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More than 40 mayors from around the country, working with the US Travel Association (USTA), are calling on the Biden administration to do more to reduce the wait times for visas for those visiting the US. The backlog, which can be more than a year in some cases, has had an impact on US tourism at a time when recovery is still fragile.
A bipartisan letter was sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week and offered a four-point plan to improve visitor visa processing. Included among the signatories were the mayors of New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Orlando, Philadelphia, Nashville, and Washington, D.C.
In the letter, the mayors noted that the 43 percent of international visitors who required visas came to the US and represented more than $120 billion in spending in 2019 alone. According to a survey from USTA, the wait times have had a significant impact on US tourism, and visitors are often choosing to travel to—and spend in—other countries that aren’t seeing such lingering disruptions. Further delays could result in an additional $7 billion lost in 2023.
According to research from the USTA released last month: “Interview wait times for the top 10 inbound visa-requiring markets (excluding China) still exceed 400 days. However, global average wait times have dropped below 150 days for the first time since 2021.” Currently, visitors from Brazil, India, and Mexico are experiencing the highest wait times, often nearing a two-year backlog, but that is down from the previous high of 999 days in some cases. You can check for current wait times here.
The State Department has taken action in recent months, including waiving interview requirements for worker (especially seasonal) and student visas, as well as opening consulates and embassies on Saturdays to process visas, which have been dubbed “Super Saturdays.” The State Department has also been hiring additional personnel with the goal of reducing wait times to 120 days or fewer.
The entire letter can be read here.
[02.14.23]
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Charleston, S.C.-based Coastal Limo is honored to celebrate the first anniversary of their acquisition of Diamond Transportation. The husband-and-wife team of Matt and Marina Miller started their first black-car service venture in Charleston, SC in 2012. Since then, they have expanded their capabilities to a fleet of 48 vehicles, providing a comprehensive transportation service to the Charleston area and beyond.
Coastal Limo believes that its growth can be directly attributed to its strong sales-focused team, led by Group Sales Manager Amanda Hays and Retail Sales Manager Shanklin Wilson. Hays joined Coastal over five years ago and brings her expertise to the group transportation team. Dividing the sales team into two sectors has allowed each individual department to apply different strategies and tools to their sales approach.
In late 2021, the Millers were considering expanding their services into the Savannah and Hilton Head, when they were presented with the opportunity to acquire Diamond Transportation. Diamond services Bluffton, Hilton Head, and Savannah, Ga., and has a strong presence in Jacksonville, Fla., where they frequently travel upon request.
Marina and Matt Miller of Coastal Limousine of Charleston
Coastal Limo was thrilled to have nearly all their staff stay on throughout the conversion, so there were no interruptions in the process or quality of service. Diamond Operations Manager Robert Lucas also agreed to stay on and is a huge asset, bringing strong leadership to the company while also fostering a deep-rooted family culture, according to the owners.
“A year ago, when I learned Diamond was being sold, I was kind of uncertain. Then I met Matt and Marina and learned their vision for the future. This gave me hope. This last year has gone beyond my expectations, not only with the growth and perfect blending of families, but to say I love my job and family doesn’t come close,” says Lucas.
“The office and chauffeur staff at Diamond have been extremely welcoming to new technology and changes in their day-to-day work,” adds Matt Miller. “Chauffeurs have gone from using paper trip sheets and driver logs to using apps for everything they do. The transition was a bit painful at first, but the staff of nearly 40 have placed their trust in Marina and me and allowed us to implement many adjustments that have without a doubt had a huge impact on our growth there.”
Visit coastallimocharleston.com and hiltonheadrides.com for more information.
[02.14.23]
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Fresh off last week’s State of the Union Address, where President Joe Biden touted his administration’s historic investment in climate initiatives like electric vehicles, Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Minnesota facility of bus manufacturer New Flyer of America on February 9, producers of the Xcelsior and Xcelsor CHARGE line of buses (including electric and hybrid). New Flyer is a division of the NFI Group, which is also the parent company of motorcoach manufacturer MCI.
Harris addressed a crowd of several hundred, including St. Cloud, Minnesota, Mayor Dave Kleis. Harris toured the assembly line where New Flyer’s most advanced e-bus, Xcelsior CHARGE NG, is produced, according to a release from the company. The Xcelsior CHARGE NG has already been adopted by numerous transit authorities across the country.
“Buses are our nation’s most popular form of public transportation,” she said to the crowd. “The electric buses being built in this factory are a model of American innovation and key to the future of public transportation. In 2009, then Vice President Joe Biden stood in this plant, when at the time you were building cutting-edge hybrid electric buses, and said, ‘NFI is an example of the future.’ A lot has changed in the last 14 years, but one thing has not; you are still an example of America’s future.”
Vice President Kamala Harris tours New Flyer of America
Last year, the bipartisan infrastructure bill allocated billions over several years toward electric vehicles writ large, including e-buses. More recently, Harris has spoken about the availability of grants—more than $5 billion over the next five years--to allow school districts to switch over to electric buses.
“It was fantastic to host Vice President Harris at our New Flyer facility in Minnesota, providing us with an opportunity to showcase our incredible team, our facility, and our industry leading solutions. The benefits of the Biden Harris administration’s record investments in public transportation were on display as we walked our production floor and sat on buses destined for cities across America. We were also able to discuss opportunities for the administration to assist our manufacturing industry as we recover from the effects of global supply disruption and prolonged inflation,” said NFI President & CEO Paul Soubry.
NFI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center, the first and only innovation lab of its kind in the United States dedicated to advancing bus and coach zero-emission technology and workforce development. Since opening in late 2017, it has hosted over 350 interactive events, welcoming 7,000 industry professionals for zero-emission bus and infrastructure training, according to the company.
Visit newflyer.com for more information.
[02.14.23]