June 12, 2018
2019 Motorcoach EXPO: See you in Fort Lauderdale!
EXPO: Innovate! Educate! Celebrate!

It's a little more than 200 days away, but it's not too early to sign up for the 2019 UMA Motorcoach Expo that will take place in sunny Fort Lauderdale, FL, January 6-10. The EXPO website has a preliminary schedule, floor plan map, hotel choices and rates, and registration is now open.

View the video link above and start getting excited! Right now - for one week only - member operators can register for $354, which is $25 off the low, early bird rate! This offer is good through Tuesday, June 19.

For 2019, the theme is Innovate, Educate, Celebrate, basically the three pillars of EXPO! The show floor will be upgraded with more elements to add excitement and fun, featuring innovations operators care about, the education component will rise to a new level with novel formats that facilitate better outcomes and engagement, and networking and social events that will heighten the fun and camaraderie you expect at EXPO. See you in Fort Lauderdale!

Should you join the family business?
June 4, 2018 | by Judy Lin Walsh and Rob Lachenauer | Harvard Business Review  | 

Proceed with caution! That seems to be the leading message when one is considering joining their family-run business.

Any job-related decision can be stressful, but making the choice to enter a family enterprise can have more than the usual consequences. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review online looks at the unique aspects involved in family-run businesses and suggests questions that can help clarify expectations and forge an outline for how to proceed when a family member is considering whether to commit to joining the company.

Topics that demand consideration range from consequences to existing personal and familial relationships to understanding whether the vision for the company is a fit for the young family member considering his or her future.

Seriously.
We want to hear your bus jokes.

We're collecting examples of the wit and wisdom of our UMA members. Don't let us down. So far, we've only heard from one among our hundreds of members. We're looking for relatable anecdotes, silly jokes, or anything else you think will resonate with others who work in the wonderful motorcoach travel industry.

Send your jokes to info@uma.org. Please!
CVSA Operation Safe Driver Week is July 15 - 21
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week will take place July 15-21, 2018. Traffic safety personnel will be on the lookout for unsafe driving behaviors by commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and passenger vehicle drivers as we work toward zero deaths on our roadways.

Unsafe driver behaviors by CMV drivers and passenger vehicle drivers continue to be the leading cause of crashes. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) “ Large Truck Crash Causation Study ” cites driver behavior as the critical reason for more than 88 percent of large truck crashes and 93 percent of passenger vehicle crashes.

Examples of dangerous driver behaviors that enforcement personnel will be tracking throughout Operation Safe Driver Week are speeding, distracted driving, texting, failure to use a seatbelt while operating a CMV or in a passenger vehicle, following too closely, improper lane change, failure to obey traffic control devices, etc.

High percentage of drivers killed test positive for drugs

When motorcoach drivers report it is getting more dangerous out on the road, it is no joke. More than half of drivers killed in vehicle accidents who were tested for drugs were found to have marijuana, opioids or a combination of the two in their system, according to a recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Overall, 44 percent of fatally-injured drivers with known results tested positive for drugs. Just 10 years ago that number was 28 percent.

The report discovered that among the fatally-injured drivers who tested positive for drugs in 2016, 38 percent tested positive for some form of marijuana, 16 percent tested positive for opioids, and 4 percent tested positive for both marijuana and opioids.

While alcohol-impaired driving remains a significant threat to traffic safety, presence of alcohol in fatally-injured drivers is slightly lower than it was a decade ago, decreasing from 41 percent in 2006 to 38 percent in 2016.
MEMBER SURVEY
What's keeping you up at night?

Please help us design an educational curriculum for EXPO that will take on the issues that matter to operators. Click the blue button to access a two-question survey that will allow you to weigh in on the top issues affecting your business. Your opinion matters.
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Bus & Motorcoach News is mailed twice monthly to all UMA members. In addition, it's available online 24/7 at www.busandmotorcoachnews.com and by email, on a schedule you choose! Invite everyone on your staff to stay informed about the industry by signing up for email updates from Bus & Motorcoach News . Sign up here.
Prevost 2018 factory training draws record attendance
May 31, 2018  | Bus & Motorcoach News   |  

SAINTE CLAIRE, Quebec – The 2018 Prevost Factory Training program in Quebec City attracted 55 mechanics and technicians from throughout North America, the largest turnout since the program began 18 years ago.

Every year since 2000 the Prevost Field Service Department and the company’s team of regional customer support managers have sponsored a week of intense maintenance training for mechanics and technicians who work on Prevost motorcoaches.

Motorcoach Industry Calendar

JUNE 2018

JULY 2018

AUGUST 2018

SEPTEMBER 2018

OCTOBER 2018

NOVEMBER 2018

DECEMBER 2018
  • 5-6 UMA Safety Management Seminar, NTSB Training Center, Ashburn, VA, Hotel TBA - save the date! www.uma.org/safety

JANUARY 2019

FEBRUARY 2019

MARCH 2019
  • 12 GNJMA Sponsor Appreciation Dinner, Emeril's Chophouse, Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, PA http://www.gnjma.com/
  • 12 GNJMA Spring Association Member Meeting & Motorcoach Professional Awards Luncheon, Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, PA http://www.gnjma.com/
YOU ARE UMA
Remember, as a UMA member you have the power of discounts on the best products and services, access to relevant education, targeted professional resources, and colleagues all over the map. Remember to consult your member directory when you need help on the road, access to more vehicles to meet demand, or services out of your area. We are UMA! Want to find other members to do business with? Use the online directory.

Reach the UMA staff by calling (703) 838-2929 or by email at info@uma.org. We love to hear from our members!