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]