Industry News - Chauffeur Driven Magazine

Details: Category: Industry News; Published: 2020, December 01

The American Bus Association (ABA)—an industry leader advancing North American motorcoach travel and tourism—welcomed the news that a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers came together to propose a $908 billion stimulus COVID relief bill that includes $8 billion for the private motorcoach industry. The industry has been lobbying leaders in both chambers for months to support the House's and Senate's CERTS Act, separate bills that would offer up to $10 billion in grants and loans to the motorcoach industry, and which both enjoy a majority support. The fate of those bills, however, has been tied to a second wide-sweeping stimulus/aid package similar to the CARES Act, but the additional relief has stalled since before the election.

ABA

“We applaud those Senators and Representatives that came together to work for relief for millions of Americans and small businesses affected by COVID-19, including the private motorcoach industry," said ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso. "The motorcoach industry is on the verge of collapse without a lifeline to help it through this pandemic. Without this integral sector in America's multi-modal transportation system, economic recovery will be impossible in the United States as communities large and small across the country would lose access to economical transportation.”

ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso

The private motorcoach industry moves 600 million passengers annually, providing public transportation to intercity commuters, students, travelers, military personnel and their equipment, sports teams, along with fulfilling a vital emergency response function during natural disasters and providing transportation connections for rural communities with scheduled service.

"This industry is running out of time,” said Pantuso. “According to financial institutions, between 40-50 percent of the industry’s 3,000 small family businesses will be closed for good without help. Nearly half of the industry's buses are facing repossession as banks can no longer offer flexibility. We need Congress to act now and help save this industry from decimation.”

Visit buses.org for more information.

[12.01.20]

Details: Category: Industry News; Published: 2020, November 30

With Thanksgiving spiking as the busiest travel weekend (especially for air travel) since the beginning of the pandemic, it comes as no surprise that a recent Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) survey found that half (50 percent) of GBTA travel buyer and procurement professionals feel their employees are ‘willing’ or ‘very willing’ to travel for business in the current environment. Only one in five (22 percent) GBTA members feel their employees are not willing, demonstrating a strong readiness to resume business travel. The poll was conducted November 9-16, 2020.

Recent announcements of potential, effective vaccines with 90 percent+ efficacy rate in clinical trials has increased sentiment among respondents that their company will be more likely to allow business travel and employees to attend in-person meetings in 2021. Three in five GBTA members say their company would be ‘likely’ (44 percent) or ‘very likely’ (16 percent) to allow business travel with this prospect, while one in five (19 percent) are neutral (i.e., neither likely nor unlikely). Only 10 percent say their company unlikely and are 11 percent unsure.

When asked about government restrictions, the majority of respondents feel there should be an exception to mandated quarantine requirements for international business travelers, who take short-duration business trips that involve meeting with only a few people. Six in ten (58 percent) respondents are interested (with 28 percent ‘very interested’) in seeing this proposal adopted. This figure is significantly higher in Europe with 66 percent interested in this proposal compared to 55 percent in North America.

GBTA Interim Executive Director Dave Hilfman

Survey respondents believe their company would be willing to implement a policy to encourage employees to download a ‘track and trace’ app for business travelers to assist with contact tracing efforts. Half (49 percent) feel their company would be ‘willing’ or ‘very willing’ to encourage employees to download such an app, while one-third (35 percent) think their company would be neither willing nor unwilling to do so. GBTA respondents based in Europe (62 percent) are more likely than members based in North America (44 percent) to say they think their company would be willing to encourage downloading contact tracing apps.

When asked about the timescales around a return to 2019 levels of business travel, six in ten (60 percent) European buyers expect domestic business travel to take 4-9 months to reach at least 50 percent of 2019 levels. In addition, half (50 percent) expect regional business travel to take 4-9 months to reach at least 50 percent of 2019 volumes. Long-haul business travel is expected to take longer to reach at least half of 2019’s level, with six in ten (63 percent) European buyers/procurement professionals expecting it to take between 10-24 months.

Among non-European buyers, half (58 percent) expect domestic business travel to reach at least 50 percent of 2019’s level in the next 1-9 months whereas expectations for international travel will take longer with 54 percent expecting it will take 10-24 months to reach at least 50 percent of 2019’s level.

“The news of a vaccine has been well received among our members with an uplift in activity as the industry collaborates to find a safe and responsible return to travel. Adhoc government restrictions continue to be the main deterrent and GBTA continues to advocate for a unified approach across the world,” commented Interim Executive Director Dave Hilfman.

Travel suppliers throughout the industry have introduced new safety standards and protocols as a result of the pandemic. These include service changes (e.g., flight reductions), policy changes (e.g., eliminating change fees) and new sanitation practices. Communication campaigns have been key in alleviating fears. GBTA travel buyer and procurement professionals perceive communication campaigns from airlines (84 percent), hotel sectors (78 percent), ground transportation (52 percent) and travel management sectors (51 percent) as being effective.

View the entire poll results here.

In other news, GBTA has completed its acquisition of key assets of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), continuing its pledge to unify the industry and help lead business travel out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the integration effort, two former ACTE Board members will join the GBTA Global Board of directors effective immediately. Alison Taylor, Chief Customer Officer of American Airlines, will serve the remainder of the vacant ALC Vice Presidency. Steve Sitto, Sr. Manager, Global Travel and Events for Tesla, Inc., will serve the remainder of the vacant Direct Member At-Large term. Both terms will be completed at the time of the GBTA Convention in July 2021.

A committee led by GBTA Chairman Christle Johnson and former ACTE Executive Director and current DigitTravel Consulting Senior Vice President Greeley Koch will work together with GBTA staff and industry volunteers to identify the best value a combined GBTA and ACTE can deliver to its members.

“The addition of an amazing brand like ACTE will give GBTA members the absolute best opportunities for education, networking, research and advocacy. We look forward to combining the best attributes of both associations with our Ready. Safe. Travel campaign as we continue to advocate for business travel’s path to recovery,” said Hilfman.

Visit gbta.org for more information.

Details: Category: Industry News; Published: 2020, November 30

NFI Group (NFI), the parent company of Motor Coach Industries (MCI), announced that its annual United Way Workplace Campaign raised $378,700—surpassing its goal by 10 percent and continuing NFI’s commitment to supporting communities. Since 2009, NFI has raised $2.8 million for United Way agencies.

The campaign was again championed by employees across North America, with MCI Director of Human Resources Michelle Whyard as campaign chair and teams participating from NFI subsidiaries and raising funds through individual, team challenge, and virtual giving.

MCI Director of Human Resources Michelle Whyard

“This has by far been the most challenging year for fundraising across the board, with a global pandemic and economic recession creating a tough reality that at times felt like an uphill battle—but our team dug deep. Together, we rallied to raise precious dollars that will provide critical and basic supports to so many in need in our communities,” said NFI Executive Vice President, Human Resources Janice Harper.

“As a driving value of our organization, supporting our communities continues to provide a path that brings us together. At NFI, we exist to move people—millions of them around the world every day—but we do so with great care and consideration for what life looks like at the final destination. This year has been unlike any other, and we must continue doing what we can to lift our communities when and where they need it most,” Harper added.

NFI’s 2020 campaign supported 19 different United Way agencies across the U.S. and Canada, located in or nearby communities where NFI has facilities, including: