Press Releases

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2013 Releases

ABA Urges Americans to Ride a Motorcoach This Memorial Day Weekend (May 23, 2013)

Memorial Day marks the start of the summer travel season, and the American Bus Association is encouraging travelers to consider riding a motorcoach on one of their trips and leave the car at home this summer.

LaHood Discusses Safety, Crackdown Against Illegal Carriers with ABA Board (May 6, 2013)

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood told the American Bus Association board of directors at its spring meeting May 2 that the Department of Transportation will vigorously continue its crackdown against illegally operating and unsafe motorcoach companies.

Campus Coach Lines President and Founder Bert Askwith Honored by ABA Board of Directors (May 6, 2013)

The American Bus Association board of directors honored longtime motorcoach owner/operator and industry legend Bert Askwith at its spring board meeting May 2 in suburban Washington, D.C. The presentation was made by ABA Chairman Tom JeBran to salute Askwith for nearly 85 years of continuous service to the motorcoach industry.

ABA Urges New DOT Secretary Nominee Anthony Foxx to Continue Efforts to Make Motorcoach Transportation Safer (April 30, 2013)

During the past 4 1/2 years, the motorcoach industry has been well-served by the leadership of retiring Secretary Ray LaHood. We urge Secretary-designee Foxx to continue efforts by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to crack down on illegal and unsafe motorcoach companies that cause a disproportionate number of deaths and injuries.

ABA to Join U.S. Department of Transportation and Motor Coach Industries to Celebrate Earth Day (April 17, 2013)

The U.S. DOT is marking the annual “Earth Day” celebration Thursday, and ABA, MCI and DC Trails are partnering to show how today’s motorcoaches are especially eco-friendly.

ABA Leadership Meets with USDOT Sec. LaHood and Others to Discuss Motorcoach Safety (April 8, 2013)

For the second time in less than two months, the leadership of the American Bus Association met Friday with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Anne Ferro and other stakeholders to discuss improving motorcoach safety. ABA President and CEO Peter Pantuso and Senior Vice President for Government Affairs and Policy Clyde Hart represented the association.

New Study: ABA's Marketplace, Once Again, Is the Place to Do Business (March 28, 2013)

A just-released economic survey of delegates attending the American Bus Association’s 2013 Marketplace in Charlotte, N.C., shows that, once again, ABA’s Marketplace is unmatched as the industry travel and trade show where business gets done. The report by the New York economic consulting firm John Dunham and Associates shows that Marketplace generated $108.3 million in booked and future business for show participants. That $108.3 million figure represents a $30 million increase from 2012 to 2013, or a 28% growth over the total amount of business generated at Marketplace 2012 in Grapevine, Texas.

Pope Rides Bus Instead of Papal Limousine (March 15, 2013)

 Newly elected Pope Francis surprised Vatican watchers when he decided to ride on a coach with cardinals when leaving the Sistine Chapel. Just hours before, the former archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, had been elected leader of the world’s estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

ABA Welcomes Congressman Richard Neal of Massachusetts (March 14, 2013)

Veteran House Member Richard Neal of the Massachusetts’s 1st Congressional District visited ABA’s Washington, D.C., office Thursday, March 14, having a BusPAC breakfast with 20 transportation stakeholders, discussing critical issues regarding the nation’s highway and transportation system, as well as tax policy.

ABA Meets with Transportation Secretary and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator on Motorcoach Safety (Feb. 14, 2013)

After a series of high profile accidents involving illegally or unsafe motorcoach companies, the President and CEO of the American Bus Association Peter Pantuso and ABA’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy, Clyde Hart met today with Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Anne Ferro, the Administrator of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as well as other DOT staff and stakeholders to discuss ways to improve motorcoach safety.

U.S. and Canadian Motorcoach, Tour Officials Meet at ABA to Discuss Cross-Border Issues (Feb. 14, 2013)

With thousands of U.S. and Canadian citizens crossing the 5,525-mile border between the two nations each week, key motorcoach, transportation and tourism officials from both countries met Tuesday, Feb. 12, at the American Bus Association’s Washington, D.C., headquarters. The officials were in Washington to discuss their concerns and to propose solutions to some of the challenges when it comes to allowing visitors to freely travel between the two nations.

