The Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association (GNJMA) has adopted its new name as the Greater Northeast Motorcoach Association (GNEMA) after members overwhelmingly approved the measure. The announcement was made on the association’s website earlier this month.
The 43-year-old association has grown from their roots as an Atlantic City-based organization for private bus companies—previously known as Atlantic City Bus Owner’s Association—and now boasts members from New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Maine. Their previous name change came in January 2004 when it became known as a statewide organization.
GNEMA’s President Tim Stout of Stout’s Transportation in Ewing, N.J., explained the move to Bus & Motorcoach News: “We are rebranding our name because our members that are part of our association are located throughout the Northeast, not just in the greater New Jersey region. It is similar to when the Atlantic City Bus Association members expanded into regions throughout the greater New Jersey area.” Stout has served as the association’s president since 2011.
In addition to the association’s advocacy and lobbying efforts on behalf of bus operators servicing the North Atlantic and beyond, they also hold several meetings and events during the year dedicated to industry education and networking. The next meeting will be their upcoming Spring Association Meeting this April 8-9 in Lahaska, Pa. (just north of Philadelphia), followed by their Fall Annual Meeting, scheduled for September17-19 at a to-be-determined location. The association will also host the American Bus Association’s Bus Industry Safety Council (BISC) East meeting on November 13. Additional information is available about the events on their website at gnjma.com.
In the announcement, the association also noted that it would offer “benefits for members to align with their state, including providing significant influence when engaging with elected officials and politicians regarding our industry’s needs.”
The website currently remains unchanged at gnjma.com.
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