Member News
Welcome, New Member...

A-1 Limousine, Inc.
Primary Contact:  Jeffrey Starr,  JStarr@a1limo.com


Featured Member:   DeCamp Bus Lines

Celebrating their 150 years in business this year, DeCamp Bus Lines continues to serve the public with their transportation needs in the Metropolitan region. Based in Montclair New Jersey, DeCamp is a family-owned transportation company.  They started started their operations in 1870 with a stagecoach and evolved with the industry, always remaining on the forefront as innovative leaders. Today, Jonathan DeCamp, a 6th generation family member, leads the operations of the company, is a director on the GNJMA Board and chair of the Legislative Committee.

In 1870, Major Jonathan W. DeCamp had the idea to operate a stage service between Roseland and Newark from the Newark-Mount Pleasant Turnpike, known as Mt. Pleasant Avenue.

He constructed a covered wagon with a team of horses and opened his stagecoach line. The round trip would take the entire day.
 
In 1878, his son Benjamin "Cap" DeCamp joined the business, creating another route, from the General Store and the Post Office in Livingston to the Orange Post Office. Rides were 25 cents.
 
In 1905, after Benjamin DeCamp's death, his son Robert took over and added another route, to Caldwell. In 1909, he snagged the first motor bus, which changed the transportation industry. However, the motor bus was difficult to handle. There were difficulties going uphill and buses sometimes had to be pushed by the passengers. Horse-drawn carriages were still used.

In 1917, after Robert died, Ralph D. DeCamp, a dentist, gave up his dental practice and took over the family business. Ralph gained two new "up-to-the-minute" motor buses, ending the era of horse-drawn carriages.

The company's first garage was built next to the Central School on South Livingston Avenue in Livingston. In 1926, the business was expanded to fit 40 buses at 49 West Mt. Pleasant Ave. in Livingston. The business expanded yet again, adding more routes from Journal Square in Jersey City and areas of North Jersey into New York. DeCamp added a bus garage in Clifton.
Robert and Stuart DeCamp expanded the business and in the 1970s the company relocated to New York City.  
 
When Stuart DeCamp died in 1978, the family almost sold the business. In 1979, DeCamp relocated to the former Public Service bus company in Montclair.  Robert DeCamp Jr. came on board in 1968 and his sister Suzanne joined in 1979. In 1982, the family was again pressured to sell, but the siblings kept the business running.

Robert DeCamp Sr. retired in 1991 and in November of 1997 Suzanne left the business to explore other opportunities. Robert Jr. bought his sister out. The company is the oldest privately-owned and operated bus company, according to DeCamp's website.



If you have a special anniversary or news to share, please email us!
Yankee Trails Hope Bus Spreads Joy

Spreading hope on wheels--one red light at time. That's what GNJMA Member, Yankee Trails, is doing.  In coordination with the Bus Stop Club, Yankee Trails sent the Hope Bus out on the roads of East Greenbush.  It's mission? Help gather food for their Capital Region school districts.  Read more...
ABC Cleans - Getting Back to Business

GNJMA Platinum Sponsor, ABC Companies, is thinking A LOT about our industry as the economy reopens and are currently offering solutions to make passengers and drivers more comfortable getting back on the bus, such as;
  1. Sanitation and disinfection options
  2. Air purification options
  3. Barriers and shields
View the presentation. Orders can be placed now via their website or call center at 877-427-7278 option 4 to reserve your space inline. 
SARDO's Here To Help

GNJMA Silver Sponsor, SARDO Bus & Coach Upholstery, is here to help with social distancing while your customers are aboard your bus.   They are offering Social Distancing Bands and Passenger Protective Shields.  Take a look!  Contact Sandy Sales at sandy@sardobus.com or 800-654-3824 for more information or questions.
GNJMA Calls For COVID-19 Relief 

On behalf of our members, we recently embarked on a public relations project to get the word out to raise awareness of our request to the federal government:  to provide the motorcoach, tour and travel industry with COVID-19 stimulus funding, including $10 billion in grants-in-aid, $5 billion in loans and an extension of the terms in the Paycheck Protection Program.
 
There was an initial press release and outreach to media outlets, in hopes of getting "press" and subsequent interviews.  We also published a social media campaign guideline to you, our members, to engage your help. If you have helped, thank you!  If you still want to help, it's not too late.  
 
1)  Click here to download a listing of the cumulative press received to date.  
 
2)  Click here for a copy of the social media campaign instructions.

3)  Click here to support our industry's advocacy campaign...just one-click!
Motorcoaches Rolling For Awareness,  GNJMA Rallies!

We are so proud of our GNJMA Members who participated in the May 13, 2020 Motorcoaches Rolling for Awareness in D.C. 

