1 . S.4150/H.R. 7642 CERTS Act: Where are we tonight? |
by Ken Presley
Washington, D.C. - The relief bills for the motorcoach industry, S. 4150/ H.R. 7642 CERTS Act, were introduced with the intention of being included in the larger relief stimulus bill now known as the HEALS Act. Patience is required in politics.
Two weeks ago, predictions had Congress wrapping the bill up by August 7. If you are following the news, you know that ongoing negotiations for that bill have not been going well and have reached a Friday impasse. Negotiations will continue while House Members and Senators have returned home knowing they will need to return to Washington with 24-hours’ notice when an agreement is reached. Most still anticipate success; after all, it is an election year.
At debate is unemployment compensation, stimulus checks, subsidies to states and schools, and the matter of $3 trillion (House Democrats) versus $1 trillion (Senate Republicans) in spending and concern about the rising national debt.
If there is any good news in the delay for the motorcoach industry, it is we have some more time to garner additional support and cosponsors. Currently, we have 27 Senate cosponsors and 38 House cosponsors.
YOUR ACTION NEEDED
If you have not written your legislators yet, please do so today. Additionally, give them a call and ask your employees and important customers to do so as well. (See buttons below for how to find the right phone numbers.)
While Congress dawdles, let’s give the CERTS Act the extra push it deserves to get it across the finish line and included in the relief/stimulus bill.
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2 . Brush up on your sales skills before calling your legislators
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Congress is in the homestretch when it comes to creating any large-scale economic relief package and it is incumbent on UMA Members to make every effort to persuade your elected officials to include our industry.
On yesterday's Town Hall we promised to share some evergreen advice from Kim Grzywacz for "selling" to your elected officials. Kim, co-owner of CIT Signature Transportation, a professional educator, has great advice for ways to effectively educate your Representative and Senators. Review Kim's suggestions, pick up the phone, and call your officials to secure their support for relief for our industry right now.
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3. New York's COVID-19 travel checkpoints more about education than enforcement
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The announcement by Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday seemed to signal a new crackdown in the city’s efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus: “Traveler registration checkpoints” would be set up at bridges and tunnels, conjuring images of police officers stopping cars and detaining people from out of state.
The reality may be a lot less stark — and a lot more confusing.
The authorities will not be stopping every car. They will likely not be at every crossing on any given day. The Police Department won’t even be involved.
Instead of working to enforce the state’s mandatory quarantine for people coming from states with climbing coronavirus cases, the checkpoints, run by the city’s sheriff’s office, will focus on informing travelers about the rules.
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4 . How you can conduct better customer conversations during the COVID-19 crisis
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Forbes | August 7, 2020 | by Gregg Schwartz
The COVID-19 crisis has caused so much disruption and uncertainty for everyone in all aspects of work and life. When talking to customers, it can be hard to know how to strike the right balance between acknowledging the crisis and focusing on business. And especially if customers’ businesses have been affected by the crisis or if buyers are more reluctant to buy, it’s important to know how to approach those customer conversations in a compassionate way.
Sometimes it’s okay to blend business and personal with your customer conversations, especially during a time of widespread stress, grief, and uncertainty. Here are a few tips for having better customer conversations during the coronavirus crisis.
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5 . Debate on face masks divides air travel industry
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The Hill | August 6, 2020 | by Alex Gangitano
A debate over whether the federal government should mandate masks at airports and on commercial flights is dividing key industry players and pitting powerful lobbying groups against each other.
Unions that represent flight attendants and pilots are joining forces with airports in calling for a nationwide rule requiring facial coverings for all passengers in terminals and on planes.
Major airlines, many of which have already imposed their own mask policies, say there’s no need for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to get involved, especially since there’s no comparable requirement for other businesses.
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6 . UMA Member Jason Briggs of VIP Tour & Charter Bus Company keeps pressing for the CERTS Act
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UMA Membership is FREE through 12/31/2020 |
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Because our industry is stronger together, we invite operators to try UMA Membership FREE through year's end. Join us.
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7 . Buses & Beers brings industry together online to socialize during time of distancing |
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As the COVID-19 crisis has brought the industry to a standstill, Jeff Goldwasser has stayed connected to his clients with a weekly Wednesday call, Buses & Beer. During this virtual bar night, he hears what’s on the minds of motorcoach operators and vendors.
“I realized that people were going to their office and doing absolutely nothing and then they went home and would sit and worry,” the Amaya-Astron Seating sales rep said. “Wednesday evening is helping to soften the week.”
He gives credit to UMA’s weekly online Town Hall sessions for providing some of the inspiration. Goldwasser saw there was a need for vendors and operators to come together for conversations on lighter subjects that weren’t centered around understanding PPP and EIDL loans, and other nuts-and-bolts survival issues covered during the Town Hall sessions.
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2020
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UMA Town Halls, every Thursday at 2:00 p.m. ET Learn more.
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Bus & Motorcoach Industry Legislative Fly-In, September 22-23, 2020, Washington, DC Learn more.
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UMA Safety Management Seminar, December 2-3, 2020, Ashburn, VA Learn more.
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2021
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UMA Motorcoach EXPO, March 3-7, 2021, Orlando, FL Learn more.
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Every Thursday at 2 p.m. ET on the Zoom platform. Join from your computer or phone. |
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Resources, news and important links for advocacy, SBA grant and loan programs, and more |
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