|
|
UMA BYLAWS VOTE ONGOING
UMA URGES SUPPORT OF HR2120 DURING INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK
BUSRATES.COM UPGRADES SITE
DRIVER MEDICAL CARDS
|
|
UMA members voting on bylaw modification for coachbuilder representation on board
UMA members should check their email inboxes for notification of an official ballot regarding a change to the organization's bylaws.
The proposed amendment to the UMA Bylaws would modify the coachbuilder representation on the UMA Board of Directors. The change would allow greater representation of the Coachbuilder Members within the industry on the UMA Board of Directors without reapportioning the voting structure originally established for the association. These individuals will be considered
ex-officio
(non-voting) members of the Board and will appoint one individual to cast a vote on behalf of the entire group. This will also allow the highest-level sponsors of the association to be present at the association's business meetings and share insights they may have gathered through their multiple locations throughout the country. Balloting ends on May 30 and the results will be reported here and in
Bus & Motorcoach News.
|
|
UMA observes Infrastructure Week with focus on H.R. 2120
May 14 – 21, 2018 is “Infrastructure Week,” a national period of education and advocacy that brings together American businesses, citizens, and elected leaders to focus on the nation’s infrastructure needs. As part of the nation's transportation infrastructure, bus and motorcoach companies connect people to jobs, education, healthcare, and leisure travel.
Therefore, UMA is urging operators to contact their legislators at this opportune time to alert them to the importance of H.R. 2120, The Buses United for Safety, Regulatory Reform, and Enhanced Growth for the 21st Century Act. Using UMA's
online advocacy platform
, you just need to click the blue button below, enter your name and address and a letter prepared for you will be sent to your specific members of Congress. Please join us in promoting this critical piece of legislation as our national leaders turn their focus toward infrastructure. Remind our leaders in Washington that HR 2120 is critical to jobs and growth.
|
|
As a reminder, H.R. 2120 is a signature UMA initiative to shrink the overreach and adversarial regulatory environment that has held back our industry over the last few years.
H.R. 2120 - regulatory reforms include:
- Insurance (financial responsibility) reform
- Elimination of the lease/interchange rule
- Elimination of obstructive sleep apnea mandatory tests
- Elimination of speed limiter rule
- Revised FMCSA mission statement focused on industry success and growth
- Corrective action plans reforms for passengers
- Continue assigning “Satisfactory, Conditional” ratings
- Revised civil penalties process including appeals and payment plan
- Expedient registration of motor carriers (new/re-entrants)
- Separate rulemaking/analysis from trucks
- Modernization of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
- Improved business opportunities for you to contract and provide services to local public transit
|
|
TECHNOLOGY
Minnesota DOT tests driverless shuttle for university students
|
|
EasyMile, a French company pioneering driverless technology, has partnered with Minnesota's Department of Transportation and First Transit to provide a unique form of transportation for students at the University of Minnesota. The driverless shuttle has been in testing since December, as transportation professionals assess the viability of such vehicles during winter weather and how it fares within a campus setting. The shuttle, which has a maximum speed of 25 mph, recently traveled a pre-mapped route taking students on a three-minute trip across a bridge adjacent to the campus.
|
|
BusRates announces new site with better functionality,
higher value for consumers and bus operators
|
|
ALEXANDRIVA, VA - A tool for motorcoach, bus and limo operators just went from good to great as
Busrates.com
puts group travel planning in the fast lane with speed upgrades to the website and a top-to-bottom redesign that produces mobile-friendly and straightforward search results. The online platform continues to be the leader in matching group travel planners with top motorcoach and limousine companies that can fulfill their travel needs. And it’s still the number one way for group travel professionals to book directly and save up to 25 percent.
The improved user experience also extends to motorcoach and limousine operators who are
Busrates.com
subscribers whose companies are listed on the site. Behind the scenes, subscribers will find a sleek new interface for managing their company’s profile in real time, an intuitive and user-friendly design, more robust reporting, and fast and secure billing.
