1.Town Hall offers tips for getting ready to start rolling again
A panel of experts helped UMA members think about what they need to consider when charter work picks back up again. Bob Crescenzo of Lancer addressed issues related to the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse when bringing drivers back and Michelle Wiltgen discussed preparing drivers to restart, and Tom Holden and Brittany Holden reviewed driver qualifications. To wrap up, Louis Hotard and Dany Landry of ABC Companies took everyone through a check list for coaches. All the details are in our slide deck.

UMA's Ken Presley and Becky Weber of Prime Policy gave a thorough overview of all legislative initiatives on the table in Congress right now and what each would mean for our industry.
  • CERTS Act (S. 4150/H.R. 7642) Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act
  • RESTART Act (S. 3814) Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards A Recovery in Twenty-twenty Act
  • (S. 4321) Continuing Small Business Recovery and Paycheck Protection Program Act
All the details for these programs are in our Town Hall slide deck and you can watch the recorded briefing at your convenience using our link.
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2 . Keep the pressure on Congress
The Representatives and Senators below have sponsored or co-sponsored the CERTS Act. If your elected officials are not on this list, contact them immediately, by phone or email using our links below.
Rep. Darin LaHood [R-IL]
Rep. Sires, Albio [D-NJ-8]*     
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]*          
Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47]
Rep. Zeldin, Lee M. [R-NY-1]
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13]
Rep. King, Steve [R-IA-4]
Rep. Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [D-MD-2]
Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-8]
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1] 
Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-32]
Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]   
Rep. Brown, Anthony G. [D-MD-4]  
Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]
Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8]
Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
Rep. Brindisi, Anthony [D-NY-22]
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11] 
Rep. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]   
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4]     
Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5]
Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]  
Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1] 
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]  
Rep. Kim, Andy [D-NJ-3]  
Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9]
Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16]
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] 
Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3]      
Rep. Schweikert, David [R-AZ-6]   
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
Rep. Malinowski, Tom [D-NJ-7]
Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]  
Sen Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]*
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
Sen. Jones, Doug [D-AL]
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Sen. Tillis, Thom [R-NC]
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]

3 . Contact Congress and share your story and our industry's story over the phone and on social media
On today's Town Hall meeting attendees requested more ways to be effective in sharing our industry's message with members of Congress.

PICK UP THE PHONE & CALL!
If you have already sent letters, it's time to call. Use the buttons at right to find the correct number for your officials. You will most likely speak with a staffer, which is fine.

Here are questions to consider before you call to give you some ideas of what to share, for a variety of comfort levels:
  • How many days has it been since you last had a chartered group?
  • How many employees are out of work?
  • If yours is a family business, highlight this detail. What has the pandemic meant for you?
  • What business partners depend on your buses to transport customers?
  • When you need info on the industry, find it here, in the UMA Social Media Tool Kit.

4 . House sponsors of H.R. 7642 call on Congressional leadership to include CERTS in relief package
Representatives Darin LaHood, Albio Sires, Don Young, and Alan Lowenthal today called on the Congressional leadership to ensure that $10 billion in economic relief for the motorcoach industry is included in any relief package. They stressed the bipartisan support for H.R. 7642.

The letter pointed out that fact that our industry's needs have gone unaddressed in prior measures. "Unfortunately, none of the enacted economic relief packages in response to COVID-19 to date included provisions addressing these transportation service providers." the letter states. "While many transportation industries, such as Amtrak, public transit, airlines, and airports, were specifically provided for in the CARES Act, these industries were noticeably left out. We hope to rectify that oversight in this upcoming relief package."

5 . UMA Member Trobec's Bus Service shows they know the value of valuing their team members
UMA Membership is FREE through 12/31/2020
Because our industry is stronger together, we invite operators to try UMA Membership FREE through year's end. Join us.
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6 . PPP loan forgiveness: Expert tells what operators need to know
Bus & Motorcoach News | August 6, 2020 | by Shandra Martinez 


Tracy Fickett has successfully paired her love of accounting with her passion for the motorcoach industry. 

Her mom, Elaine Fickett, and sister, Jody Merritt, operate their third-generation H&L Charter in Southern California.

“I grew up with that bus parked out in front of the front yard that my dad drove to bingo,” said Fickett. “Eventually, I ended up on the inside, handling some financial matters — accounting, loan compliance and things like that — within the company.”
Upcoming UMA Events
Consult the UMA Industry Calendar for more information about events.

2020

  • UMA Town Halls, every Thursday at 2:00 p.m. ET Learn more.
  • Bus & Motorcoach Industry Legislative Fly-In, September 22-23, 2020, Washington, DC Learn more.
  • UMA Safety Management Seminar, December 2-3, 2020, Ashburn, VA Learn more.
2021
  • UMA Motorcoach EXPO, March 3-7, 2021, Orlando, FL Learn more.

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