bus and motorcoach operator since 1971 and members benefit from programs, services and discounts that support you in running your business.

Bus & Motorcoach NEWS BusRates.com Free BOC-3 Process Agent Service Fuel DISCOUNT Program Michelin Advantage Tire Discount Program Workers’ Compensation Program Bus & Motorcoach Academy Expert On-Call Staff Regulatory Guidance Safety Management Seminar Motorcoach Minute Podcasts Effective Advocacy Motorcoach EXPO Driver Member Programs And much more . . . Visit www.uma.org to learn more about all your member benefits.

UNITED MOTORCOACH ASSOCIATION 17Bus & DecemberMotorcoach 1, News 2017 UMA MOTORCOACHOPINION EXPO 2018 DecemberBus & Motorcoach 1, 2017 News17

Colorful umbrellas cover riverside tables as diners savor an array of diverse River Walk cuisine. Classic Tex-Mex, barbecue, traditional Italian and contemporary Southwestern fare are just a The Alamo, site of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, is one of the five 18th-Century Spanish few of the choices offered by the cafés, restaurants and bistros. Photo by Bob Howen for Visit San frontier missions that earned San Antonio the designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Antonio Today, the Alamo is the most popular tourist destination in Texas. San Antonio Its deep-south location carries Charter motorcoaches bring and from California. We are seeing “Here, Mexican, European and CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 another tourism benefit — an av- tourists to San Antonio from across an increasing number of arrivals Western cultures have blended into erage daily high temperature of 62 the country, Matej said. The city is from Canada.” a unique personality. San Antonio River. The market’s anchor is the degrees in January, according to 75 miles from Austin, 190 miles The city of San Antonio has hosts a vibrant mix of culture, cui- Centro de Artes, an exhibit that tells the National Oceanic and Atmo- from Houston and 250 miles from posted an online pamphlet listing sine, architecture, history and pa- the story of Latinos in the spheric Administration. Dallas. its motorcoach operation regula- triotism — everything an educator Americas. In scientific terms, San Anto- “San Antonio welcomes visi- tions and a map of temporary and can choose from to reinforce and The San Antonio Zoo houses nio has a “transitional humid sub- tors from markets throughout overnight parking locations on its expand a student’s mind. 3,500 animals of 750 global spe- tropical climate.” That helps ex- Texas and the Rio Grande Valley,” central streets. “With diverse languages and cies. The recently expanded San plain why San Antonio and she said. “San Antonio streets are easy music, the city’s heritage and tradi- Antonio Botanical Garden repli- surrounding environs offer more “We also see a large number of to navigate and accommodating to tions are as rich as its modern plea- cates the three landscapes of Texas. than 50 golf courses. By the way, motorcoach arrivals from the motorcoaches,” Matej said. sures,” she said. “San Antonio is San Antonio also claims to be the average high temperatures are Northeast, including New York Visit San Antonio is stressing centrally located, affordable and the birthplace of “Tex-Mex” cul- 74 degrees in March and 71 in and New Jersey; the Midwest, in- the destination’s features for stu- easy to get around, making it an ture, art, music and cuisine. November. cluding Illinois and Minnesota; dent groups, she said. ideal student travel destination.” 18 December 1, 2017 INDUSTRY NEWS Bus & Motorcoach News Thomas Built unveils new electric Saf-T-Liner COLUMBUS, Ohio — School from the bus. between charges, with an option and our series of propane-powered dence in a bid to become more bus manufacturer Thomas Built “Jouley is named after the for a higher range with additional school buses and medium duty nimble and better confront the dis- Buses has unveiled the Saf-T-Liner joule unit of energy,” said Caley battery packs. trucks. ruptive shift to self-driving electric C2 Electric School Bus, referred to Edgerly, president and CEO of Among its features is a vehicle “Our commitment to battery vehicles. as Jouley. . “A joule is control software and a telematics electric vehicles continues our Under the plan, the German Jouley, the first-generation of equivalent to the amount of energy and diagnostics system that tracks strong leadership in matching our automotive giant would break up Thomas Built’s electric