American Bus Association’s Marketplace Generates Nearly $6.7 Million for Charlotte’s Economy (Feb. 14, 2013)

When the 3,300 American Bus Association delegates and other visitors came to Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 5-9, 2013, for ABA’s annual Marketplace, they generated nearly $6.7 million in total economic impact.

ABA Supports FMCSA in Shutting Down Bus Company Involved in Fatal California Crash (Feb. 11, 2013)

The American Bus Association supports the action by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that declared Scapadas Magicas LLC an imminent hazard to public safety and ordered the company to immediately stop operations within the United States.

American Bus Association Foundation Raises $150,000 at ABA’s Marketplace 2013 (Feb. 8, 2013)

The generosity of 3,300 delegates and strong support from corporate sponsors enabled the ABA Foundation to raise more than $150,000 during ABA’s Marketplace 2013. These funds will help power the ABA Foundation for 2013 and enable us to focus on our core mission of providing critical research and scholarships to the motorcoach, tour and travel industry.

Statement from ABA President and CEO Peter Pantuso on DOT Secretary Ray LaHood (Jan. 29, 2013)

ABA wishes to thank Secretary LaHood for his four years of service as Secretary of Transportation and wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

ABA President Peter Pantuso guests on SiriusXM's Road Dog Trucking Radio with Mark Willis (Jan. 25, 2013)

American Bus Association President Peter Pantuso recently told a national satellite radio audience of professional truck drivers, commercial carriers, passenger carriers and others interested in transportation that the motorcoach industry is committed to safety.

Bus Industry Safety Council Sets Record Attendance at ABA’s Marketplace as Members Focus on Improving Motorcoach Safety (Jan. 14, 2013)

More than 100 motorcoach owners, operators and safety professionals participated in three days of safety seminars at the semi-annual Bus Industry Safety Council (BISC) meeting, held in conjunction with ABA’s Marketplace in Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 5-9, 2013.

ABA Welcomes Women in Buses to Marketplace 2013 (Jan. 14, 2013)

For the second year in a row, ABA’s Marketplace hosted two “Women in Buses” events at ABA’s Marketplace in Charlotte, N.C., January 5-9. Women in Buses held its inaugural meeting in 2012 in Grapevine, Texas.

ABA Foundation Reaches Major Fundraising Milestone (Jan. 14, 2013)

The American Bus Association Foundation has concluded its initial "Drive for the Future" campaign after reaching its $3 million fundraising goal. The Foundation’s campaign started in September 2010, when an anonymous donor challenged the Foundation to raise $2 million in exchange for a $1 million challenge donation.

ABA and National Transportation Safety Board Hold Crisis Management Seminar Sponsored by National Interstate Insurance (Jan. 14, 2013)

Nearly 50 motorcoach owners, operators and safety directors, many belonging to some of the nation’s biggest transportation providers, worked with key staff members from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) at a one-day Crisis Management Seminar, January 10, at the American Bus Association’s Marketplace in Charlotte, N.C.

ABA’S 2013 Marketplace Off to a Great Start in Charlotte (Jan. 8, 2013)

More than 3000 delegates packed the Charlotte Convention Center for the start of the American Bus Association’s 35th annual Marketplace, the largest and best motorcoach, tourism and travel show in North America.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store to Make Donation to Charlotte’s "A Child’s Place" at American Bus Association’s Marketplace 2013 (Jan. 7, 2013)

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is graciously donating 12 of their trademark rocking chairs that will be on the Marketplace Networking Floor as part of its sponsorship. At the end of Marketplace, the company will donate the 12 chairs to A Child’s Place so the non-profit can auction them off and raise additional money for their work to erase the impact of childhood homelessness in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

Anderson Coach and Travel, Northeast Charter and Tour Co. Receive ABA’s Green Operator Award Sponsored by MCI (Jan. 6, 2013)

Two outstanding motorcoach companies, Anderson Coach and Travel of Greenville, Pa., and Northeast Charter and Tour Co. of Lewiston, Maine, will be honored at the American Bus Association’s annual Marketplace, January 5th-9th, 2013 in Charlotte, N.C., as the recipients of ABA’s “Green Operator Award.” The annual award is sponsored by Motor Coach Industries (MCI) of Schaumburg, Ill.