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1/30/2024

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MEMBER NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS

Anderson Coach Shares Strategies for Staying Relevant 

PBA Member, Anderson Coach & Travel is one of four motorcoach operators whom Destinations Magazine asked to describe the different ways they are keeping their businesses relevant in today's rapidly changing environment.


"Offering our own CDL training was how Anderson overcame the driver shortage. Even though the investment in each new hire is significant, our driver training program helped us to come out of the pandemic stronger." says Evan Anderson. Read more...

2024 Marketplace

March 25-26, 2024

Hosted by Happy Valley Adventure Bureau

Registration Is Open!

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Museum of Bus Transportation Spring Fling

May 31-June 1, 2024

Save the Dates!

Download Flyer!

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2024 Annual Conference

June 17-20, 2024

Hosted by Visit Ithaca

Save the Dates!

Antique Coach Excursions Goes to Hollywood

PBA Member, Antique Coach Excursions provided vehicles for the film Rustin, which has been released on Netflix! They posted "This was one of the more difficult projects we worked on deploying everything we have on wheels; tight turnaround times were a challenge but as is always the case, the gang at Picture Cars made the magic happen!"


Rustin is a 2023 American biographical drama film directed by George C. Wolfe, from a screenplay by Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black, and a story by Breece about the life of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.

ABC Companies Announces the Appointment of Brenda Wordelman to Senior VP of National Accounts

PBA Member, ABC Companies is delighted to announce the appointment of Brenda Wordelman to Senior Vice President of National Accounts at ABC. In the new role, Brenda will oversee activities for key customer relationships throughout the United States and Canada. The move comes as part of ABC Companies’ strategic plans to expand support of its National Accounts portfolio. Ms. Wordelman has over 25 years of executive experience, including an abundance of industry relationships, a deep understanding of marketing and communications, sales, and operations with a particular focus on key accounts throughout North America including Canada.  Read the press release.

Patti Lloyd Wins Lifetime Volunteer Service Award

At ABA Marketplace 2024 in Nashville, CEO Peter Pantuso unveiled a new award: the Lifetime Volunteer Service Award. The inaugural award was given to Patti Lloyd, CTIS, Senior VP of Sales with PBA Member Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, for her innumerable and impactful years as a volunteer with the association. Patti was joined on stage by her family as Peter gave her the recognition she so very much deserves. Watch the award presentation. Congratulations Patti!  

Happy Valley Adventure Bureau Highlighted in Magazine

The January/February digital issue of ABA’s Destinations magazine features PBA Member and 2024 Marketplace host, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Read more... 

Adam Jacobson Receives Wayne Chandler Spirit of Partnership Award

Adam Jacobson, from PBA Member Villa Roma Resort & Conference Center, was the recipient of the Wayne Chandler Spirit of Partnership Award at ABA's 2024 Marketplace in Nashville, TN. The award recognizes an individual who creatively works within the group travel industry to build partnerships for the promotion of all tourism market segments and destinations. Congratulations Adam!

Reminder! 


Submit Your Driver and Employee of Distinction Award Nominations and Scholarship Applications Before the Deadlines.

Driver & Employee of Distinction Awards - Nominate Your Best!

For many decades, PBA has sponsored a Driver and Employee of Distinction Award's Program


This annual program enables members to recognize outstanding employees for their contributions to the company they are employed by, their passengers, the motorcoach industry in general, and the community in which they serve.


We invite you to nominate your drivers and employees and join us for the awards presentation at the March 25, 2024 Marketplace Networking Reception.



Nominate your best by February 15, 2024.

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PBA Scholarship Program - Application Period is Open!

The goal of the PBA scholarship is to support Member education goals and to encourage the pursuit of formal education. Formal education includes trade certification, specialized training and of course, college. There will be two annual scholarships awarded in the amount of $1,000 each. 


The first scholarship will be awarded at PBA’s 2024 Annual Conference. The application period is between January 1 and April 30, 2024. 


Nominees will be invited to the Annual Conference. Visit the Scholarship webpage for eligibility criteria.


Submit an application by April 30, 2024.

Interested in Joining a PBA Committee?

PBA has seven active, volunteer-based committees in the areas of Executive, Annual Conference, Ethics. Legislative & Advocacy, Marketplace, Membership and Nominating.


Visit the Committee page where you can view each committee and members, email the committees and/or contact Pattie Cowley to join!

Submit Your Public Comment for Congestion Pricing

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced details of a public comment period of the tolling structure that has been proposed for Central Business District Tolling, New York’s congestion pricing program.


The agency will accept written and audio comments until Monday, March 11, 2024 and will hold four hybrid virtual/in-person public hearings in February and March.


Members of the public may submit written comments online and by email, mail and fax, and may submit audio comments by leaving a voicemail message. All comments will be recorded and submitted for review.


