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Last month, the American Bus Association (ABA) alerted members to a conflict with the host venue for its 2021 Marketplace, the Baltimore Convention Center, which is being used as a medical facility through the end of June due to the pandemic. Although the association scouted additional locations to hold the event, it also polled members who made the ultimate decision: hold the convention virtually. The original dates of June 18-22, 2021, remain unchanged.
ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso
“While a number of respondents said they would love to see a live Marketplace, a majority said that a June meeting may be too soon to meet live, as vaccine rollout has been irregular at best,” said ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso in an announcement to members. “Medical experts are stating that mass vaccination won’t happen until the summer. An overwhelming majority of ABA members said they would prefer to participate in a virtual ... Marketplace. Because ABA listens to our members, and your health and safety is our number one priority, we have chosen to follow your preference and hold a virtual Marketplace in 2021.”
Pantuso noted that the association is focused on making sure that the event has “a significant return on investment just as you would in person,” and that plans are currently in the works that would incorporate all the education and networking opportunities that attendees want. Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks and months, with information available at marketplace.buses.org.
Visit buses.org for more information about ABA.
[02.16.21]
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Motorcoach manufacturer TEMSA recently completed a delivery of a new TS35E coach to ground transportation provider A Yankee Line. Founded in 1980 in Boston, Massachusetts, by Don Dunham and Don Ogden, A Yankee Line has grown to 76 luxury coaches based in the Boston and New York metro areas.
TEMSA completes delivery of new TS35E to A Yankee Line
"We have been operating TEMSA TS35s since 2013 as our chosen 'small bus' complement to our versatile luxury fleet," said Dunham.
The new purchase is one of six TEMSA 35-foot coaches in their fleet. It targets the luxury executive market and accommodates 21 passengers in specially designed two-plus-one seats. Equipped with satellite TV, wood-grain flooring, aluminum wheels, 110V outlets, and USB ports, it also boasts a custom galley manufactured by Creative Mobile Interiors.
Powered by a Cummins L9 350 HP engine and an Allison B500 transmission, like all TEMSAs delivered in the U.S., the TS35 has a stainless steel monocoque frame, substantial underfloor luggage space, and the latest in safety technology.
"All of us at TEMSA are excited about this coach for many reasons,” said TEMSA NE Regional Manager Tony Mongiovi. “It's a privilege to work with a company that has a reputation for quality like A Yankee Line. Their commitment to providing superior service is evident in the way they designed and specified this coach. We at TEMSA are proud of the fact that we got to 'show off' our versatility, and in the midst of a worldwide slowdown, it's great to see an operator like A Yankee Line investing in the future of luxury motorcoach transportation."
TEMSA North America Country Director Fatih Kozan added: "Key factors which make TEMSA a successful actor worldwide are our ability to quickly adapt to our customers' needs with our robust R&D center and technological advancements, and our capacity to launch tailor-made products in the market. We are on a fast-growth track in the US market and have been continuously renewing our product range. With the success we have achieved, we have set new goals for the upcoming period. Our electric vehicles are ready for mass production and we will see them soon on the roads in different parts of the U.S."
Visit temsa.com for more information.
[02.16.21]
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- Category: Industry News
Golden Limousine International, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, recently celebrated its 29th year of business in January. What began as a small company operating from a bell desk inside Weber’s Inn, a boutique hotel in Ann Arbor, with two 1987 Lincoln Town Car Armbruster 6-passenger limousines has grown into a fleet that, over the years, has included sedans, limousines (including a stretch Hummer), SUVs, buses, and motorcoaches.
While many small businesses fold within their first five years, Golden President & CEO Sean Duval credits his company’s longevity to the “never say no” mentality towards customer service he learned from a certain fast-food mega giant.
Golden Limo President Sean Duval
“It’s funny. Everyone always reacts: “You started at McDonald’s?” But you have to remember that it’s not always the product, but the service, and their customer service training is superior to anyone else out there,” says Duval. “They put so much effort into training for customer service that if their training were applied universally, I think that McDonald’s would blow everyone away ... more than they already do. I took that ‘find a way to say yes’ mentality and carried it over into the ground transportation business. We’ve never said no to a client; we find out a way to get things done, which has led to us getting our biggest contract with a pharmaceutical firm.”
Duval has clearly come a long way since his early days with white stretch limos, and he recognizes that Golden Limousine’s name is a bit of a misnomer since they don’t have a single limousine in the fleet. An early adopter of buses in 1997, the company specializes in shuttle bus transportation, whether it’s federal work, employee transit, athletic teams, or major area events. Duval sees the company’s work during the 2004 Ryder Cup as a major turning point for Golden.
“At that time, it was beyond our ability to manage an event like that. But we found the right partners, and knocked it out of the park for those guys—so much so that they wanted us to handle their work in Ireland,” says Duval.
The diversity of Golden’s fleet is another factor in the company’s success, according Duval. The ability to say yes to jobs and clients of all sizes has kept their vehicles moving through three recessions and now a global pandemic. In the post-COVID world, Duval now uses his shuttle buses for sedan work and coaches for shuttle work as they offer safe social distancing for multiple passengers.
“Thank God for these buses because they’re what really saved us during the pandemic,” he said.
Like the rest of the industry, Golden was hit hard during the early days of the pandemic, and its staff was reduced to seven people. However, the company experienced a rebound and 100 staffers have been rehired since last year. What’s more, most employees are on salary and receive benefits.
“Over the years, we found out how critical we are to our community,” says Duval. “We’re not just a limo company that takes people to prom. We’re managing services for local transit authority, making sure people get to work every day. Now we’re a critical part of our local infrastructure.”
Visit goldenlimo.com for more information.
[02.15.21]