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Werner Bus Lines is Celebrating 90 Years!
Join us in congratulating GNJMA Member, Werner Bus Lines, who are celebrating 90 years of being in business!
In 1929, the Consolidated Schools of Phoenixville, PA asked Homer Werner, a prominent local, to sponsor the purchase of a school bus to transport the district's school children. He agreed and so Werner Bus Lines, Inc. was founded.
As the Phoenixville Area continued to expand, Werner Bus Lines continued to flourish, providing the residents of the growing community with transportation to the "steel mill," to the Valley Forge Military Hospital, to the Atlantic City shore, to the 1964 World's Fair in New York City, to wherever.
Werner Bus Lines President and GNJMA Board of Directors member, Heath Ochroch, took over the company in 2013, after the untimely and sudden death of his father, Fred Ochroch. Heath has continued the vision of both the late Homer Werner, and the late Fred Ochroch, while making great strides and improvements in their fleet, safety, and day to day operations.
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GNJMA Scholarship Program
The first recipients of the GNJMA Scholarship have been selected! The winners will be announced at the Annual Meeting scheduled for October 10th at Resorts. All applicants are encouraged to attend! Register here.
A special THANK YOU to our volunteers on the Scholarship Committee members for their due diligence and
commitment
. They were provided the applications blindly and selected the winners.
Scholarship Committee Members: Rich Eckelson of Caesar's Entertainment, Tony Febbo of Prevost, Frank Sorvino of ABC Companies, Mike Trageser of Wind Creek & Steve Weiss of MCI.
If you are interested in supporting the program, please check out some sponsorship opportunities related to the fall events here.
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Event Centerpiece to Creative Flower Basket
When we host a meeting, you know we like to use fresh flowers as centerpieces and encourage members to take them home.
Wendy Brynan (Werner Bus Lines) shared her creative skills by transforming a centerpiece she took home from our March meeting at the Sands. Beautiful!
Wendy, thank you for sharing your flower basket photo!
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Motor Coach Industries (MCI) to Manufacture and Deliver 183 Commuter Coaches to NJ Transit
GNJMA Platinum Sponsor, Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a U.S. subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., ("NFI"), one of the world's largest independent global bus manufacturers, announced that NJ TRANSIT issued a purchase order for year four of its six-year contract to manufacture and deliver 183 Commuter Coaches.
MCI will begin production of year four coaches starting in September of 2019. The MCI Commuter Coaches will be powered by Cummins' next-generation X12 clean-diesel engine, which generates less noise, fewer parts, greater fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions that comply with the latest Clear Air Act amendments. The coach features a 57-seat configuration, is Wi-Fi ready, seatbelt-equipped and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Read more...
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REMINDER: Tolling Equity for Over-the-Road Buses
As previously communicated to you in a Member Alert, GNJMA wrote to John Keller, Executive Director, at the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, in regards to getting toll relief (FAST Act).
Mr. Keller responded and is asking to provide him with information to verify that our buses constituted "over-the-road" operations and that we "serve the public".
Our request is solely related to the Garden State Parkway under the New Jersey Turnpike Authority for consideration of the following:
- Refunds of all tolls paid for use of the Garden State Parkway facilities since December 4, 2015, plus interest;
- A statement that, effective immediately, OTRBs are exempt from all tolls on the Garden State Parkway toll facilities; and
- A mechanism to ensure that transponders or electronic means of assessing toll obligations recognize the exemption for OTRBs.
Call to Action:
- Download this response letter template.
- Include factual proof, included to but not limited to the following: schedules that serve the public published on your website or other places and any other materials that demonstrate service to the public.
- Mail the completed response letter to John Keller, at the address on the letter template, and enclose any backup information.
We hope with you providing the factual information requested, we can be successful in our efforts together.
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Benefits of GNJMA Membership
Summer is a time for FUN. Through GNJMA and TicketsatWork, you and your employees have access to 20 - 60% off on movies, hotels, shows, concerts, sporting events and more. Sign-up today and share this with your employees as well!
- Fill out the short form (use your work email address)
- For Company Code, log-in to the member portal to obtain code.
Check out all of the other GNJMA benefits available to you. |
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Member Communications
If you have news you'd like to share about your company or one of your employees, or
if you are interested in being in our Member Spotlight, please contact us
with photos, links and let us know what you would like to highlight.
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| Also, please feel free to add your team members to our mailing list! Our communications will keep everyone on your team up-to-date on industry trends, membership benefits, and important dates and events. Click the button below!
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The "grandfather clause" allowing operators to use automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRDs) in lieu of electronic recording devices (ELDs) is rapidly approaching expiration. Per Section 395.15 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)'s final rule on ELDs, operators may continue to use grandfathered AOBRDs no later than December 16, 2019.
Read more...
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Real ID driver's licenses are coming to New Jersey this month, but questions from drivers about the new, more secure license are being asked now.
Here's the quick recap: The Motor Vehicle Commission will start beta testing issuing Real ID licenses - which will be necessary if you want to board a commercial airliner without a passport - at one, unnamed agency in June. That will expand to other agencies, but when, depends on how many problems come up and how quickly they can be solved, said Sue Fulton, MVC chief administrator. Read more...
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Driver simulations aren't new, but one tech startup sees potential for using the technology to lower insurance rates for good drivers.
