ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso
Out in force! More than 1,600 operators, sponsors, and vendors attended the American Bus Association (ABA) Marketplace, which was held this past January 8-11 at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas. According to the association, the in-person networking and educational meeting was a triumphant return to live events for the industry, especially after the difficult two years motorcoach operators have faced. ABA says this was their largest event since January 2020.
“It was time for the industry to get back to business and we wanted to ensure we did that in the safest way possible,” said ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso. “We instituted COVID protocols for all attendees with a mask mandate and requiring vaccine or negative COVID test verification to attend. The 1600+ attendees who attended were in high spirits and it was great to be able to give our members the opportunity to reconnect and kick off their business year with positive outcomes.”
On top of dozens of educational sessions, sightseeing tours, and countless networking opportunities, the event also included a bustling business floor where more than 130 buyers were taking appointments to book tours throughout 2022 and 2023.
Additionally, ABA’s councils held meetings at Marketplace, which included the African American Motorcoach Council, Bus Industry Safety Council, Bus Maintenance & Repair Council, Hispanic Motorcoach Council, School Bus Council, and Women in Buses Council.
Pictures from the event are available here.
After such a successful return to in-person meetings, ABA looks forward to the 2023 Marketplace next February 2-8 in Detroit.
Visit marketplace.buses.org for more information.
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