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HURRICANE FLORENCE: FMCSA DECLARES REGIONAL EMERGENCY
SOLUTION SESSIONS: MEDIA PRO'S TIPS TO RESPOND TO ONLINE CRITICS
GO MOTORCOACH WILL HONOR A TOP MARKETER AT EXPO: NOMINATIONS DUE BY NOVEMBER 15
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Emergency declaration issued along east coast from New York to Florida
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The Regional Field Administrators for FMCSA's Southern Service Center and Eastern Service Center announced a Regional Emergency Declaration beginning September 10 and potentially running through October 10, 2018. The declaration spells out how motorcoaches may operate in relief efforts in the affected jurisdictions of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
See the full memo.
Motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency in the affected states and jurisdictions in direct support of relief efforts related to Hurricane Florence are granted emergency relief from Parts 390 through 399 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations. The Emergency Declaration provides for regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operation while providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts transporting supplies, equipment, fuel and persons into and from the affected states and jurisdictions or providing other assistance in the form of emergency services during the emergency in the affected states and jurisdictions from Hurricane Florence.
Upon terminations of direct assistance to the emergency relief effort, the motor carrier and driver are subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Parts 390 - 399, except that a driver may return empty to the moto carrier's terminal or the driver's normal work reporting location.
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Solution Sessions: Media tips for
savvy responses to online critics
Media professional Chris Duffy will present an hour-long Solution Session at the 2019 EXPO that will use relevant examples of proven methods and strategies for dealing with real life occasions when critics take your company to task in critical online reviews or negative social media posts. Chris is Vice President of Media Relations for Goff Public, Minnesota's top public relations and advocacy firm.
Solution Sessions are designed by and for motorcoach operators to provide relevant, professional education that incorporates actionable ideas you can take back to your business. The 2019 EXPO schedule features nearly 30 Solution Sessions that apply to all aspects of your business, covering finance, safety, operations, employment and hiring, technology, and cyber threats. You can't afford to miss out!
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AWARDS
Are your marketing practices noteworthy?
The Motorcoach Marketing Council is accepting applications for the 2019 Motorcoach Marketer of the Year Award! The award winner will be honored at the 2019 UMA Motorcoach EXPO in Fort Lauderdale.
If you'd like your company to be considered for the award or if you would like to submit an application for a colleague, go to the following link:
buff.ly/2IMknLz
. 2019 could be your year!
The deadline to submit a nomination is November 15, so don't delay.
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AMBEST booth at EXPO will feature prize for drivers
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Sorry, this contest is for drivers only! AMBEST provides an opportunity for drivers to win a Harley Davidson motorcycle just for swiping their AMBUCKS card when visiting an AMBEST location. The motorcycle will be on display at the 2019 UMA Motorcoach EXPO in Fort Lauderdale, FL, January 6-10, in AMBEST's booth on the show floor. AMBEST will be in booth 1616.
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Interested in AMBUCKS? UMA members have a high-value exclusive membership program with AMBEST which allows operators to save between $.20 and $.25 per gallon of diesel fuel. To get started, or for more information, contact Sylvia Jackson at
sjackson@ambest.com or call 434-594-4810.
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CVSA to hold inspection course in October
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The Commercial Vehicle safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced they will hold an “Industry Roadside Inspection Course – Driver Requirements” course October 22-26 in Conley, GA.
The focus of the training will be on all regulatory driver-related roadside or destination inspection requirements and out-of-service conditions. This course will include information on regulatory definitions, intrastate vs. interstate operations, commercial driver’s license (CDL) and driver qualification requirements, hazardous materials, hours-of-service rules, annual inspections on commercial motor vehicles and the DataQ filing process.
CVSA is a nonprofit association comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal commercial motor vehicle safety officials and industry representatives. CVSA establishes out-of-service criteria and state-to-state uniformity through certified inspectors.
This course is intended to provide industry with the necessary training to better understand the roadside regulatory requirements. The goal of the training is to provide each carrier with the tools and knowledge to achieve compliance with the roadside safety regulations and a better understanding of the relationship between regulatory requirements and out-of-service conditions.
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Register for the 2018 UMA Safety Management Seminar
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Who: Risk Management and Safety Management Professionals
When: December 5-6
Where: NTSB Training Center, Ashburn, VA
Member Fee: $295
Non-Member Fee: $465
Registration is open for the 2018 UMA Safety Management Seminar and potential attendees are urged to
sign up early as this event has limited space and sells out early each year.
This event is for anyone who manages safety and compliance for motorcoach fleet operations. Sessions will focus on the industry's most pressing needs and provide take-away information that attendees can put into practice ASAP. The seminar also includes updates and forecasts from all major regulatory agency staff.
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Mark your calendars for UMA's
Regional Meetings on ELDs
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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.
You can choose daily or weekly updates! Below is a sampling of what's in our latest digital and print editions.