Online: https://contact.mta.info/s/forms/CBDTP  

Email: [email protected]  

Mail: CBD Tolling Program, 2 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10004  

Phone: 646-252-7440  

Fax: Send to (212) 504-3148 with Attention to CBDTP Team. 


Get more information.

UPCOMING EVENTS!

Join Us in Happy Valley and Register for the 2024 Marketplace!

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The 2024 Marketplace will be held March 25-26, 2024 in State College and hosted by The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau!


Visit the website to get full details.

Operators - Register Here!
Exhibitors - Register Here!

A Sponsorship is a great way to promote your organization! The available sponsorships are listed below. There is also advertising available in the Marketplace Directory.


Gold Sponsor #3 - Networking Reception $1,000.00

Includes (1) Full-Page Color Ad & (1) Profile Sheet in the Marketplace Directory.


SILVER Sponsor #1 - Inside Front Cover Ad $700.00

Inside Front full-page ad in Marketplace Directory.


SILVER Sponsor #3 - Inside Back Cover Ad $600.00

Inside full-page ad on back cover of Marketplace Directory.


Interested in advertising? Consider a color quarter-page, half-page, full-page ad, a 2-page profile sheet for the directory, or a Video Marketing Sponsorship to be shown to group leaders on their way to Marketplace. All are very reasonably priced.


Important Deadlines:

  • January 31, 2024 - Last day for Operators to schedule a FAM Tour. View the opportunities here!
  • February 9, 2024 - Last day to purchase a Sponsorship.
  • February 16, 2024 - Registration ends and Sponsorship ad/artwork is due (for guaranteed placement on floor and the Marketplace Directory).
  • March 1, 2024 Hotel Room reservation deadline.

THANK YOU TO OUR CURRENT MARKETPLACE SPONSORS!

2024 Annual Conference - Save the Dates!

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The 2024 Annual Conference will be hosted by Visit Ithaca in Ithaca, NY June 17-20, 2024! We will be experiencing the area with FAMS, Dine-Around Night and Opening & Closing venues at area partners.

INDUSTRY AND COMMONWEALTH NEWS

Shapiro Administration Creates Action Plan to Grow Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Recreation Sector in New Report

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn released the Growing Outdoor Recreation for Pennsylvania Conclusions Report and Roadmap for the Future, which creates an action plan to grow outdoor recreation’s positive impact on communities, creating jobs and economic opportunity, and providing pathways to enjoy the outdoors. Read more...

Pennsylvania’s First EV Charging Station Completed Under Federal Program, One of the First States to Reach this Milestone

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, U.S. Senator Bob Casey, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright and other federal officials announced the completion of Pennsylvania’s first federally-funded electric vehicle charging station. Read more...

Shapiro Administration Secures $5 Million Federal Investment to Improve EV-Charging Reliability Across the Commonwealth

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll announced that dozens of existing electric vehicle (EV) charging sites will be repaired or replaced through a new, $5 million federal investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Read more...

Pennsylvania Goodwill Promotes CDL Training for Youth

The International Road Transport Union estimates there were 3 million unfilled trucking positions in 2023 in the 36 countries they studied, including the US American Trucking Associations estimates of a shortage of 78,000 drivers in the US. Officials at Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania also have taken notice and announced this month they are holding open enrollment for a program aimed at showing young people the benefits of CDL certification. Read more...

$32.5 Million in Funding to Advance Transportation Electrification in USA

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of 16 projects totaling $32.5 million to advance technology integration in areas critical to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. Read more...

FMCSA Deputy Administrator Leaves After Less Than a Year

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Deputy Administrator Earl Adams Jr. left the agency for the private sector late last month after less than a year in the role. Adams, who served as FMCSA chief counsel since 2021, returned to Hogan Lovells as a partner, the law firm announced. Read more...

FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson Steps Down

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the departure of Administrator Robin Hutcheson. Hutcheson, who joined the Biden-Harris administration in January 2021, departed the agency January 26. Read more...

FMCSA Weighs Carrier Fitness Determination Rewrite

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is reviewing six research papers on topics that include in-cab monitoring, automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning technologies as it weighs revision of its motor carrier safety fitness determination rules. Read more...

EPA Extends Clean School Bus Rebate Deadline

Applicants now have until 4 pm ET on February 14 to submit their Clean School Bus Program rebate applications. The EPA extended the application window to provide extra time for prospective applicants to engage with utilities, school boards, and other partners before making their submission. Read more...

Updated Study Shows Motorcoaches Remain Best Environmental Transportation Option Per Passenger Mile

The American Bus Association Foundation proudly announces the release of the “Updated Comparison of Energy Use and Emissions from Different Transportation Modes Using the Latest Available Datasets” report, a groundbreaking study sponsored by ABAF and conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. This report builds upon the 2019 study, reaffirming motorcoaches as a sustainable and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Read more... 

ICYMI

Alerts, Invitations, Press Releases, and more are sent out to our Members as needed. Here are the emails we sent out since last Go News below.


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