- Details
- Category: Industry News
ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso
Peter Pantuso, the longtime president and CEO of the American Bus Association (ABA) and president of its research arm, the ABA Foundation, has shared his intention to retire from his position in September 2024. The announcement was made on the association’s website last week.
According to the announcement, Pantuso joined ABA in 1996 as president and CEO, presiding over some of the toughest periods in history for the industry, including 9/11 and the 2008 recession. Among his listed accomplishments: ABA’s membership nearly tripled in size and its annual convention, ABA’s Marketplace, grew to be the leading domestic packaged travel event in the industry during his tenure. He also created the Bus Industry Safety Council and the Bus Maintenance and Repair Council to highlight and promote the highest ethical standards in the bus industry and to increase industry safety, and was instrumental in forming the African American Motorcoach Council, Women in Buses Council, Hispanic Motorcoach Council, Entertainer Motorcoach Council, and the School Bus Council. Pantuso also founded the ABA Foundation, which parses and publishes research and data on the industry and grants scholarships “to promote academic excellence and diversity” in the industry.
“I am honored and grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve ABA and its members. It has been the members’ support, and their trust and belief in me and our staff that has allowed the Association to grow and become the leading organization it is today,” he said, adding, “I am tremendously pleased with the way we have reached out to the industry and developed programs and services during my tenure to enhance our members’ respective business operational, sales, and marketing needs regardless of which segment of the motorcoach, tour or packaged travel industry they were part of. This could not have been accomplished without the dedicated industry leaders and the talented team of professionals on the ABA staff.”
ABA says it will appoint a board-level committee and work with a hiring firm to begin the process of finding his successor. Pantuso adds that he will put “110 percent effort” into leading the association and ultimately guiding the next president and CEO during the transition.
Visit buses.org for more information.
[02.20.23]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Transportation Advisors, a leading provider of transportation compliance and safety solutions, announces MYDOTDOCS, a comprehensive software program designed to streamline compliance with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations.
According to a company press release, MYDOTDOCS is a revolutionary software program that automates and simplifies the compliance process for transportation companies. The program features a user-friendly interface to manage compliance documentation, reducing the risk of errors and penalties, which is easily accessible to DOT inspectors.
Transportation Advisors President Tom Holden
Transportation companies are required by law to maintain a range of documentation, including driver logs, driver fitness files (DQ), drug and alcohol test results, vehicle maintenance records, and inspection reports. MYDOTDOCS automates this process for companies of all sizes, reducing the risk of non-compliance and ensuring that these organizations are prepared for inspections.
"Our goal with MYDOTDOCS is to simplify the compliance process for transportation companies," said Tom Holden, president of Transportation Advisors and creator of the new program based on his more than 20 years in the industry. "We understand the challenges companies face in managing their compliance documentation, and we believe that MYDOTDOCS is the solution they have been waiting for."
MYDOTDOCS also features real-time alerts that notify when documents are due for renewal or inspection to help companies stay on top of their compliance requirements and avoid costly penalties.
Transportation Advisors provides transportation compliance and safety solutions to companies of all sizes. MYDOTDOCS is the latest addition to the company's suite of services, which Holden says is already receiving high praise from early adopters.
“Transportation Advisors has ensured that my company is in compliance and has given me peace of mind and confidence in knowing they’ve got my back. Their team inundates me with reminders and calls to ensure that my team pays attention to key indicators to maintain a safe operation. As a result, I can focus my attention on growing the business. Without their continued involvement and support, I do not know how I could operate successfully and safely,” said DTS Worldwide Transportation VP of Operators Willie Cook.
Visit theadvisors.org more for information.
[02.16.23]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Your professional development is the among the primary goals of both the CD and NLA, so with that in mind, we’ve developed four days of educational opportunities on the schedule of the upcoming CD/NLA Show being held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this March 5-8. Topics have been carefully and thoughtfully developed over months by the CD/NLA Show Education Committee, led by co-chairs Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide and Karl Guenther of Statement Limousine. Operators of all sizes and stages will find these classroom-style sessions valuable and thought-provoking, whether you run two cars or you’ve been in business for decades. Special thanks to Education Sponsor FASTTRAK for their important part in bringing you this on-point slate of instructive seminars.
CD/NLA Show Education Committee Co-Chair Jason Sharenow
SUNDAY, MARCH 5
On our first day of education, we’re offering a pair of sessions that tap into contemporary and timely topics. During the kick-off session at 1:00pm, we ask, are you cultivating your company culture or is it running you? In A Winning Formula for an Exceptional Client Experience, featuring Bruce Heinrich of PAX Training, you’ll learn the key elements to build and maintain a solid company culture and why it matters to every business—and every company’s bottom line. Then at 2:45, we’ll turn our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for How, Where, and Why of DEI: Building a Culture of Inclusivity to Grow Your Business. DEI has the potential to increase revenue, expand your customer base, and ultimately boost profits. Your customer and employee pools are changing—along with their expectations—and it's time to embrace that change as a benefit for your organization. In this session—moderated by Robyn Goldenberg of Strategy Leaders and presented by Tony Gladney of MGM Resorts International—you'll learn why DEI matters, how to write a DEI statement that works for your business, and how it can increase sales and contribute to overall growth.
