|
John Bailey Participates in UMA Town Hall
PBA Chair, John Bailey of Bailey Coach, took part in the September 10th UMA Town Hall. John was part of a panel of leaders from state and regional motorcoach associations that offered their perspectives in each of their respective areas.
John shared what action the Association has taken to date in regards to getting support for the CERTS Act. The focus has been on getting PA congressional delegates to co-sponsor the bills in the House and Senate, getting local press coverage and sharing information on social media to raise awareness.
|
|
Caesars and Harrah's Casinos in Atlantic City Accepting Charter Buses
As of September 8, 2020, PBA Member, Caesars Casino and Harrah's Casino in Atlantic City started accepting charter buses Monday through Friday. Their new bonus package is $10 in slot play with $50 in slot play to the group leader.
Caesars Bus Center will take buses 10am-9pm daily (except no arrivals from 12noon to 1pm), Harrah's will take buses 10am-7pm daily (no arrivals at 11am) and is based on Management approval. Everyone must follow COVID procedures which can be found at caesarsac.com.
If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation at either one of these properties, please call 1-800-621-0200 option 6 Tuesday through Friday 9am-4pm or by email at acbusgroups@caesars.com. |
|
Prevost Opens New Service Center Near DC
PBA Member, Prevost is growing again with the announcement that its newest service location in Capitol Heights, MD, is now open for business.
One of 19 Prevost service centers in North America, the facility is located at 1700 Rochell Avenue in Capitol Heights, approximately nine miles outside of the D.C. area. Read more... |
|
PBA Member Provides IT Solutions Tailored to Bus and Motorcoach Industry
United Bus Technology (UBT), launched in 2015, is Tony Wei's most recent endeavor and currently the only such tech company to tailor its innovations solely to accommodate the motorcoach industry.
Five years and $10 million later, the company offers three proprietary IT solutions to deliver and manage critical ticketing, safety management, and onboard entertainment. Wei believes this is the one endeavor that fits perfectly with his philosophy in every way. Read more... |
|
|
|
REGISTER OR
SAVE-THE-DATE!
|
Distracted Driver
Train-The-Trainer Program
November 2020
PBA 2021 Marketplace
March 23, 2021
York Expo Center
York, PA
PBA 2021 Annual Meeting
June 20-23, 2021
Wind Creek
Bethlehem
Bethlehem, PA
PBA 2022 Marketplace
March 2022 (22 or 29th)
The Liberty Arena
Williamsport, PA
PBA 2022 Annual Meeting
June 2022
Happy Valley Adventure Bureau
State College, PA
|
We would love to hear from you! Share your news via email.
We also would like to receive some photos from the road!
|
|
|
|
PBA to Offer Distracted Driver Train-the-Trainer Program
FMCSA has awarded a cooperative agreement to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety (TREDS) program to provide training to Commercial Drivers about the dangers of driving distracted.
TREDS is interested in developing instructor teams in ten different states to prepare traffic safety professionals to deliver the Just Drive: Deliver Distraction-Free curriculum to commercial drivers.
|
|
PBA Supports COVID Liability Protections
PBA recently joined a diverse coalition of Pennsylvania organizations to support COVID Liability Protections.
Senator Toomey joined 13 of his Republican colleagues in co-sponsoring legislation that would provide temporary liability protection from certain lawsuits arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SAFE TO WORK Act (S. 4317), introduced by Senator Cornyn (R-TX), would provide reasonable, temporary, and limited liability protection to businesses, schools, and other entities that make reasonable efforts to follow public health guidelines. This protection would allow those who are already taking precautions to ensure everyone's safety to focus their resources on their recovery rather than on the extensive litigation costs that can accompany frivolous lawsuits. Importantly, the SAFE TO WORK Act does not protect bad actors who engage in gross negligence or willful misconduct.
|
|
CERTS Act - Your Action Still Needed
78% (14 out of 18) of PA congressional delegates and 50% of PA senators have already co-sponsored. Reach out to your representatives today to tell them to support the CERTS Act.
Below is a list of PA representatives that have co-sponsored the House bill H.R. 7642:
Representative Cartwright, Matt
Representative Dean, Madeleine
Representative Doyle, Mike
Representative Evans, Dwight
Representative Fitzpatrick, Brian K.
