#ThrowbackThursday to our Go News banner! You haven't seen it since 2022! | |
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It's Almost Renewal Time!
Reminder! Invoices for renewal were emailed last month and are due October 1.
Is your member profile accurate? We are starting to prepare the 2025 Membership Directory for print. To make sure your member profile is accurate, we kindly ask you to review it promptly and make updates by October 15.
- 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) to get a copy of your invoice, if needed, and review/update your member profile.
View the instructions on how to update your profile. Please contact us if you need assistance.
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On Your Mark Transportation Joins PBA!
On Your Mark Transportation are consultants to the Motorcoach, School Bus, Limousine and Transit systems. Our services range from Marketing, Video Production, website development, driver recruiting and retention, Driver training, including driver skills tests, Sales training, maintenance consulting, Social Media, HR Policy Manuals and policies, Pre-DOT and DOD Audits, Schedule service consulting and implementation, grant and RFP Writing, Press releases, and more. See our website for a complete list of services!
Contact: Mark Szyperski 615-669-0107 or Mark@OnYourMarkTransportation.com
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Visit Loudoun: DC's Wine Country Joins PBA!
An exquisite culinary and heritage destination just 25 miles from the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C. — Loudoun, Virginia — DC’s Wine Country®, boasts award-winning wineries, tasting rooms, breweries, distilleries, farm-to-table dining, country inns and estates, and full-service hotels and resorts. Along the way, you’ll experience scenic vistas, rich American heritage, and charming small towns. Home to Washington Dulles International Airport, Loudoun County is easily accessible for international and domestic travelers alike. We’re so sure this is the right place for your programs, that we’ll offer complimentary services that include accommodations assistance, site visits, itinerary suggestions, tour guide referrals, receptive referrals, and group dining suggestions.
Contact: Hannah Oliver 703-669-4434 or Oliver@visitloudoun.org.
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Anderson Coach and Travel Celebrates a Retirement
Happy Retirement to PBA Member Anderson Coach and Travel's tour manager Kim, with 26 years of service! Pictured from left: Pres. Doug Anderson, Tour Manager Sam, tour directors Jesy, Susan and Martie, KIM, tour directors Ella and Shirley, charter manager Esther, office manager Mayzie on the table, Evan Anderson, tour director Carol and tours associate Victoria. See their post!
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Investment in Motorcoach Security by Bus Security Grant Award Winners
A few recipients of the fiscal year 2024 Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP) funds to implement strategies, exercises, training and technologies designed to mitigate security threats to passengers and facilities of motorcoach operators are PBA Members! Overall, $1.2M is being awarded. Congratulations to Anderson Coach and Travel and Greyhound Lines! Read more...
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Susquehanna Trailways Continues Its Tradition of Servicing the Little League World Series!
Susquehanna Trailways has been providing services for the Little League International organization since the 1980s. As the event has evolved so have the requirements for services.
What began as transfers to and from airports for a smaller tournament (7-day event), has grown into a 20-team event spanning 10 days. Teams begin arriving a week in advance. In addition to pickups at international airport sites, some US teams are now picked up at regional sites located in Indianapolis, IN and Bristol, CT. Click here to read more from Amy Brooks!
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Cape May's Online Bus Permit Portal is Now LIVE!
PBA Member, Cape May MAC has been appointed as the managing entity for the City of Cape May's Charter Bus Permit Portal. Their main objective is to offer a helpful resource for acquiring permits and addressing any inquiries related to the permit process. Read more...
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MCI Increases Customer Support, Promotes Steve Weiss, Eddie Moreno
PBA Member Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (NFI) and North America’s motor coach leader backed by reliable in-field technical expertise, 24/7 roadside assistance, and parts support, today announced the promotion of Steve Weiss to Vice President of New and Pre-Owned Coach Sales for the Mid-Atlantic Region. Simultaneously, Eddie Moreno has been promoted to NFI Regional Parts Manager to succeed Weiss.
“With MCI’s new-coach market largely recovered, it is time to bring our sales team back to full strength,” said Tom Wagner, Vice President of Private Sector Sales, MCI. Read the press release.
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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? Visit our 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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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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Webinar: Be Prepared to BUY or SELL - Industry M&A Update
PBA is hosting a webinar, facilitated by Ken Lucci, of PBA Member DrivingTransactions.com,
that will demystify the process and to discuss how to prepare your business to be either a successful buyer or well-prepared seller with an effective exit plan. We will discuss the current market, valuation criteria and M&A activity in the motorcoach sector, how to overcome challenges and be well prepared for either eventuality.
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DATE: September 24th
TIME: 10:00 AM
COST: $0.00
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Registration Officially Open!
The 2025 Marketplace will be hosted by Discover Lancaster at Spooky Nook in Manheim, PA on Tuesday, March 25. The Best Practices Sharing Roundtable, Networking Reception, Board of Director's meeting, and setup will all occur the day before, Monday March 24.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to showcase your destination by securing your booth with early bird pricing ($100 discount!) - but hurry, this offer expires on October 31 (see pricing notes below)!
