Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904
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Continuing its af liation with the Nation- al Tour Association (NTA), the United Motorcoach Association's (UMA) Expo at Travel Exchange featured plenty of new motorcoaches, while stressing partner- ships and professional growth. T e intent of the co-located show, held this year in Los Angeles, continues to be to provide operators with a more com- prehensive understanding of the entire group tour and travel industry, while en- couraging the forming of new business relationships. "T is is more than just a marketplace, appointment show or trade show, this is a way we can all grow the pot; that is the bottom line here: we want to grow this in- dustry," UMA President/CEO Victor Par- ra, told METRO Magazine on the show f oor. "To realize that growth, it is depen- Partnerships, Upgraded Vehicles Make Impact dent that all of us work together instead of in silos." LOOKING AT PRESENT, FUTURE During the Opening Ceremony, CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg touted the thriving tour and travel in- dustry, while urging the crowd to remain competitive on overall value instead of simply offering low rates, so the trend can continue. Greenberg also discussed how motor- coaches have become one of the fastest growing modes of transportation in the travel and tour industry, calling their us- age one of the most economically viable alternatives around for trips under 400 miles. To that end, Greenberg implored the crowd to urge Congress to both pass a surface transportation bill and continue to invest in rebuilding and repairing the nation's infrastructure. At the Legislative & Regulatory Update, Becky Weber of Prime Policy Group and lobbyist for the UMA, discussed the up- coming Capitol Hill Day in June, where UMA members can take part in face-to- face meetings with their congressional representatives to discuss issues impact- ing the industry. She also lauded the passing of legisla- tion in October after a "simply unheard of " six weeks of debate, mandating any new requirements pertaining to driver sleep disorders and obstructive sleep ap- nea be subject to rulemaking as opposed to "guidance." Hoping to build on that success, We- ber discussed the importance of passing a surface transportation bill before the Highway Trust Fund runs out of money, which is expected to happen this fall, as well as making sure the industry's voice is heard on Capitol Hill regarding issues of impact, including preventing transit agencies from competing with motor- coach companies, eliminating a 7.6% fuel tax that motorcoach operators pay, and the need for a reasonable and rational approach when developing and imple- menting new regulations. Meanwhile, UMA's VP, industry rela- tions, Ken Presley told the crowd there are currently 41 new regulations facing the industry, including possible rules being released on roof crush strength, anti-ejection window glazing, tire pres- sure monitoring, rollover prevention and more. Additionally, Presley discussed the f - nal seat belt ruling recently handed down, which makes them mandatory on all mo- torcoaches by November 2016, but does not require retrof tting. He also discussed recently released notices of proposed rulemakings that will impact the industry, including the establishment of a drug and alcohol clearinghouse, the use of elec- tronic logs and the development of inter- change of equipment protocols. BUILDING BUSINESS During the "Buying Media" marketing session, Spader Business Management's 32 < m ETRO m AGAZINE APRIL 2014 metro-magazine.com With a focus of building on the co-located show with the NTA, understanding and growing new business relationships across the whole travel and tour industry is a key theme. Meanwhile, new vehicle models, including some new to the private bus market, make their debut. BY ALEX ROMAN, Managing Editor UMA Expo 2014 Photo courtesy UMA M E T R O 0 4 1 4 _ U M A . i n d d 3 2 METRO0414_UMA.indd 32 3 / 1 8 / 1 4 1 : 1 8 P M 3/18/14 1:18 PM