Trailways Traveler - November 2023 Edition |
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A Word from Our Chairwoman
Howdy, Partners!
It is hard to believe that my 2 years as Board Chair are ending in January. This has been a crazy time as we continue to rebuild and fine-tune our individual organizations and the Trailways organization.
First, attendance and excitement is building for our 2024 Annual Conference scheduled for January 9-11 in Nashville! Have you checked out the schedule, yet? If not, please click here to navigate to our conference website. If you have not yet made your reservations, please take care of it today. The deadline is December 9th.
Also, in case you missed it, we recently announced this year’s theme for the Annual Trailways Conference costume party will be a Western Rodeo theme. Come in costume and get ready for a Rootin'- Tootin' good time!
Of special note, we invite you to bring your charter rep (or the whole team!) for valuable charter-specific discussions.
We have a great program planned, but we need you in-person to help us shape the future in this ever-changing industry. We need to hear how we can work together best to make Trailways better than ever!
Lastly, a huge shout-out to all our current sponsors! We appreciate you! For the current listing, see below. There are still sponsorships available.
See you on the Trail!
Amy Brooks
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Trailways couldn't hold this conference without the support of our generous sponsors.
There are many available sponsorships to fit your budget. Options are available on the registration form and also here.
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Thank You to Our Current Sponsors! |
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On October 17 & 18, Members of the Trailways Inc. and Trailways.com boards met for a combined Fall board meeting at the Sofitel Hotel in Philadelphia. At this meeting, our leadership celebrated an important sales milestone for our online home. Trailways.com and Trailways.ca reached 25 million dollars in gross bus ticket sales in just under four years!
In addition to the business meetings of the two organizations, they were greeted by Annie Jirapatnakul from the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau who shared new offerings in Philadelphia. They are gearing up to host several large conferences in the next few years. Most notably to us, among them is the ABA Marketplace in January of 2025.
We are looking forward to gathering in Nashville in January 2024 and continuing to do the work for our Trailways members and partners.
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Trailways.com Chief Technology Officer Tabor Wells celebrated his one-year anniversary with Trailways during the jointly held Trailways and Trailways.com Board Meetings in Philadelphia. Tabor joined Trailway's digital group in late 2022 in order to help grow the North American city-to- city booking platform. He joins our company following a decade plus of leading software engineering teams at companies such as Wanderu.com and TripAdvisor. Congratulations! |
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Team Trailways About Town!
On the way back they stopped at fellow Trailways partner, Westpoint Trailways and had lunch at the theater hotel.
Fullington utilized West Point for their step-on guide service, and it just so happened the two Trailways partners were parked together in front of the Thayer Hotel! Thanks to Jonathan Berzas for sharing this photo!
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Martz Bus Celebrates Dedicated Employees
For many years, these incredible individuals have gone above and beyond to ensure our passengers' journeys were safe, comfortable, and memorable. Martz Bus honors their dedication, hard work, and the countless memories they've created along the way. |
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Trailways Announces New Partnership With Indian Trails
Trailways has announced a new domestic partnership with Indian Trails Inc., of Owosso, MI. The new alliance will bring Indian Trails’ growing list of unique destinations to the Trailways’ digital sales platform online at Trailways.com and Trailways.ca. Read more... |
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VIA Trailways Hosts Customer Service and Safety Academy
Drivers and staff attended the VIA Trailways Customer Service and Safety Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada. This was a company-wide event that brought together teams from California and Arizona for three days of workshops, networking and team building activities. The customer service training provided employees with the proper techniques and best practices for communicating with customers effectively, handling situations that escalate, and successfully solving the customer's problems. Safety training aided staff members in identifying safety hazards and addressing them, along with understanding approved practices and safety expectations. |
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ABC Companies Introduces a Fleet Refurbishment Program
ABC Companies has unveiled a fleet refurbishment program, which it says will add years of life to an in-service fleet while offering a budget-friendly alternative to vehicle replacements. Read more...
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NFI Vehicles Eligible for Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit
NFI Group Inc. and its subsidiaries, including Motor Coach Industries Inc., are qualified manufacturers for the commercial clean vehicle credit under the Inflation Reduction Act, making their customers eligible for up to $40,000 in federal tax credits per electric vehicle. There is no limit as to the number of tax credits a business can claim. NFI will provide its customers with information regarding how to claim this credit for their vehicle purchases. Read more... |
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Megabus, Busbud Partner to Expand Offerings in U.S., Canada
Global ground transportation booking platform Busbud is partnering with Megabus to increase access to bus travel throughout the U.S. and Canada. Megabus' more than 500 cities served will now be available to reserve through Busbud's convenient booking platform for a seamless travel transportation experience. This includes Megabus' most popular routes, such as Houston to San Antonio, Atlanta to Charlotte, Washington DC to Baltimore, and Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, among many other options. Read more... |
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Trailways Annual Safety Awards Program
Submissions Due November 20th!
