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It's Almost Renewal Time!
Invoices for renewal were recently emailed and are due October 1.
Additionally, we are also starting to prepare the 2025 Membership Directory for print. To make sure your member profile is accurate and up-to-date, we kindly ask you to review it promptly.
- All Members, ensure all your information is current.
- Operators, also make sure your vehicle count is current in your member profile including your Tour & Charter Rep contacts.
Login to the Member Portal (You must first be listed as a contact in your company's member profile and have created a user account).
View the instructions on how to update your profile. Please contact us if you need assistance.
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Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob Joins PBA!
Kentuck Knob, where architecture and sculpture are seamlessly integrated into the beautiful landscape. Located in the Laurel Highlands of western Pennsylvania, Kentuck Knob is an excellent illustration of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian architecture.
Contact: Timothy Fischer 724-329-1901 or tfischer@kentuckknob.com
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Pocono Premium Outlets Joins PBA!
Pocono Premium Outlets® is nestled in the heart of the Pocono Mountains region and features 100 brand name and designer outdoor outlet stores. Conveniently located off of Interstate 80, Exit 299, you will find everyday savings from Crocs, Forever21, Fossil, Kate Spade New York, Fanatics By Lids, Finish Line, UGG, Under Armour & more. Various dining options are available whether you grab and go in their food court or sit down at the Big Chicken, Barley Creek Tasting Room & Pub, and Log Cabin Bar & Grill. Located just minutes away from Great Wolf Lodge, Mount Airy Casino Resort, Camelback Mountain Resort & Kalahari Resort & Conventions.
Contact: Elizabeth DiDuca 804-503-6072 or ediduca@simon.com
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Bailey Coach Attends Human Trafficking in Transportation Event
On July 31, PBA partnered with TAT, the PA Motor Truck Association and the PA Attorney General's Office for a half-day event focused on bringing together key transportation stakeholders alongside local, state and federal law enforcement and government agencies to work together to close loopholes to traffickers.
John Bailey from PBA Member, Bailey Coach attended and provided an update. John said about 80 people attended from non-profits, transit companies, trucking companies, transportation associations, local, federal, and State law enforcement agencies. Michelle A. Henry, the Attorney General of Pennsylvania, spoke to the group along with other industry and association professionals. TAT reviewed materials that are available for us to train our staff on awareness of sex trafficking, and we suggest you review the link for materials that are available to you at www.tatnonprofit.org.
The featured speaker was Kelley Alsobrook, a sex traffic survivor and now a training specialist for TAT. Her heart wrenching story made me realize the scope of sex trafficking and we all need to participate to train our drivers to be on the lookout and report any suspicions to law enforcement. Thank you for the update, John!
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Starr's Continued Support for Ukrainian Refugee Children
PBA Member, Starr Bus Charter & Tours shared some uplifting news about a recent initiative. This summer, Starr donated three buses to KleinLife, a Philadelphia-based community resource center, to support their summer camp for Ukrainian refugee children. KleinLife's summer camp offers these children much-needed happiness and hope, providing a welcoming escape from the war they have fled.
This marks Starr's second consecutive year partnering with KleinLife's summer camp, and they are proud to support their outstanding efforts. View some photos from their day out with the kids below. You can also check out this video on Facebook showcasing highlights from their trip.
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Meet Bill Jarman from Bridgestone Americas
Bill Jarman is the Strategic Account Leader PPX programs for PBA Member Bridgestone Americas. He has been with Bridgestone for 16 years, starting on the retail side of the business and transitioned into bus and truck tires in 2020. Bill spent three years as the West Division Operations Manager for their leasing program and may have seen or met some of you at national trade shows. He transitioned into the Strategic Account Leader role recently and oversees the United States and Canada.
On a personal level, Bill has been married for 17 years and has a 12-year-old daughter. They lived in Arizona, New Mexico, and now live in Lubbock, Texas. "As a family, we love to travel, see, and do new things, and take in the local flavor.