Contact the BusRates team to learn more by calling (866) 375-0800 or emailing info@busrates.com. Or you can go straight to
BusRates.com
and see for yourself!
|
|
Bus & Motorcoach News
is mailed twice monthly to all UMA members. In addition, it's available online 24/7 at
www.busandmotorcoachnews.com
and by email, on a schedule you choose! Invite everyone on your staff to stay informed about the industry by signing up for email updates from
Bus & Motorcoach News
.
Sign up here.
|
|
AOBRDs allowed on new motorcoaches
|
|
WASHINGTON – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has once again modified the electronic logging device mandate, this time to allow the use of automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD) software on new vehicles for another 20 months.
AOBRDs are based on older technology than is used in ELDs, which are more precise in tracking driver hours of service.
|
|
ELDs
Coach operators and drivers mostly adapting to changes
|
|
The motorcoach industry was largely prepared by the April 1 deadline for enforcement of the federal electronic logging device mandate.
Many users continue to report glitches in software, but the devices generally are working well and even the least technically savvy drivers have accepted them. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration put the ELD mandate, which automates driver hours-of-service monitoring, into effect on December 18 but asked state enforcement agencies to delay enforcement until April 1 to give operators additional time to work on technical difficulties, install equipment and train drivers.
|
|
FMCSA delays rule that would transmit drivers'
medical exam certificate electronically
|
|
by Ken Presley
Washington, DC – It looks like bus and motorcoach drivers will need to continue carrying their medical cards for the next three years. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) plans to delay the compliance date for the federal rule that would move to electronically transmitted medical cards.
In a notice issued April 27, “FMCSA has reluctantly concluded that it will not be able to electronically transmit MEC (Medical Examiner's Certificate) information from the National Registry to the SDLAs nor will the SDLAs (State Driver’s Licensing Agencies) be able to electronically receive the MEC information from the National Registry for posting to the CDLIS (Commercial Driver's License Information System) driver record as intended by the Medical Examiner's Certification Integration final rule. FMCSA’s Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration final rule was scheduled to go into effect on June 22, 2018 but is now delayed until June 22, 2021.
The rule requires FMCSA to electronically transmit from the National Registry to the State Driver’s Licensing Agencies the driver identification information, medical examination results, and restriction information from examinations performed for holders of interstate/intrastate commercial drivers’ license/commercial learner’s permit.
As the compliance date of June 22 was closing in, apparently FMCSA determined they will not be able to electronically transmit information nor will the State Driver’s Licensing Agencies be able to electronically receive the information for posting to the driver record as intended. Currently, the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners website suffered a security breach and is currently offline. It is not known if this contributed to the delay.
FMCSA said postponing the implementation date will give the state driver’s licensing agencies sufficient time to make the necessary information technology program changes; however, beginning June 2, certified medical examiners will be required to report results of all complete commercial motor vehicle drivers’ medical examinations to FMCSA by midnight (local time) the day following an examination, and for the time being continue issuing the original paper medical examiner certificate. If you would like to review the notice or comment,
click here
. The Agency will be accepting comments through June 26, 2018.
|
|
Motorcoach Industry Calendar
MAY 2018
JUNE 2018
JULY 2018
AUGUST 2018
OCTOBER 2018
DECEMBER 2018
- 5-6 Safety Management Seminar, NTSB Training Center, Ashburn, VA, Hotel TBA - save the date!
JANUARY 2019
- 6-10 UMA Motorcoach EXPO, Fort Lauderdale, FL #UMAEXPO19
FEBRUARY 2019
|
|
YOU ARE UMA
Remember, as a UMA member you have the power of discounts on the best products and services, access to relevant education, targeted professional resources, and colleagues all over the map. Remember to consult your member directory when you need help on the road, access to more vehicles to meet demand, or services out of your area. We are UMA! Want to find other members to do business with? Use the
online directory.
Reach the UMA staff by calling (703) 838-2929 or by email at
info@uma.org. We love to hear from our members!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
