Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Developed in Europe and spreading to all parts of the world with a consumer focus, "Smart Move" clearly depicts all the benefits of motorcoach travel from the perspective of reducing congestion, reducing the environmental impact of travel, and showing the fun of traveling together as groups.

Support will enable the Council to award 25 additional gift cards, each with a $50 value, to motorcoach operators who enroll in the Coach Vendor Parts Program this year.

Operators can purchase tickets for $250 through August 15 for the Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility-ADA Grant Application Raffle. The amount expected to be available for the 2011 grant is $8.8 million. The prize is valued at $5,000.

New members of the Board include Autumn Dipert-Brown of Dan Dipert Coaches (Texas); Elaine Fickett of H&L Charters Company, Inc. (Calif.); Tom McCaughey of Flagship Trailways (R.I.); Tom Morgan of Gray Line Tucson (Ariz.); Mike Costa of A Yankee Line (Mass.); and Shannon Kaser of Royal Excursion (Ind.).

The Council is encouraging members and their family and friends to vote for their grant application to “Promote Green Travel and Build Awareness of Green Transportation Options.” Anyone can vote for the campaign daily via mobile phone, desk top, laptop or smartphone.

Through this relationship, the Motorcoach Council hopes to similarly improve public perception of the motorcoach, expand the overall market and increase ridership nationwide.

Application was accepted for the voting cycle that begins on Oct. 1. Encouraging all members of the industry, as well as their employees, family members and friends, to vote daily for the “Get Motorcoachified” campaign.

Council partner customers can participate in a voluntary program that contributes 0.5 percent of their parts purchases to the Motorcoach Council. Prevost matches that contribution up to a maximum of $50,000.

In addition, Heather Horton will now serve as executive director of the Motorcoach Council and help develop and implement the new programs and policies set forth by the Board, while actively providing outreach to the industry and to the general public.

Motorcoach Council allocated $75,000 of its charitable contributions received toward a program to purchase one “Get Motorcoachified” bus wrap graphic for each of their 80-plus Founding Partners, in an effort to kick start their campaign.