In case you missed it, the 2023 Annual Safety Awards will be honored at the 2024 Safety Awards Luncheon, sponsored by MCI, during Trailways Annual Conference in Nashville, TN.
This year we are requesting the miles for the following four quarters:
Last Quarter of 2022 (October -December 2022)
First Quarter of 2023 (January -March 2023)
Second Quarter of 2023 (April -June 2023)
Third Quarter of 2023 (July -September 2023)
Information must be submitted to the Trailways Corporate Office no later than November 20th, 2023. Please submit to Sabina@trailways.com.
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Access Credentials for FMCSA Portal is Changing- Deadline December 1st
FMCSA will be changing users’ login credentials for accessing the FMCSA Portal for enhanced security and compliance with the Federal Mandate for Multifactor Authentication. Users will access the FMCSA Portal through a Login.Gov account instead of using your current FMCSA Portal username and password. Users will lose access to the Portal unless they create a login.gov account with multifactor authentication by Dec. 1. Click here for more information.
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $160 Million Available for Smart Transportation Technology that Helps Americans Get More Out of Their Infrastructure
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced today that it is accepting applications for two programs that will make approximately $160 million available annually for the next five years for projects that use technology to improve our transportation infrastructure and make communities safer. Read more... |
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FMCSA Awards Over $125 Million in Grants to Increase Roadway Safety
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced awards of more than $125 million in grants to organizations including states, local governments, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions across the country to improve safety in work zones, rural areas and high crash corridors. The money will assist highway safety stakeholders with promoting commercial vehicle safety, add more licensed commercial truck and bus drivers, deploy technology, and prevent human trafficking. Read more... |
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House Transportation Lawmakers Spotlight Highway Trust Fund
Transportation leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives recently raised awareness about the funding needs of an account central to highway projects. Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Highways and Transit Subcommittee chairman, recently called attention to the upcoming task of identifying a sustainable source of funding for national highway programs. The account specific to such projects, the Highway Trust Fund, was stabilized temporarily by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Read more... |
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NTSB Details Events of Fatal Bus Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary findings in the September bus crash in Wawayanda that killed two people.
While the report doesn't list a cause for the crash and says "all aspects of the crash remain under investigation," the NTSB shared details of the events leading to the crash. The report says it happened past mile marker 12 of I-84 westbound near Wawayanda, with the bus, a 2014 Prevost motorcoach, crossing both the left lane and shoulder from the right lane and going off the highway. Read more... |
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Proposed ‘Mobile Driver’s Licenses’ Stirring Up Controversy
The Transportation Security Administration has issued a proposed rule for “mobile driver’s licenses,” and one group is not happy about it.
On Monday, Oct. 16, the Identity Project submitted comments in response to the notice of proposed rulemaking “Minimum Standards for Driver’s Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes; Waiver for Mobile Driver’s Licenses.” The group calls the term “mobile driver’s license” highly misleading. Read more... |
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The Free Ride for EVs May Be Over
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) and co-sponsors Pete Ricketts (R-NE); John Cornyn (R-TX); and Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY) have introduced S.2882 - Stop EV Freeloading Act, that if passed would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a $550 tax on on each battery module with a weight greater than 1,000 pounds. Read more... |
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Trucking Group Sues to Overturn California Clean-Trucks Rule
A trucking industry group challenged California's nation-leading rule requiring trucking fleets to transition to zero-emission vehicles. Read more... |
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USDOT Opens $40 Million Grant Opportunity for Connected Vehicle Technologies That Will Help Save Lives on Our Nation’s Roadways
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced that it is accepting applications under the $40 million Saving Lives with Connectivity: Accelerating V2X Deployment grant opportunity to advance connected and interoperable vehicle technologies.
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US Government Unveils Plans for Seven Clean Hydrogen Hubs
The US government has unveiled plans to develop seven regional clean hydrogen hubs across the nation. The seven hydrogen hubs will be used to spur growth in the US hydrogen market and bolster the country’s capability in supporting the clean energy carrier. This will ensure hydrogen is able to take a prominent role in the nation’s decarbonization aspirations. Read more... |
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Please share your latest news about new programs, leadership changes, anniversaries and equipment purchases with us at memberservices@trailways.com and we'll include it in an upcoming issue of Trailways Traveler!
In addition to the emailed communications we send to you, we actively share information to our Facebook and LinkedIn. We encourage you to LIKE US, FOLLOW US, and ENGAGE with us!
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As always, we thank you all for your support!
Member Services
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Trailways Charter Network
Main: 703-691-3052 x2
Toll Free: 877-467-3346
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Trailways Transportation System
3900 Jermantown Rd., Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22030
Main: 703-691-3052
Email: sabina@trailways.com
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