The American Bus Association (ABA) announced a new partnership with the New York-based public relations and crisis management firm, Kitchen Public Relations (KPR), which will enable KPR to offer ABA members a comprehensive crisis management planning service, complete with detailed, customized response plans in the event of an accident or high-profile incident.

As part of this partnership, KPR will provide a paid service to ABA's members who are looking to prepare thoroughly when reporters and the media are calling wanting answers or a company’s name is all over social media.

KPR has a strong track record in the industry of creating these plans as well as managing crisis situations for ABA members. While motorcoach accidents are rare, preparation is paramount. ABA and KPR believe that in today’s 24/7, 365 digital media environment, it’s essential that companies be ready, well in advance to mitigate the potential harmful damage to members’ hard-earned reputations and business success.

“The motorcoach industry is the safest form of surface transportation and each year bus companies provide more than 600 million passenger trips to thousands of destinations. Thankfully accidents are rare, but in today’s fast paced media world we now live in, motorcoach companies must be prepared and be ready to deal with the realities if something unforeseen happens,” said ABA President/CEO Peter J. Pantuso.

“ABA’s new Crisis Management partnership with Kitchen Public Relations will build on the work ABA has done for the past several years and will continue to do, providing the highest level of crisis communication, media relations and reputation management, and protection in the motorcoach, travel and tourism industry,” added Pantuso.