Spending the last three years in operations for the motorcoach industry has taught me many things. Still, the most important thing I have learned is how close-knit this community is and how meaningful each relationship is. I look forward to continuing those relationships and building new ones." Bill can be reached at 602-574-8428 or jarmanbill@bfusa.com
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Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites Announces First Transnational, Serial Nomination
Bethlehem Area Moravian and PBA Member, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, Bethlehem Mayor, J. William Reynolds and Chair of the Bethlehem World Heritage Council and Commission along with other Bethlehem Area Moravians, Central Moravian Church and Moravian University are pleased to announce that Moravian Church Settlements (MCS) has been inscribed on the prestigious World Heritage List at the World Heritage Committee meeting in New Delhi, India, July 21-31, 2024. Read more...
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Pay It Foward Program! Submit Your Referrals by the Deadline!
As a PBA member, when you refer a new member to PBA, they will receive 15% off their first year's dues using promo code 15OFF.
As the referrer, you will also receive 15% off your next renewal with the Pay It Forward program.
Let's grow together and make a difference!
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Click the Refer button in your member portal by logging in and completing the short form and we will do the rest!
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Alternatively, you can share the application link and promo code with organizations that you feel will benefit from PBA membership: www.pabus.org/Join-PBA. Make sure to tell your referral to enter your name and company in the field on the application form and share the promo code 15OFF with them.
The deadline is September 30, 2024!
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PBA Member Testimonials - We Would Love Yours!
Read what some Members have to say about what PBA Membership means to them! We would love your testimonial too, click here to submit yours.
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Thank you to our speakers! Shawn Updegrove from FMCSA, Corporal Zeina S. Black from PA State Police, Dan Tomlinson from Lancer Insurance, Terry Kwiatkowski from Goodyear and Jenna Armato!
We would also like to thank and recognize our sponsors and a very special thank you to Wolf’s Bus for providing transportation AND hosting us at their location for the breakout session. Thank you to all!
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Find a PBA Operator!
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation with someone searching for a PBA operator in your area? We are excited to share that we have launched a new webpage that simplifies the process of locating our operator members. Our online directory is now complemented by this convenient visual tool, providing a quick and easy way to locate PBA operators in a region. Be sure to check out our webpage for a seamless operator search experience!
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Marketplace
March 24-25, 2025
Registration Opening This Month!
The 2025 Marketplace will be hosted by Discover Lancaster at Spooky Nook in Manheim, PA on Tuesday, March 25. The educational session, networking reception, Board of Director's meeting, and setup will all occur the day before, Monday March 24.
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Annual Conference
June 16-19, 2025
Save the Dates!
The 2025 Annual Conference will be hosted by Visit Richmond! We will be experiencing the area with FAMS, Dine-Around Night and Opening & Closing venues at area partners.
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Interested in Hosting a 2026 PBA Event?
Please visit our 2026 event pages for a copy of the bid specs. The submission deadline is 1/1/25.
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Read the below testimonial from our 2023 Annual Conference host Andrew Nixon, Executive Director of PBA Member, Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau:
“Hosting the 2023 PBA Annual Conference has been a truly fulfilling opportunity for our area. The event allowed us to demonstrate how well we can host a corporate sales function while also giving the wonderful Pennsylvania tour operator members of PBA a chance to experience our region first-hand.
Working with PBA’s staff and members to bring their Annual Conference to Chautauqua County, NY has been one of the most beneficial things we could have done in terms of developing tour operator relationships”.
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UMA 2024 Sales and Marketing Summit
August 20-22, 2024, 1 PM – 4PM (ET)
The objective of the UMA Sales and Marketing Seminar is to provide your Bus and Motorcoach Company with an understanding of what it takes to drive your Charter Sales to high performance and increased profitability. Get more details and register!
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INDUSTRY AND COMMONWEALTH NEWS | |
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Josh Shapiro Emerges As Potential Kamala Harris VP
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is on the list of potential running mates for Kamala Harris if she becomes the Democrat nominee on the 2024 ticket. Read more...
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License Plate Redesign Pits Philly vs. Rest of Pennsylvania
As Pennsylvania prepares for America's 250th birthday in 2026, state residents are noticing that Philadelphia seems to be the focal point of the celebratory makeover. The state has introduced a new mascot, a tourism campaign titled “the Great American Getaway,” and a redesigned license plate. This new plate, launching next spring, features a patriotic red, white, and blue color scheme, the Liberty Bell, and the phrase “Let Freedom Ring.” Read more...