Monday, March 24 will be set-up day for exhibitors, a Best Practices Roundtable discussion for Marketplace attendees, PBA’s Board of Director meeting and an evening reception for all!
Tuesday, March 25 will be the main event, our Group Leader Marketplace at Spooky Nook located at 75 Champ Blvd. Manheim, PA.
Pricing Note: Early bird registration ends October 31, save $100 off your booth!
If you attended our 2024 Annual Conference in Ithaca, NY this year, the special pricing promo code for $100 off your booth will be active starting November 1, 2024. The value is $100 off your booth, so don’t forget to apply the code if registering after October 31.
Visit our website for full details and to register!
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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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INDUSTRY AND COMMONWEALTH NEWS | |
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PA House Transportation Committee Meets To Discuss Area’s Transportation Funding Needs
The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee on Wednesday continued its statewide Moving PA Forward by Investing in Roads, Bridges and Transit tour at the Central PA Institute of Science and Technology in Pleasant Gap, according to committee Majority Chairman Ed Neilson, D-Phila. Read more...
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PennDOT Guidelines for Self-Driving Vehicles
Pennsylvania has become a breeding ground for the technological evolution of automated vehicles. An ideal blend of rich academic institutions, supportive communities, and an unheralded dedication to industry progress has created the perfect environment for automated technology to flourish. PennDOT has issued guidance to enhance safety oversight of Highly Automated Vehicles in Pennsylvania. Read the guidelines.
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PennDOT Secretary Completes Visits to Teams in all 67 Counties, Highlighting the Shapiro Administration's Commitment to Delivering in Every Community Across Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll became the first PennDOT secretary to visit team members in all 67 counties, demonstrating the Shapiro Administration's dedication to delivering in all corners of Pennsylvania. Read more...
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House Hearings Seen as Prelude to Transportation Funding Action
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll told a House panel that his preference is to have additional state dollars for both mass transit and local and state bridges and roads in any new transportation funding package. Read more...
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Voter Registration Trends
A recent report from Politics PA highlights the latest voter registration figures in Pennsylvania. Democrats continue to hold a registration edge, with 3.9 million registrants compared to 3.5 million Republicans. Nonaffiliated voters account for just over one million, while registrants from other parties total just under 345,000.
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Presidential Debate Schedule
Vice President Harris and former President Trump are scheduled to face off in their first debate as opponents on September 10, 2024, at 9 p.m. The debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and will be hosted by ABC News, with Linsey Davis and David Muir serving as moderators. According to VP Harris’ campaign team, the two face off again in October, however, nothing has been confirmed yet.
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Biden-Harris Administration Provides Millions to Boost Trucking Workforce Programs
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced awards totaling nearly $3.5 million to 27 colleges and other commercial driver’s license (CDL) training programs through the agency’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) Grant Program. These grants will help improve roadway safety by providing additional training for current CDL holders and creating new pathways for career opportunities as drivers in the commercial motor vehicle industry. Read more...
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USDOT Releases National Deployment Plan for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Technologies to Reduce Death and Serious Injuries on America's Roadways
As part of its commitment to reducing deaths and serious injuries on our nation's roadways, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the Saving Lives with Connectivity: A Plan to Accelerate V2X Deployment. This plan will guide the implementation of vehicle-to-everything technologies across the nation and support USDOT's commitment to pursue a comprehensive approach to reduce the number of roadway fatalities to zero. Read more...
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U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence Thought Leadership Series: Making Good on the Potential of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
This three-part thought leadership series will explore lessons learned and best practices from projects that are making good on the potential of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Sponsored by the U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence, the series will include three panels focusing on:
- Project Delivery Lessons Learned from Emergency Response Following an Infrastructure Catastrophe (Wednesday, September 18, 2024; 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET)
- Best Practices to Get Big Infrastructure Projects off the Ground (Tuesday, October 8, 2024; 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET)
- Project Acceleration for the Public Good (Tuesday, October 22, 2024; 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM ET)
Register!
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Unified Registration System Is Being Replaced with New Online System
The Unified Registration System is being replaced with a new online system called the FMCSA Registration System. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published an information collection request regarding the new system. The notice also discusses some details of the new program, which is aimed at combating fraudulent activity and theft in the motor carrier industry. Read more...
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Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program Moving in the Right Direction: Testimonials, Updates and Next Steps
With just 15 months left until the end of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP) Program, there has been a noticeable increase in motor carrier and apprentice driver applications and program awareness. Read more...
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Trump Plans to Kill Congestion Pricing. Hochul’s Pause Could Let Him
There are at least three ways a Trump administration could try to stop the transit-funding toll. Read more...
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New York Lawmakers Tell Court Hochul Has No Authority to Pause Manhattan Toll
Gov. Kathy Hochul legally has no authority under New York law to pause congestion pricing, a group of current and former New York lawmakers argued to a judge overseeing cases seeking to restart the waylaid Manhattan tolling program. 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 | | | | |