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Change Agents:
Younger professionals growing with the industry
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Millennial owners inch toward for the future of buses, as told in a recent three-part series in issues of Bus & Motorcoach News. Bus travel is undergoing an evolution, as are the companies that provide the service. Charter bus owners are dealing with a driver shortage while wondering how soon autonomous vehicle technology will be a viable option. These three millennials are embracing this uncertain future. Like many in their generation, they’ve grown up with technology, and they’re eager to bring their family businesses into the modern age with software and social media.
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Bethany Schubert
Trobec's Bus Service, Inc.
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Bethany Schubert knows first-hand that you can lure young people into a career in the motorcoach industry—if you can just get them in the door.
Schubert’s plans to be a nurse took a detour during a college break when she took a temporary job as a bus cleaner with her family’s business, Trobec’s Bus Service Inc.
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Michael Giddens
Pacific Coachways
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Pacific Coachways hasn’t been timid about investing in the latest technology. One reason is Michael Giddens, son of owner and founder Tom Giddens, who launched the Southern California charter bus business in 1989.
Michael joined Pacific in 2005, after earning his degree in management information systems from Cal State Long Beach.
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Chanel Spriggs
Spriggs Coaches
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Buses are part of Chanel Spriggs’ DNA. Her great-grandfather Mordi was one of the first African-American school bus subcontractors in Maryland’s Anne Arundel County. Her grandfather Allen continued the business with his own fleet. Her dad, Carroll, decided to take the family business in a new direction after retiring from a career in civil engineering. He shifted into motorcoach buses.
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Nominations open for UMA Board of Directors
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October 1, 2018, is the deadline to submit nominations for four open seats on the UMA Board of Directors. This year there will be one seat available in Region 1, two seats available in Region 2 and one seat available in Region 3.
For a comprehensive breakdown of states included in each region, please visit the UMA website at
www.uma.org
. Each year up to two seats in each region may become available as terms of service for existing Directors expire. Candidates nominated for the Board must represent an active UMA-member company in good standing with the association.
Written letters of nomination must state the candidate’s name, company affiliation and home-base location. Nomination letters also must be postmarked, emailed or faxed before October 1, 2018.
CONTACT: If you have questions or wish to submit a letter of nomination (for yourself or another UMA member), please contact UMA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner at
stetschner@uma.org
.
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Where to spend your marketing dollars wisely
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As you
grow your business
, it's important to be creative and efficient with your money. When it comes to
marketing
, there are a number of cost-effective ways to spend
and save
your money. So if you're worried about marketing on a limited
budget
, here's some helpful info to know, in the form of three critical questions you must ask yourself. The answers will set your direction.
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2019 Motorcoach EXPO:
The future of the motorcoach industry!
INNOVATE - EDUCATE - CELEBRATE
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Motorcoach Industry Calendar
SEPTEMBER 2018
OCTOBER 2018
- 1 UMA Deadline for BOD Nominations https://conta.cc/2BxxRfT
- 10 GNJMA Golf and Meet and Mingle http://www.gnjma.com/
- 11 GNJMA Group Leader Appreciation Day & Marketplace (10 a.m. - 1 p.m.), Bally's Casino, Atlantic City, NJ http://www.gnjma.com/
- 11 GNJMA Allied Supplier Mini-Marketplace (12 noon), Bally's Atlantic City http://www.gnjma.com/
- 11 GNJMA Fall Annual Association Member Meeting & Luncheon, (1 p.m.), Bally's Casino, Atlantic City http://www.gnjma.com/
- 15-17 Northwest Motorcoach Association 19th Annual Roadeo & Convention, Northern Quest Resort and Casino, Spokane, WA http://nwmotorcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Save-The-Date-2018.pdf
- 20-23 California Bus Association 45th Annual Convention
- 21-23 Bus Association of New York, 2018 Annual Meeting and Marketplace, The Otesaga Resort Hotel, Cooperstown, NY http://www.banybus.org/marketplace/
- 28-30 Asian American Motorcoach Association Meeting, Resorts Casino, Atlantic City, NJ www.asianamericanma.org
NOVEMBER 2018
DECEMBER 2018
- 5-6 UMA Safety Management Seminar, NTSB Training Center, Ashburn, VA, Hotel TBA - save the date! www.uma.org/safety
JANUARY 2019
FEBRUARY 2019
MARCH 2019
- 11 GNJMA Sponsor Appreciation Dinner, Emeril's Chophouse, Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, PA http://www.gnjma.com/
- 12 GNJMA Spring Association Member Meeting & Motorcoach Professional Awards Luncheon, Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, PA http://www.gnjma.com/
AUGUST 2019
- 6-9 IMG Strategic Alliance Meeting, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- 14-18 NAMO Annual Conference & Marketplace - Springfield, MO http://www.namo-coaches.org/
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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!
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