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10/15/2024

It's Your PBA GO News!

Archived Newsletters

Renewal Time is Here! Member Directory Updates Deadline is Today!


Reminder! Invoices for renewal were emailed in August and were due October 1st. If you need a copy of your invoice or payment receipt, login to your member portal. You can also pay online by logging in.


Changes to your Member Profile are due today! 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 today, 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.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

Greek Peak Mountain Resort Joins PBA

A mountain of memories awaits you at Greek Peak Mountain Resort, Central New York’s home mountain and largest ski resort. Greek Peak Mountain Resort was founded in 1958 and has remained at the leading edge of the ski industry with forty-four ski trails and eleven glades, six chair lifts, two surface lifts, a tubing conveyor lift, a beginners’ slope, and new and improved terrain parks.


The four-season family resort is located in New York’s scenic Finger Lakes region, conveniently just minutes from Interstate I-81.


Kimberly Thayer at 844-846-9575 or kthayer@greekpeakmtnresort.com

Love Receptive Services, a company of Adventure Connections, LLC Joins PBA

Love Receptive Services, a company of Adventure Connections, LLC is a receptive tour operator. Love Receptive Services was owned by Carol Love and recently sold her business to Denise Stepanik.


Contact Denise Stepanik 443-668-8118 or denise@adventureconnections.net.

Wolfington Body Company Joins PBA

Wolfington Body Company (WBC) is a Diamond Edge Certified IC Bus Dealership and Collins Bus Distributor with more than 140 years of experience in the transportation industry. For our their searching for a Commercial Bus, they have a team with vast experience in the market. They count on Berkshire Coach, Glaval, Braun Ability, and TCI Mobility vehicles to meet your transportation needs.


In addition to providing school and commercial buses, WBC is equipped with complete mechanical services and body shops to handle your vehicle’s entire lifecycle. Their parts department supplies thousands of parts for all makes and models with same-day delivery available in most areas.


Contact Stephanie Hoffmeier 800-662-2435 or shoffmeier@wolfington.com.

MEMBER NEWS

Campbell Bus Lines Security Breach Update

Todd Campbell of Campbell Bus Lines shared his recent experience with a Cyber Security breach that allowed bad actors to access his emails and hijack a significant wire transfer. With the help of the FBI, PA State Police, PA Attorney General, and his bank, the theft of over $878,000 was miraculously undone. 

 

Campbell stressed that he was lucky and it was about 10 stressful days before he knew the outcome. He encouraged everyone to take extra steps to validate the bank account information before you send money, and also encourage your customers to do the same when wiring you money.

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Destination Niagara CEO Receives State Tourism Award for Leadership

John Percy, president and CEO of PBA Member Destination Niagara USA, was recently honored with the 2024 New York State Tourism Excellence Award for Excellence in Leadership: Career/Lifetime Achievement by the New York State Tourism Industry Association. The award, presented at a ceremony on Sept. 12 at the Canfield Casino in Saratoga Springs recognizes Percy’s leadership, contributions to the tourism industry, and lasting impact on the Niagara County community and beyond. Read more...

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How Translite Enterprises Rebuilt After Devastating Fire

For Michael Turner and his team at PBA Member Translite Enterprises, 2024 has been a defining year, one that tested their resilience and proved the power of a strong comeback in the face of devastating circumstances. 


A massive fire that broke out in early January could have devastated the decades-old business, but instead, it sparked a story of grit, determination, and an unshakable resolve to rebuild. 


As Turner and his employees worked tirelessly to restore operations, they discovered how strong they could be when faced with tragedy. Read more...

PBA Members Assisted Hurricane Relief Efforts

We are sharing updates on the few PBA Members that contacted us regarding their efforts to provide critical transportation and logistical support in the wake of Hurricane Helene. These Members facilitated the delivery of supplies and organized relief efforts for the hardest hit. #PBAProud


PBA Board Meeting Held

The PBA Board of Directors held their meeting at the Bus Museum in Hershey, PA on September 26th.

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PBA at ABA Marketplace in PHL!!

As you may be aware, the ABA Marketplace will be in Philly February 1-4, 2025…in our home state!


PBA secured a booth, and we are looking for volunteers. If you are interested, please sign-up.  



Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:


1. Click the button to go to our invitation page on SignUp.

2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on SignUp)

3. Sign up! Choose your spots - SignUp will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Volunteer Sign-up!

Note: SignUp does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Pattie Cowley and she can sign you up manually.

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! 

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.

UPCOMING EVENTS!

Registration is Open! Early Bird Booth Pricing Expires in Two Weeks!

The 2025 Marketplace will be hosted by Discover Lancaster at Spooky Nook in Manheim, PA on Tuesday, March 25.

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 start with the breakfast meeting followed by the main event; our Group Leader Marketplace at Spooky Nook located at 75 Champ Blvd. Manheim, PA.


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 note)!

Exhibitor Registration
Operator Registration 
Marketplace Webpage

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.


Thank you to our Current Marketplace Sponsors!

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.

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.

2026 Marketplace

2026 Annual Conference

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”.

INDUSTRY AND COMMONWEALTH NEWS

Entire PA House of Representatives Up for Vote This November

The entire Pennsylvania House of Representatives will be up for a vote this November, as will 25 seats in the state Senate. On the state House side, 110 races are contested. On the state Senate side, 17 are contested. View the entire list.

PA House Committee Advances Paid Sick Leave Legislation

The Pennsylvania House Labor & Industry Committee advanced House Bill 2548, which proposes that all workers in the state earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year. Read more...

PennDOT Begins Winter Preparations

In partnership with the PA Turnpike, PennDOT highlighted their preparations for the winter season to ensure Pennsylvanians can travel safely and efficiently across the Commonwealth. New measures signed into law by Governor Shapiro will help keep travelers safe this winter – and new equipment funded by the Governor's first budget will ensure PennDOT can clear roadways quickly in the event of inclement weather. Read more...

Pennsylvania Leads the Nation in Bridge Repairs in 2023, Continues Progress in 2024

Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll announced that Pennsylvania repaired the most poor-condition bridges of any state in 2023, based on data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The state continues its infrastructure improvements in 2024. Read more...

FlixBus Adds Trips From Lehigh Valley to New York City, Washington, Virginia 

FlixBus, which started service to the Lehigh Valley in the spring, said that it is adding a route that connects New York and Richmond, Virginia, with stops in Allentown and Bethlehem Township. This service will operate with one trip in each direction four days a week, with departures from New York on Fridays through Mondays, and from Richmond on Thursdays through Sundays. Read more... 

Breaking Down New CDL Regulations from the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

Changes are coming to prohibited classifications at the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. Read more...

FMCSA Declares Regional Emergency Declaration in Wake of Hurricane Helene

“This declaration is in response to Hurricane Helene and its effects on people and property, including immediate threats to life and public safety from heavy rains, strong winds, storm surge, high surf and flooding,” the FMCSA regional emergency said. Read more...

Webinar on Intercity Transportation Focusing on Multimodal Intercity Transportation Hubs 

Join National RTAP on October 15, 2024 from 2:00-3:30 PM ET for Part 1 of an Intercity Transportation Update Webinar Series. Three rural transit leaders will discuss multimodal intercity transportation hubs. Don Willis, Director of Goldsporo-Wayne Transportation Authority in North Carolina, Angie Peters, General Manager of Walla Walla Valley Transit in Washington State, and Fred Fravel, Vice President, KFH Group, will discuss the benefits and the challenges of bringing intercity transportation and rural transit together. Register and bring your questions! 

Tourism Officials in States Ravaged by Helene Issue Travel Guidance for the Fall Season 

With the full extent of the devastation and loss of life still coming into view, tourism officials in states along Helene's destructive path are offering nuanced guidance about which parts of their states are accessible to visitors. It's a balancing act for officials, who are weighing the economic effects on communities less heavily impacted by the storm against the long recovery many people in their states now face. Read more... 

National Parks in the Western Carolinas Remain Closed in the Wake of Hurricane Helene 

The National Park Service's Southern Campaign Parks Group in the western Carolinas remains closed, pending cleanup from Hurricane Helene. Encompassing Cowpens National Battlefield, Kings Mountain National Military Park, Ninety Six National Historic Site, and Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, the group of national parks all experienced both heavy rainfall and high winds resulting in significant damage to the parks' infrastructure and natural and cultural resources. Read more... 

Dockworkers Strike Suspended, Tentative Agreement Includes 62% Pay Raise Over 6 Years

A historic United States port strike has been suspended and a tentative agreement was reached "on wages," according to the International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance. 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 GoNews below.



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Got News?


Email Yvette Waananen

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