[IMAGE]MET2UMA-Young2-2.jpg[/IMAGE]The theme for the United Motorcoach Association's (UMA) Motorcoach Expo 2012 - Refocus. Redefine. Reinvent. — couldn't have been more on point, with many operators attending this year's show in Tampa, Fla., Jan. 19 to 23, looking for ways to pick up business and learning the latest federal regulations that will impact their operations in the near future.

As the featured speaker during the show's annual "Legislative and Regulatory Update," Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne Ferro touched on all the changes in the pipeline that motorcoach operators will be facing, including the new Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) regulations.

Rolled out in December 2010, CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve bus and large truck safety and, ultimately, reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities related to commercial motor vehicles. The new CSA operational model has three major components: Measurement, Evaluation and Intervention, enabling the FMCSA and its state partners to contact a larger number of carriers earlier in order to address safety problems before crashes occur.

"The program is like preventive medicine in a sense," Ferro explained to the crowd, adding that the idea of the program is to raise the bar to enter the motorcoach business, maintain high standards to stay in business and provide tools to get high risk operators off the road.

Ferro told the crowd that central to CSA will be the Safety Measurement System, which uses a motor carrier's data from roadside inspections, including safety based violations, state-reported crashes, and the Federal Motor Carrier Census to quantify performance in Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs).

Measurements of the seven BASICs categories will help place carriers in a safety event group based on a percentile score, so prospective customers can view the operator's score and operators can view a potential driver's record.

[IMAGE]MET2UMA-Ferro-2.jpg[/IMAGE]During her speech, Ferro also discussed how committed Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the administration is to eliminating distracted driving and improving transportation infrastructure, upcoming regulations regarding seat belts on motorcoaches and the pending Federal surface transportation authorization bill.

Following Ferro's speech, UMA's Chairman, Legislative and Regulatory Committee, Bill Allen, further discussed issues facing motorcoach operators, including attempts on Capitol Hill to weaken or outright destroy the Charter Bus Rule and new Commercial Driver License tests and Learner's Permit rules. Also later in the day, FMCSA officials went more in-depth on CSA and BASICs during the "CSA 2010 - Update and Other FMCSA Issues" session.

Young Guns

With seasoned motorcoach operators looking for ways to improve their businesses, many of their junior operators are looking to the future and finding ways to reach a wider audience, while also learning from their predecessors' examples, to breathe new life into the industry. Such was the message during the popular "Young Guns" session, which featured five under-35 operators discussing some of the obstacles they face and how they plan to lead the motorcoach industry into the future.

"You have to know your limitations and how to maneuver during the busy times," said Mike Costa of Boston's A Yankee Line of his experience in the industry.

"Promote, promote, promote," added Joe Thielen of Thielen Coaches in Redwood Falls, Minn., about how he feels it is best to draw attention to both his operation and the industry as a whole. The group also discussed the growing presence of their companies on the Web, particularly on social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Later during the conference, approximately 30 "Young Guns" got together to discuss creating a sort of micro-group within the larger association.

"The idea behind it is to get the young people of the motorcoach industry together and form some sort of club within UMA that not only encourages membership but, at the same time, promotes young people in the industry," explained Ray Land of Fabulous Coaches in Branford, Fla., later on the show floor with a newfound Young Gun in tow.

[PAGEBREAK][IMAGE]MET2UMA-Daimler4-2.jpg[/IMAGE]Marketing, Growing Business

A major focus of the show was on the focus of marketing to help grow business.

With UMA President/CEO Victor Parra explaining that he gets asked to bring them back year after year, Richard Milligan from the Disney Institute presented "Leading through Turbulent Times," during the Leadership Luncheon. The program discussed how during a down economy it is important to maintain your operation's brand, while taking strides to outpace the competition.

The interactive and engaging presentation touched on the best practices that have been a major component of Disney's approach to sustained excellence during difficult times, including the lack of leadership following the deaths of both Walt and Roy Disney and the drop in park visits after 9/11.  

In addition, Spader Business Management Inc.'s Jim McCann gave a session on developing marketing and business plans, which focused on building a brand through developing a well thought out positioning statement, pointing to companies such as Volvo for maintaining its commitment to safety message over more than 50 years.

Echoing the presentation given by the Disney Institute, McCann told the audience that it is OK for operators to charge more for their product, as long as they are able to differentiate their offerings with unique offerings or can focus on a niche market.

Other sessions taking place at this year's Expo touched on refurbishing versus leasing versus buying; the impact of the new health care law and how 2010 engines are performing.

Show Floor Highlights

In addition to the informative sessions, suppliers and manufacturers also showcased their latest products on the show floor of the Tampa Convention Center.

The biggest splash was the unveiling of Setra's ComfortClass S 407, Daimler Buses North America's new touring coach concept vehicle, by Patrick Scully, chief commercial officer for Daimler Buses North America, and Lothar Holder, executive managing director, worldwide sales, for Setra Buses & Coaches.

Standing 79 inches high and 102 inches wide, the new 45-foot S 407 is identical in many ways to the Setra S 417, including sharing the same classic "Setra Face," however, there are many differences to the TopClass because of its North American-specific design, such as the standard American mirror system, including lower-mounted exterior rear view mirrors, and energy absorbing safety bumpers at the front and rear of the vehicle.

Another vehicle shown was the 2011 Motor Coach Industries (MCI) J4500, featuring a Cummins ISX, 11.9-liter clean diesel engine, which was also on display, with an Allison B500 automatic transmission. The J4500 also features wide-ride suspension, electronic stability control and a patented spiral staircase.

MCI representatives also made a J4500 with the new steerable tag axle available for test drives at the show, while the company also displayed a D-series coach with new Actia multiplexing.

Prevost, also in attendance, displayed its 15,000th vehicle, a newly re-designed 2011 H3-45, featuring its AWARE system, which provides safety features, including adaptive cruise and impact and following distance alerts. It also includes Volvo's D13 engine, which has been tested to provide superior low-end performance, according to Prevost.

Also on the show floor, the Motorcoach Council raised close to $25,000 through a silent auction held throughout the show.

Industry Awards

METROMagazine's Motorcoach Operator of the Year Award went to Todd Holland, president and owner of Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Ramblin Express (See story on p. 44).

The UMA Safety Leader of the Year Award went to William Schoolman of Classic Coach Companies in Bohemia, N.Y., while Gladys Gillis from Starline Luxury Coaches in Seattle took home MCI's Green Highway Award.

This year's UMA Vision Award winner, small operator, was Cary Martin of Little Rock (Ark.) Tours & Travel, with Jack Wigley at All Aboard America! in Mesa, Ariz. winning in the large operator category.

UMA Expo 2012 will be held in Long Beach, Calif. Feb. 8 to 12.