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PennDOT Receives Regional AASHTO Awards for I-95 Innovations, Crash Prevention Technology
PennDOT was recognized for its efforts during the Interstate 95 Cottman Avenue collapse in the category of Best Use of Technology & Innovation (small project), its innovative approach to mitigating congestion in the category of Operations Excellence (small project), and for traffic-signal and interchange upgrades in Washington County in the category of Safety (medium project). Read more...
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FMCSA Removes Four Devices from List of Registered ELDs
The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) removed CTE-LOG ELD, ELD VOLT, POWERTRUCKS ELD, and TFM ELD devices from the list of registered Electronic Logging Devices (ELD). FMCSA placed these ELDs on the Revoked Devices list due to the companies’ failure to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A. The removals are effective July 23, 2024. Read more...
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Final Rule Allowing Oral Fluid Drug Testing Revised
On June 25, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published a final rule to authorize employers to use oral fluid drug testing as an alternative testing methodology to urine drug testing. As part of the notice, a series of technical amendments, effective August 5, 2024, are to clarify specific provisions of the rule and address omissions. Also included in the notice is a direct final rule to (a) provide temporary qualification requirements for mock oral fluid monitors, (b) provide consistent privacy requirements by identifying which individuals may be present during an oral fluid collection, and (c) clarify how collectors are to specify that a sufficient volume of oral fluid was collected. Read more...
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Phishing Scam Alert
FMCSA has been notified of a phishing scam targeting training providers. The email is coming from alan.leon.student @ scs-school-cedargrovenj.org tells the recipient the message is the "final awareness for information verification" and says "we will have to revoke your license if we do not receive your verification/update" within 24 hours. FMCSA will never send email requests seeking personal or payment information. Do not respond to or click links in any suspicious emails. Training providers should follow your company or agency policy if you receive a phishing scam email.
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Safety Fitness Determinations: Comments Accepted Until August 7
FMCSA hosted a listening session pertaining to development of an updated methodology to determine when a motor carrier is not fit to operate commercial motor vehicles in or affecting interstate commerce. FMCSA will accept written comments to the docket through August 7, 2024. Read more...
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NTSB Raises Concerns on Proposed Marijuana Changes
The National Transportation Safety Board responded to a proposed rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, warning the rule could imperil federally required drug testing for airline pilots, bus and truck drivers, and many others in safety-sensitive positions. Read more...
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State DOTs Could Fuel a Resurgence in Intercity Bus Travel
While Greyhound bus stations have been closing or relocating and Coach USA enters bankruptcy, some state DOTs are upping their investments in intercity bus service. Read more...
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NY Governor Hochul Sued Over NYC Congestion Pricing Freeze
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and a broad coalition of lawyers, plaintiffs, and advocates announced two new lawsuits challenging Governor Kathy Hochul’s indefinite pause of New York City’s congestion pricing plan just three weeks before its implementation date and seeking to compel its implementation as required by law. Read more...
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Ensuring Fair Competition in Bus Services for the 2024 DNC Convention
The upcoming Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, scheduled for August 19-22, 2024, has sparked a contentious debate over the provision of charter bus services. Read more...
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Museum of Bus Transportation To Reduce Fleet by Selling Collectibles
The AACA Museum’s Bus Collection Committee has been faced with a difficult situation. The museum’s historic fleet has reached 60 buses, and less than half of them are in inside storage. Read more...
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American Bus Association Honored with 2024 TAT Champion Award
The American Bus Association (ABA) has been recognized for its unwavering commitment to combating human trafficking by receiving the prestigious 2024 TAT Champion Award in the Association Category. Read more...
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Pantuso Set for More Leisurely Ride As He Debarks Bus Group
As he looks back, soon-to-retire American Bus Association (ABA) CEO Peter Pantuso recalls the changing landscape of the bus industry and the association sector. Perhaps the years flash by like the scenery on one of his long-haul motorcycle rides, of which he plans to do more when he steps down in September. Read more...
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ICYMI
Alerts, Invitations, Press Releases, and more are sent out to our Members as needed. Here are the emails we sent out since last GoNews below.
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PBA maintains active Social Media Platforms. In addition to the emailed communications we send to you, we actively share information to our platforms. We encourage you to LIKE US, FOLLOW US and ENGAGE with us! #pabus | | | | |