Representative Keller, Fred
Representative Kelly, Mike
Representative Lamb, Conor
Representative Meuser, Daniel
Representative Reschenthaler, Guy
Representative Scanlon, Mary
Representative Smucker, Lloyd
Representative Thompson, Glenn
Representative Wild, Susan
We have had meetings with all who have not co-sponsored yet. Please help by reaching out to those representatives. Download an email and contact list of those that have not co-sponsored yet (please don't contact Evans, he just cosponsored last night and the excel list isn't updated).
On the Senate bill (S 4150), Sen. Bob Casey has co-sponsored the bill. Sen. Pat Toomey has not co-sponsored yet. We have had several meetings with Sen. Toomey.
|
|
PBA Travel Suppliers - Are You Open for Business?
We sent travel supplier members emails asking to complete a short survey form to let us know the status of being "open for business". So far, 105 members have responded! We are sharing this information so our operator members know who is open for trip planning. We also asked for contact updates for our database. Missed the memo? Here's a link to complete the form. Updated results are available to download and view. #letsgetrolling!
|
|
PBA is Active on Multiple Social Media Platforms
If you are not aware, PBA maintains active Social Media Platforms. In addition to the emailed communications we send to you, we actively share information to our Facebook and Twitter accounts and our new LinkedIn. We encourage you to LIKE US, FOLLOW US and ENGAGE with us! #pabus
|
|
COVID-19 UPDATES AND INDUSTRY NEWS
|
|
Senator Blumenthal Urges Immediate Support for the CERTS Act
We thank Senator Richard Blumenthal for continuing to advocate for our industry! Watch the video:
|
|
Kid Rock Seeking Support for CERTS Act to Aid Motorcoach Industry
In a social media post, musician Kid Rock has directed fans to help in pushing for the passing of the CERTS Act, helping out the bus and motorcoach companies that help bands get from venue to venue. Read more... |
|
Senate Democrats Block GOP Relief Bill
Senate Democrats blocked a GOP coronavirus bill on Thursday amid a deep stalemate over the next relief package. Read more...
|
|
President Trump's Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Starts
President Donald Trump's payroll tax cut, which he issued through an executive memorandum, has important implications for many employees' paychecks. Read more... |
|
Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program; Grant Opportunity
The Energy Programs Office of the Department of Environmental Protection (Department) announced an opportunity to apply for grants under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program. Read more... |
|
Updated COVID-19 Guides from Wolf Administration
In this guide, you can find information about the following:
This guide will be kept up to date as resources and information change.
|
|
Gov. Wolf Urges Legislature to Pass Paid Sick Leave Legislation
Governor Tom Wolf is calling for the General Assembly to pass legislation for paid sick and family leave for workers who need to miss work for an illness or to take care of a loved one. Read more... |
|
Gov. Wolf Urges Legislature to Pass Paid Sick Leave Legislation
Governor Tom Wolf is calling for the General Assembly to pass legislation for paid sick and family leave for workers who need to miss work for an illness or to take care of a loved one. Read more... |
|
DePasquale Gives Update on Business Waiver Audit
PA Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is nearing the end of his audit into a controversial business waiver program used by Gov. Tom Wolf's administration to determine what businesses could and couldn't operate during the height of the state's shutdown early on in the pandemic. Read more... |
|
UCR 2021 Registration Period Begins October 1st
Registration for the 2021 Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) registration year will open October 1, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. EDT. The fees will remain the same as they are for 2020 and are currently listed on the UCR Website. Read more...
|
|
CVSA Releases 2020 Operation Safe Driver Week Results
Law enforcement personnel observed 66,421 drivers engaging in unsafe driver behaviors on roadways and issued 71,343 warnings and citations as part of Operation Safe Driver Week, a driver-focused safety initiative aimed at curbing dangerous driver behaviors through interactions with law enforcement. Read more...
|
|
DOT Guidance on Revised Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form
This guidance document discusses changes to the revised Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form (CCF), which was approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 17, 2020. Read more...
|
|
FMCSA Updates
Public Comment on Pilot Program for Additional HOS Flexibility
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that it is seeking public comment on a pilot program to allow additional hours of service regulatory relief by allowing participating drivers to pause their on-duty driving period with one off-duty period up to three hours. Read more...
FMCSA Proposes New Under-21 Commercial Driver Pilot Program
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that it is proposing and seeking public comments on a new pilot program to allow drivers aged 18, 19, and 20 to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. Read more...