Visit the GNJMA Facebook page for more photos, videos and news stories!   If you have photos you would like us to share, please email them to us, or tag Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association on Facebook!
#FridayswithFMCSA

More than 40 members joined together online to learn from FMCSA's Chris Rotondo and his team.  The sessions focused on the following topics: 
  • What you need to Prepare for a Compliance Investigation
  • Overview of FMCSRs for Motor Coach Carrier Operations
  • Registration, Marking Requirements.
  • Driver Qualifications.
  • Medical Examiners Certificates.
  • CDL and Driver Credentialing
  • Hours of Service Regulations
  • Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulations
  • Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
  • Roadside Inspections - What to Expect
If you have topics you would like to learn more about, please email us!
Industry, State and COVID-19 Information
News Regarding Reopening New Jersey   

In response to calls from legislators and our constituents, Governor Murphy has signed an executive order permitting the resumption of non-essential construction, curbside pickup at non-essential retail businesses, and car gatherings for the purpose of drive-through and drive-in events. 

The construction and non-essential retail provisions will take effect at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, May 18, while the car gatherings provision will take effect immediately. Retail businesses operating in shopping malls are permitted to operate by curbside pickup, in accordance with the other requirements of this paragraph, but staff must bring the goods to customers at the exterior of the mall. 
Lawmakers Offer Bill to Expand Employee Retention Tax Credit   

A bipartisan group of House members introduced a bill to expand the employee retention tax credit created by the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief law. 

The sponsors of the bill say that their legislation would help to keep workers employed during the pandemic. "Congress can once again act in this 'country-first' spirit by expanding this bipartisan initiative to reduce layoffs, protect workers' health insurance benefits, and help ensure a quick and robust economic recovery," Murphy said in a news release. Read more...
DOL Issues COVID-19 Relief and Guidance for Employee Benefit Plans      

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued deadline relief and other guidance under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to help employee benefit plans, plan participants and beneficiaries, employers and other plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries, and other service providers impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.  Read more...
House Democrats Call on DOT & DHS to Require PPE Use by Staff/Passengers     

U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) has led a group of 88 House Democrats calling on the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to require the use of masks, gloves, eyewear, and any PPE that may be appropriate for transportation workers, frontline Federal employees, and the passengers they interact with.  Read more...
New Q&A On FMCSA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Info & Resources Website     

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration just posted a new Q&A to their website on the topic of Voluntary Revocation of Operating Authority Registration.   Read more...
Proposed FMCSA Rule Aimed to Close Gap

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to tighten current regulations intended to keep commercial vehicle drivers with substance abuse violations from being licensed by closing an information gap with real-time information from the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.  Read more...
FMCSA Hours of Service Information      

FMCSA Extends HOS Emergency Declaration for Second Time
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has again extended its emergency declaration relaxing hours-of-service rules for motor carriers that are providing direct assistance in support of coronavirus-related relief efforts.  Read more...

U.S. Department of Transportation Modernizes Hours of Service Rules to Improve Safety and Increase Flexibility
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today published a final rule updating hours of service (HOS) rules to increase safety on America's roadways by updating existing regulations for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.
SBA Issues PPP Guidance on Laid-off Employees Who Refuse To Be Rehired     

Businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans can exclude laid-off employees from loan forgiveness reduction calculations if the employees turn down a written offer to be rehired, according to new guidance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which warned that employees who reject offers of reemployment may find themselves ineligible to continue receiving unemployment benefits. The guidance was included among three new questions the SBA added over the weekend to a PPP frequently asked questions (FAQ) file it maintains in consultation with Treasury. The new guidance is included in FAQs 40-42. The first of the new questions asks if a borrower's PPP forgiveness amount would be reduced if the borrower lays off an employee and then offers to rehire the employee, but the employee declines the offer.  Read more...
CVSA Creates Public Online Repository for Active Emergency Declarations    

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some commercial motor vehicle regulations in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. were temporarily relaxed to reduce restrictions that may limit motor carriers from promptly providing much-needed products and services to assist with emergency relief efforts. Subsequently, many states, provinces and territories issued a variety of emergency measures specific to their jurisdictions. With numerous temporary actions in place, there was a need for a central repository containing active emergency declaration information.  Read more...
What Bus Transit Operators Need to Know About COVID-19   

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has information to answer these questions;  As a bus transit operator, how can I protect myself?  What steps should my employer take?  Where can I get more information?  Read more...
Benefits of GNJMA Membership


Login to the GNJMA Member Portal and review your newest benefits! 

Of special note, be sure to check out the NEW discount and cost cutting benefit announced recently through a partnership with SAVINGS4MEMBERS .
GNJMA Upcoming Events
October 2020
October 14 Golf Outing, Atlantic City Country Club
October 14 Meet and Mingle, TBD
October 15 Mini-Marketplace, Caesar's, AC

November 2020
November 19 Annual Driver Safety Meeting, Wind Creek, Bethlehem

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE 2021 MEETING DATES!

Spring: March 15, 2021 Wind Creek Bethlehem
Fall:     October 7, 2021 Resorts Atlantic City 
 ICYMI:  Member Alerts

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:

  • George Rodriguez Joins GNJMA Board of Directors
  • Tell Senate Delegation to Sign Onto Our "Dear Colleague" Letter Now 
  • COVID-19 Social Media Kit
  • Retirement Announcements for Nate Karp & Mike Trageser
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Contact:  Pattie Cowley, Executive Director | Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association
  908-750-4538 | pcowley@gnjma.com | www.gnjma.com

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