series pro- that is dissipated as heat when an bus location and provides real-time customers’ needs with the best its conglomerate structure by duction school bus, is expected to electric current of one ampere monitoring of potential issues. powertrain for their application transforming itself into a holding be in early production in 2019. passes through a resistance of one “Daimler Trucks North Ameri- and environment,” Nielsen said. company with three units: Mer- In addition to the same vehicle ohm for one second. So we are ca is committed to developing sus- Thomas Built Buses is a mem- cedes-Benz & Vans, Daimler performance, safety and comfort having fun with Jouley.” tainable mobility with an emphasis ber of the Daimler global truck Trucks & Buses and the financial as the Saf-T-Liner C2, this new The Saf-T-Liner C2 Electric on battery electric vehicles,” said group and draws upon Daimler’s services unit. electric school bus has quiet oper- School Bus comes equipped with a Roger Nielsen, Daimler Trucks worldwide resources for technolo- “We are pleased to debut the ation and produces zero emissions powertrain from Efficient Drive- North America president and CEO. gy and innovations. first generation Saf-T-Liner C2 and even exportable power. trains, Inc., that provides 100-160 “DTNA is the industry’s leader in Parent company Daimler AG Electric School Bus,” Edgerly said. That will allow students riding kilowatt hours of battery energy alternative energy propelled vehi- recently announced a major corpo- “Continuous improvement and in- the school bus to charge their com- and a baseline 100-mile range and cles, including a broad line-up of rate overhaul granting its cars and novation are core to both Thomas puters and other devices directly an operating range up to 100 miles CNG-powered trucks and buses, trucks operations more indepen- Built Buses and Daimler.” Bus navigation app available for motorcoach drivers BOSTON — TeleType Co., de- Previously, drivers had to rely bridges and bus-restricted areas ing lengthy map downloads equivalent to a few cents per day, veloper of the SmartTruckRoute on truck navigation, which is dif- • Option to view maps in satel- • Unlimited bus-specific rout- and is available for Android and navigation app, has expanded the ferent from the routes that mo- lite or hybrid mode for highest ing upon purchase Apple devises. Information is product line to support motorcoach torcoach carriers are able to use, destination accuracy The bus app is subscription available at help@smartbusroute. navigation. Friedman said. • Instant activation, eliminat- based, with a one-time payment com or www.smarttruckroute.com. Its new app, SmartBusRoute, With the introduction of the Americas, thanked Flynt for his Kelchen began his career in provides real-time routing and SmartBusRoute app, drivers can dedication and passion to the 1992 as a driver for navigation to professional bus be confident they are navigating Tri-State Trav- People company. in Galena, Ill., where he devel- drivers to help them avoid roads with bus-specific routing that el “He instilled a lot of trust and oped a lifelong appreciation for the that are unsuitable for bus travel. avoids low bridges and bus-re- team spirit throughout the entire MCI brand. He also worked in sales “We are pleased to contribute stricted areas while allowing travel SAINTE CLAIRE, Quebec — organization and it has been an im- and transportation management at to the efficiency and safety of the in areas where buses are permitted Guy French has mense privilege working with , a food ser- bus industry by providing an eco- (and trucks may be prohibited). been named vice Harker’s Distribution him,” Acs said. vice wholesaler and manufacturer, nomical real-time navigation sys- SmartBusRoute features and president and and had an 11-year career in opera- tem to commercial bus drivers,” benefits include: general manager for services at DES PLAINES, Ill. — Sean tions management with said Ed Friedman, SmartBusRoute • Bus-specific real-time rout- Linn Kelchen has , a logistics company. project manager. ing and navigation avoids low Prevost and Transfer . joined Motor Kelchen once owned an MCI French re- Coach Indus- 102DL3 Custom Coach conver- places Clay Guy French tries as new sion motorhome, which he used Flynt, who re- coach sales re- for recreational travel, making Excellent Condition tired at the end of September after gional vice presi- many friends in the industry. …none nicer! 