Extension of the Modified Expanded Emergency Declaration
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hereby declares that the continuing national emergency warrants the extension of Emergency Declaration No. 2020-002. Read more... |
|
PennDOT Updates
PennDOT Extends Expiration Dates on Commercial Driver Licenses, Commercial Learner's Permits and Hazardous Materials Endorsements
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that in response to statewide COVID-19 mitigation efforts, expiration dates for commercial driver licenses and commercial learner's permits will be extended for Pennsylvania residents through September 30, 2020. Read the recent Member Alert.
|
|
PennDOT CV Outreach Project - Take Their Survey by October 12th
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is currently researching best practices/solutions that can be used to mitigate the problems associated with navigating commercial vehicles. They are looking for feedback via a survey. The purpose of this survey is to determine what tools are regularly used to navigate Pennsylvania roadways and any improvements that can be done to make navigating easier and safer. Please submit your survey responses by October 12, 2020.
|
|
PA Districts Must Provide Transportation to Private School Students
Pennsylvania school districts that provide transportation to both charter and nonpublic students will be reimbursed regardless of whether those districts are utilizing a remote or hybrid education model in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more... |
|
Eligible Unemployed Workers Will Receive an Extra $300 Weekly Benefit
Pennsylvania finished implementing the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program several weeks ahead of schedule. Claimants who apply and qualify can begin receiving the extra $300 weekly benefit as early as September 14, 2020. Read more... |
|
Museum of Bus Transportation Spring Fling
The AACA Museum invites all to join them for a celebration of the "Golden Age" of the bus and our Annual Meeting. Due to the uncertainty of State COVID-19 directives, their plans may evolve. Full refunds will be issued if the event requires cancellation. Read more... |
|
NYC to Stop Out-of-State Buses to Enforce Quarantine Rules
New York City will be pulling over buses coming from states with high coronavirus rates to require travelers to fill out registration forms and order them to quarantine. Read more... |
|
NYS Thruway Will Be Cashless by End of 2020
The final of 70 steel gantries has been erected ahead of the Thruway's conversion to cashless tolling system wide by the end of 2020. Read more... |
|
Opinion-NJ Transit Is Leaving Private Bus Passengers in the Lurch
NJ Transit is the beneficiary of $1.4 billion in federal relief funds that it refuses to share with private buses responsible for an estimated one-third of scheduled bus service in our state. Read more... |
|
Bus Industry Is Suffering Badly in Pandemic
DATTCO hosted a press conference with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who is trying to drum up support for a $10 billion relief package for the country's tour and transit bus operators, as well as the school bus and passenger ferry industries. Read more... |
|
Eight Ways to Make School Buses Safer During COVID-19
The CDC recently updated its school bus guidance, and several educational transportation trade groups have produced a task force report with detailed guidance of their own. Read more... |
|
Motorcoach Industry Helps Evacuation Efforts During Hurricane Laura
Once weather forecasters knew that the storm was destined to affect the Gulf Coast, the motorcoach industry sprang into action-just as it always does during weather events like this, including the Northern California fires. Read more... |
|
Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) Mobile App Now Available
Did you know TAT has an App available for all mobile phones? Busing On The Lookout (BOTL) has one too! Download them today! |
|
The Group Travel Leader Offers New Tool for Travel Planners
Even though destinations are beginning to open up, group travel planners face some big problems when trying to put tours together. The Group Travel Leader is helping to solve those problems with a new tool called Tourism Navigator. |
ICYMI- MEMBER ALERTS
 Member Alerts are sent out to our Members as needed. Here is a sampling of what has been sent recently:
- TREDS Distracted Driver Train-the-Trainer Program
- PennDOT Extends Expiration Dates on Commercial Driver Licenses, Commercial Learner's Permits and Hazardous Materials Endorsements
|
Executive Coach, Fullington Trailways, Innovative Coach, Krapf Transportation, Mlaker Trailways, Trans-Bridge Lines and Wolf's Bus Lines have coaches and other items for sale now!
|
The Motorcoach PAC allows the Pennsylvania Bus Association to support legislators who work with us to promote, change or defeat legislation that impacts our industry. Contributing to Motorcoach PAC gives us a stronger voice in Harrisburg. Please consider giving $200, $300 or more.
Personal checks may be made payable and sent to:
Motorcoach PAC
200 North Third Street, Suite 1500
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Corporate funds are not permitted in any form. Unincorporated business checks are acceptable providing no owner or partner of the business is a corporation. Please contact Milliron & Goodman if you have any questions at (717) 232-5322. Political Action Committee donations are not tax deductible.
Download the solicitation form for more information.
|
|
Click on logo, then right click and save to display proudly on your website.
|
|
STAY CONNECTED WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2020. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