CD/NLA Show Education Committee Co-Chair Karl Guenther
MONDAY, MARCH 6
The learning starts early on Monday with a dynamic duo of concurrent seminars that kick off at 8:00 a.m. sharp. So, grab a cup of coffee (courtesy of our Coffee Sponsor Buffalo Limousine) and join Andi Gray of Strategy Leaders for Your Finances Matter: Financial How-To’s and Must Do’s for Your Growing Business, where you’ll learn what goes where on a P&L, what a balance sheet really shows you, and how to use your data to drive company decisions. Understand what makes lenders and bankers either love you or hate you, and how all the financial metrics play together to create a healthy picture for your business. And at the same time, The Essential Principles of Chauffeured Transportation will provide a valuable introduction to chauffeured transportation—or a refresher for those who want a bit of foundational education. With speakers J.R. Garza of Diamond Limousine and Charlie Grimm of BAC Transportation, you’ll learn necessary skills or revamp your current practices to meet and exceed client and affiliate expectations. These accomplished operators will explain how to do it right!
Next, attend our Client Travel Panel moderated by Sharenow and featuring Megan Archambeault of MGM Resorts and Jennifer Landaz of Access Destination Services, which will shine a spotlight on hospitality, DMC, and even private aviation. Developing a solid corporate structure can set you and your company up for success. With that in mind, consider our other 9:30 a.m. session, Structuring for Prosperity. During this discussion, corporate tax expert and attorney Drew Morris of Nachmias Morris & Alt will explore strategies to develop your corporate organization, handle staff compensation and benefits, and manage your assets.
TUESDAY, MARCH 7
A winning affiliate relationship is more like a marriage than you might think, and you have to work at it. The Key to a Successful Affiliate Relationship, our lead-off session on Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m.—featuring moderator Andy Hernandez of CTA Worldwide and panelists Faith Glasgow of Peak Limousine and Kelly Devlin of Premier Transportation Services—will cover the top 10 things you need to do to ensure a long-term, profitable, and mutually beneficial affiliate partnership. Consider this a primer for our always-popular Affiliate Central Global Forum taking place on Tuesday afternoon.
Also at 8:30 a.m. is the return of our popular interactive roundtable sessions. In Rescue the Service Failure, you’ll accompany your fellow operators in breakout groups to discuss and troubleshoot innovative solutions for overcoming the familiar and not-so-common service failures we all face. In this highly collaborative session with moderators Athena Grimm of BAC Transportation, Douglas Schwartz of Executive Limousine, and Scott Woodruff of Majestic Limousine & Coach, you'll learn from your peers on how to wow your customer and be the hero when the chips are down on your services.
Does your company have a pricing strategy plan? If not, our session Essential Steps to Maximize Gross Profits With Strategic Vehicle Pricing is for you. Moderated by Sharenow, our panel of industry experts—Christina Nguyen of Concierge Limousine, Jordan Picard of SWAN Limousine & Charters, and Jason Taylor of Prestige Transportation—will guide you in the process of how to identify and adopt a pricing structure the that will maximize your gross profits. It’s a balancing act but when done correctly, a strategic approach to your pricing can make a big difference to your bottom line.
Running concurrently is the return of our International Panel Discussion, a globe-spanning session moderated by Colin Devine of Connect Chauffeurs, that will look at the issues facing operators outside of the United States. Expert panelists include Michael O’Hare of TBR Global, Guillaume Connan of Chabe, Michael Oldenburg of United Limousines, and Neil Davies of Secure Ground Transportation.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
Our final day of educational content begins with a session for operators new to the motorcoach world. At 9:00 a.m., head to You Bought a Bus…Now What? to get answers and tips from those who are well versed in the world of buses, shuttles, and motorcoaches. Moderator Woodruff and a panel of three operators—TJ Doyle of Gold Shield Limousine, Joe Reinhardt of Carolina Limousine & Coach, and Michael McNeff of Cooper-Global Chauffeured Transportation—will field your questions about running that big metal in your fleet!
Then, at 10:30 a.m., speakers Nina Parson of Company Car & Limousine and Ken Lucci of Driving Transactions will give their advice on Building Your Sales Pipeline & Growing Your Local Book. Struggling to grow your local sales leads and contracts? Unsure of what a sales pipeline is or even how to build one? The idea of building a vigorous sales pipeline may sound daunting, but once you understand the structural needs and stages, it’s not so overwhelming. Our sales “hunters” will teach you how to set one up and use it to market your company to gain lucrative local customers.
In the meantime, have you booked your stay at the fabulous MGM Grand? Time is running out on our amazing $135/night room block deal (Sun-Wed). Take advantage of this incredible deal before it expires on February 17. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to save big bucks.
Visit cdnlavegas.com for more information.
[02.14.23]