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- Category: Industry News
That’s a wrap! Months after the United Motorcoach Association’s Virtual Summit, themed Ready. Aim. RESTART!, debuted in June, nearly 80 operators participated in its final installment on September 9. The event featured follow-up sessions at four, eight, and 12 weeks to help the motorcoach industry find strategies to work through the pandemic.
Hosted by Joe Calhoon, a business consultant who gave the summit’s keynote address, the last session featured a panel of speakers who shared what they are doing to focus on employees. Calhoon is a proponent of the ECO system, which dictates that an owner’s job is take care of the employees so that they can serve customers, which leads to customer loyalty and ultimately to the benefit of everyone. As an example, he referenced the extreme customer loyalty that Southwest Airlines enjoys—a so-called firm of endearment—which is a direct result of focusing on employees who also love their jobs.
The panel, featuring John Grzywacz of CIT Signature Transportation in Ames, Iowa; Alan Robinson of R&W Charters of Atlanta, Ga.; Alan Thrasher of Trasher Brothers Trailways of Birmingham, Ala.; Larry Hundt of Great Canadian Holidays & Coaches of Kitchener, Ont.; and Jasmine Sayah of Best Tours and Travel in Fresno, Calif, shared their stories of how they are engaging employees when the work is sparse, from doing heavy community and charity work such as meal delivery to side ventures and additional revenue streams to hosting a movie night with employees and their families. Strengthening relationships with staff, customers, and the local community has been a key focus for the panel. Having a sense of purpose, even if certain runs don’t necessarily make a profit, is helping to keep critical team members engaged with the company and thinking about the future when travel resumes in earnest.
Moreover, the session offered a beleaguered industry a shot of hope and optimism as no one expected we’d still be in lockdown six months later.
UMA is still moving forward with its Expo in Orlando this March 3-7, 2021, which will mark its golden anniversary. The association was founded in 1971 as the United Bus Owners Association., adopting its current moniker in 1996.
The event was sponsored by Lancer Insurance, Spader Business Management, PAX Training, and Rellevate.
The association also holds weekly Town Hall meetings on Thursdays at 2pm ET. You can register for the event here.
Visit uma.org for more information.
[09.15.20]
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- Category: Industry News
The Transportation Alliance (TTA) has announced its new 2021 dues structure in which transportation companies will pay lower fees than 2020 dues by up to $1,000 per member.
TTA President Tom Arrighi
Nearly all members, including vendors and state transportation associations, will also be able to take advantage of an additional 15 percent discount for prompt full payment if received by Jan. 15, 2021. The new structure also replaces the previous tiered model and is now offering the same benefits to all members at one low fee. In addition to its new simplified pricing, TTA is offering customized payment plans to any member who would prefer to spread payments out over time. By joining now, operators are able to receive 15 months of membership benefits at 2021’s all-inclusive low dues fee.
“This new payment plan makes joining our industry-leading association as easy as possible for members,” said TTA President Tom Arrighi. “We know these are difficult times, so we wanted to open the door as wide as possible to members to make one of the most important investments in their companies as they meet the challenges of the pandemic today, and as they position themselves for the resurgence that will surely come.”
Memberships start as low as $357 for small fleets that take advantage of the 15 percent discount. National fleet operators (operating in multiple cities) will receive a 7 percent discount. The new dues and discounts are as follows:
| U.S. Operator Fleet Size | 2021 Dues | Discounted Fee* |
| 1-9 | $420 | $357 |
| 10-19 | $640 | $544 |
| 20-49 | $1,080 | $918 |
| 50-99 | $1,960 | $1,665 |
| 100-259 | $4,623 | $3,930 |
| 500 & up | $5,560 | $4,726 |
| National | $15,000 | $13,950** |
| Int’l Operator Fleet Size | 2021 Dues | Discounted Fee* |
| 1-49 | $420 | $357 |
| 50-99 | $740 | $629 |
| 100 & up | $1,160 | $986 |
Vendors, Public Entities, and Nonprofit Trade Associations
| Member Type | 2021 Dues | Discounted Fee* |
| Vendor | $1,150 | $978 |
| Public Sector | $750 | $638 |
| Nonprofit Association | $750 | $638 |
* Discounted fee available to all who pay the 2021 annual membership in full by January 15, 2021.
**National membership covers up to 10 company locations.
Visit TTA’s website to join today, call 301.984.5700, or send an email to info@thetransportationalliance.org.
[09.15.20]
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- Category: Industry News
ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, a subsidiary of NFI Group, has announced that it will be the first to include antimicrobial sidewall paneling from Polser USA for the interiors of its buses. With downtime for sanitation as a significant concern for transit bus organizations, this safety upgrade brings a new highly effective, no-maintenance feature to customers. Cleaning and sanitizing will continue to be an ongoing chore for transit buses and fleets well into the future, and Polser’s antimicrobial interior solution is intended to bring significant advantages.
L to R: ARBOC Regional Sales Manager Mike Anglemyer, Polser USA Operation Manager Adam Glanders, Polser USA President Greg Glanders, ARBOC General Manager Doug Minix, ARBOC Regional Sales Manager Dan Flynn, ARBOC VP of Engineering Barry Hines, and ARBOC VP of Sales & Marketing Kim Yoder
The fiber-reinforced panels, called Polser AMB, feature a permanent coating that the company likens to a microscopic bed of nails, and claims that it actively and instantaneously kills 99.9 percent of microorganisms on contact. Polser states that the coating works by disrupting the cell membrane, eliminating any possibility of mutation or adaptation, and is non-toxic without a need for any chemical solutions to function.
ARBOC’s specialty is low-floor accessible buses tailored to improve the transit experience of all passengers. The step-free design of the ARBOC lineup of cutaway and medium-duty buses speaks to the company’s passion to provide the safest bus on the market.
“In these uncertain times, sanitation is a particularly major concern for most of the population that our bus customers serve. We are pleased to provide an effective feature intended to efficiently increase safety and sanitation,” said ARBOC General Manager Doug Minix.
The antimicrobial walls also have a positive effect on the hygiene of other items inside the bus. Polser claims that AMB works by using a positive molecular charge to both attract in and pull pathogens down the nano-swords structures.
“Because AMB is so effective at killing pathogens on contact, there are fewer active pathogens nearby in both the air and on the floor,” said Polser President Greg Glanders. “Pathogens move between surfaces and also through the air, where they can settle on another surface. In short, pathogens move around and multiply. Our walls actually pull in and destroy both surface and nearby airborne pathogens, killing them before they can multiply and contaminate other surfaces.”
Visit polser.com or arbocsv.com for more information.
[09.15.20]