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- Category: Industry News
The American Bus Association (ABA) is sending out an urgent message to its members and anyone in the motorcoach industry to contact their elected representatives. Congress is working on fiscal year 2022 annual funding, and ABA says that more funding is needed for the CERTS grant program to save the motorcoach industry.
“Even though we are still waiting for the Treasury Department to release the first round of funding, we already know the program is oversubscribed and needs more funding. So, our House of Representatives CERTS champions from last year have put together a letter on our behalf, making this request—but we need to have other legislators sign-on,” read the call to action posted on the ABA website. “It is through your grassroots outreach last year to legislators that the CERTS program was passed, we need your outreach now to keep it alive.”
The CERTS Act was passed late last year as one of the final COVID aid measures of the Trump administration. Since then, the new program has been being developed by the Treasury Department, and the industry is awaiting the opportunity to apply for the funding. The program applies liberally to numerous passenger transportation sector (although not luxury ground transportation), and ABA fears that little money will be left over for motorcoach operators who have been severely impacted in the past year during the shutdowns.
ABA has crafted a sample letter to send to your representative, which is available on the association’s website. Calls were also very instrumental in helping to get the original bill to the finish line.
Contact information:
House Staff
Senate Staff
Visit buses.org for more information.
[04.23.21]
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- Category: Industry News
NFI Group, an independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in electric mass mobility solutions, announced that its electric vehicles (EVs) have collectively traveled more than 40 million zero-emission miles. Through this milestone, NFI EVs have prevented nearly 150,000 imperial tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from entering the environment—the equivalent of removing 23,000 cars from the road for one year.
In addition, NFI announced that New Flyer Infrastructure Solutions, NFI’s full-suite infrastructure project management service, has now installed more than 200 EV chargers.
“Today’s achievements are tomorrow’s gains. In reaching 40 million electric miles across NFI’s EV line up, we continue to decrease the carbon footprint of transportation while delivering clean, safe, quiet mobility powered by our advanced zero-emission technology,” said Paul Soubry, NFI president and chief executive officer. “Decades of strengthening our core competencies—including scalable customized manufacturing, lifetime service and support, technology innovation, and workforce development—have led to these milestones and established NFI as a leader in the EV market.”
NFI’s industry-leading EV offering includes the broadest range of vehicles: single and double-deck heavy-duty transit buses, motor coaches, and medium-duty buses. NFI has been manufacturing electric vehicles since 1969, and its current offering includes battery-electric and fuel-cell electric variants.
xcelsior CHARGE NG
NFI meets urban mobility demands through a unique four pillar approach, including:
- vehicles (buses and coaches)
- infrastructure
- smart, connected technology
- workforce development
This approach directly meets the call posed by this year’s Earth Day theme to “Restore Our Earth,” inviting innovative thinking, emerging green technologies, and climate restoration to ecosystems.
“In recognition of Earth Day, NFI is committed to leading electrification of mass mobility around the world,” said Soubry. “With over 600 engineers globally, our ability to design and deploy sustainable technology is unmatched. We remain relentless in our delivery of four-pillar mobility solutions, as well as our ultimate pursuit of more livable communities, cleaner air, decreased GHG emissions, and a protected environment—all of which contribute to mitigating climate change.”
NFI is a leader in zero-emission mobility with battery-electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles operating in more than 80 cities in four countries that have completed over 40 million electric service miles. NFI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center, the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus and motor coach technology and providing essential workforce development through electric bus training, now available online. NFI is testing automated vehicle technology and remains committed to the development of technology standards that deliver safe, clean, sustainable, connected mobility options to communities.
Visit nfigroup.com for more information.
[04.22.21]
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The leading national motorcoach associations, the American Bus Association (ABA) and United Motorcoach Association (UMA), kicked off a busy spring last week when ABA held its Virtual Fly-In, while UMA hosts its first in-person Expo this week since the beginning of the pandemic.
ABA brought D.C. to the people—virtually—with its Fly-In, held on April 14. The day is usually a way for association members to meet with their elected representatives about issues affecting the industry, but the pandemic (as usual) had other ideas. The Fly-In was streamed and is still available for anyone to listen in here. Speakers included Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Acting FMCSA Administrator Meera Joshi, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Rep. David Price (D-N.C.), and Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
Meanwhile, the UMA is excited about hosting its Motorcoach Expo at the Orlando Convention Center starting this Wednesday, April 21. The meeting represents more than just the first time the industry is getting together in person in a year; it’s also a celebration of the association’s 50th anniversary. There will also be special sessions, which can be attended virtually, including its Mechanic Training on April 23 at 10 a.m., hosted by Prevost’s Director Aftermarket Training, North America Robert Hitt (register here), and its virtual driver training hosted by Bob Crescenzo of Lancer Insurance on April 23 at 9 a.m. (register here). The full schedule of events is available at motorcoachexpo.com.
Operators in the mid-Atlantic region are also invited to the Spring Operators Meeting being held jointly by the Maryland Motorcoach Association (MMA) and the Virginia Motorcoach Association. The in-person meeting is scheduled for May 10-12 at Virginia Crossings in Glen Allen, Va. For more information, a tentative agenda, and to register for the event, click here.
If you have a meeting you’d like us to share with our readers, please email Editors Susan Rose or Rob Smentek at susan@chauffeurdriven.com or rob@chauffeurdriven.com.
[04.20.21]