33 years with the Volvo Group, dent for the Extremely including 10 as Prevost aftermar- Southeast. STEVENSVILLE, Md. — Low ket vice president and general Kelchen was Sean Kelchen Jacob Rosendale Miles manager. Flynt also oversaw the director of opera- has joined OEM expansion of the Prevost Parts & tions for a prominent Dallas-based vehicle-lift­ com- 3 Point Service Network. bus company that provides high- pany Stertil- Seat Flynt praised French as his re- end passenger line-haul scheduled Koni as a service Belts placement. “Guy has been part of service between Dallas, Austin, technician. the team for the past 26 years and Houston, Fort Worth and San An- In his new po- has been instrumental in helping to tonio, Texas. His career experience sition, Rosedale CD/DVD • 58 pax w/lav shape and develop the Services also includes transportation logis- handles technical Jacob Rosendale Cummins/B500 business,” he said. tics, sales, equipment acquisition, and organization- Michelin tires/Alcoa rims “We worked together over the maintenance and regulatory al duties at the Stertil-Koni ware- Lots more options! last 10 years and helped to build a compliance. house in Stevensville and works as culture of customer care, customer At MCI, he will represent MCI a key support person for company LOWER PRICE: $319k uptime, parts availability and products and serve customers in distributors and end-users. Partial Financing oac growing the service network, in- Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, “Jacob has dedicated his pro- Trade for MCI D or cluding introducing service vans South Carolina and Tennessee. He fessional career to the service in- DL3 Considered **MORE AVAILABLE** to bring our customer care to the will be based in Nashville, report- dustry and brings a strong back- Call or Email for more photos & info! customer’s doorstep.” ing to Pat Ziska, new coach sales ground in diagnosing and repairing 808.832.6261 • [email protected] French said he was excited to vice president. heavy duty equipment, overseeing be leading efforts to better serve “Sean has first-hand experi- inventory as well as participating and support customers of Prevost, ence with MCI products and ser- in the manufacturing and assembly Nova Bus and Volvo. vices,” Ziska said. “He has demon- process,” said Stertil-Koni Presi- RRL Insurance Agency “We will continue to strive to strated an entrepreneurial sprit, dent Jean DellAmore. Motorcoach Insurance Specialists keep our industry leading position expanding operations in his previ- Rosendale also has experience Philip W. Love Sr. by offering a larger array of ser- ous positions. By this, we are con- in sales, electrical installation and 800-407-4077 | FAX 321-752-7980 vices to help those customers be fident Sean will be of benefit to HVAC technology. He has a de- [email protected] • www.rrl-ins.com even more successful,” he said. our many customers in the South- gree in diesel and industrial tech- Ralph Acs, president of Nova east, assisting them with their fleet nology from the Universal Techni- 4450 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., #115 Bus and Prevost and senior vice requirements, business operations cal Institute. Melbourne, FL 32934 president of Volvo Bus for the and growth.” UNMATCHED EXPERTISE. UNPARALLELED SERVICE.

The world’s most advanced coaches deserve the best in support, and that’s precisely what Prevost provides. No other service network delivers more technical expertise and years of hands-on experience. It’s a commitment we make to your drivers, your passengers, your schedule and your bottom line.

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Prevost-ServiceAd-060817-BMN.indd 1 6/8/17 3:58 PM Re-Energize your fleet with an MCI pre-owned coach

Invest in the best. Whether your route takes you around town or across the continent, MCI has a pre-owned coach that was built just for you. With our extensive selection, you’ll find the options you need at an affordable price that will boost your capacity, uptime and profitability. Our Re-Energized MCI J4500 coaches feature a 210+ point inspection, a new interior and a 2-year warranty on the re-manufactured DD Series 60 engine and Allison B500 transmission. There’s only one place to get a Re-Energized MCI J4500; a Select MCI J4500 or Select pre-owned coach — and that’s from MCI.

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See our complete available inventory at mcicoach.com/preowned

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