Nervtech specializes in developing vehicle simulator technologies in the fields of biometric and cognitive driver evaluation. The company is marketing its Driving Simulator as a tool for insurance companies to quickly evaluate a driver's potential safety risks.
Read more...
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Gov. Phil Murphy made good on his promise not to shut down state government and signed the state budget, but not before again touting a millionaires tax increase he wanted but did not get this time.
Murphy line-item vetoed $48.5 million from the $38.7 billion spending plan before signing it. And he began his remarks by highlighting the budget items he and the Legislature agree on, including investments in NJ TRANSIT, a $400 million appropriation to the Rainy Day Fund and the budget savings that he called for in his budget address in March.
But with the refrain "whose side are you on," he repeatedly called for increasing taxes on millionaires, drug companies and businesses that don't provide health benefits. Nevertheless, Murphy said the budget contained too much that was good to walk away from it.
Read more...
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Governor Murphy signed into law a long awaited expansion to the New Jersey Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act (CUMMA). This expansion will provide greater access to the drug by granting 24 new business licenses; permitting physicians assistants and advanced-practice nurses the authority to refer a patient for medical cannabis; requiring patients only see a doctor once a year to verify eligibility; expanding the amount of cannabis one can get from two ounces to three ounces a month; and permitting nursing homes and hospice centers to be listed as a patient's institutional caregiver. In addition, it also provides some protections for employees not previously included.
Read more...
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With the exception of those at certain seasonal and very small businesses, the minimum wage on July 1, 2019 went to $10 an hour for New Jersey workers as the first phase of New Jersey's $15-an-hour minimum wage kicks in.
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If your business has 30 or more employees, as of June 30, 2019, it will be covered under New Jersey's Family Leave Act (FLA). The FLA provides job-protected unpaid leave to an eligible employee for up to 12 weeks to care for a family member. Most employers between 30 and 50 employees have not had to deal with such a law before and its rigorous requirements.
Get some practical pointers
here
.
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Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week is set for July 14-20 with a focus on speeding.
Drivers' actions contributed to a staggering 94 percent of all traffic crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA)
2015 Traffic Safety Facts
report.
In response to this issue, law enforcement personnel will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in dangerous driver behaviors. Drivers engaging in unsafe driving behaviors will be pulled over by law enforcement and may be issued a warning and/or citation.
Read more...
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Eldorado Resorts is buying Caesars Entertainment to create the largest gaming company in the United States.
Eldorado Resorts said it has agreed to buy its larger rival in a cash and stock deal worth $17.3 billion, which includes Caesar's mountain of debt.
The announcement comes three months after billionaire investor Carl Icahn joined Caesars' board and pushed for a sale of the company.
Read more...
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The Canadian government announced it is mandating the use of electronic logging devices by federally regulated commercial truck and bus operators beginning in June of 2021. Canadian and U.S. operators will be able to use the same ELD in both countries under the mandate.
This requirement builds on the regulatory proposal that was published in Canada Gazette, Part I on December 16, 2017.
This new requirement addresses a Saskatchewan Coroners Service recommendation following the tragic collision involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team. Additionally, these new devices are aligned with the United States road safety regulations and will support economic growth, trade, and transportation on both sides of the border.
Read more...
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Ray Martinez Addresses FAST Act
On June 19th, Ray Martinez appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee. The panel's leadership aims to gain a status report on the implementation of the 2015 FAST Act highway law, which expires in the fall of 2020, according to the hearing's announcement.
Martinez updated senators on ongoing rulemakings and certain policies, such as autonomous technology, at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The objective would be to assist lawmakers as they reauthorize the comprehensive highway law.
Martinez was joined by three U.S. Department of Transportation agency heads: Federal Railroad Administration's Ronald Batory, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Heidi King and assistant secretary for Aviation and International Affairs at the Office of the Secretary of Transportation Joel Szabat.
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You are invited to attend a half-day summit sponsored and co-hosted by the New Jersey Attorney General's Human Trafficking Program, The New Jersey Motor Truck Association, Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), Busing on the Lookout (BOTL) and GNJMA.
This summit will bring together key trucking, truck stop and bus industry stakeholders, with local, state, and federal law enforcement and government agencies to work together to close loopholes to traffickers.
When: Thursday, September 26, 2019 9:00am-1:00pm (lunch provided)
Where: Kean University 1000 Morris Avenue Union, NJ 07083
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- Golf Outing
- Meet & Mingle
- Board of Director's Meeting
- Fall Annual Association Meeting
- Group Leader Marketplace - Exhibitors:
- Mini-Marketplace
November 10, 2019 (Sunday) - Annual Driver Safety Meeting & Appreciation Luncheon, Location: Tropicana Atlantic City
March 9-10, 2020
- Sponsor Appreciation Dinner, Spring Association Meeting & Motorcoach Professional Awards, Location: Tropicana Atlantic City
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Member Alerts are sent out to our Members as needed.
All alerts, as well as past newsletters, can be accessed via our website
member portal
(Member Info/Documents/Member Alerts)
with logon credentials.
Here is a sampling of what has been sent recently:
ACTION REQUESTED ** Tolling Equity for Over-the-Road Buses **
ACTION REQUESTED ** Restore Our Parks Act**
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Thank You To Our Sponsors!
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Download our logo above to display proudly on your website.
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Contact: Pattie Cowley, Executive Director | Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association
This email is being sent to you as a benefit of your company's GNJMA membership.
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