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Arden Theatre Joins PBA
Arden Theatre is located in the heart of Old City, Philadelphia, just blocks away from historical attractions such as The Betsy Ross House, The Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall.
Arden Theatre produces a wide range of stories in a variety of styles – classic and contemporary, intimate and epic, musical and dramatic – and have a commitment to stories that highlight the diversity of people and human experiences. Producing the great playwrights allows them to measure themselves against the masters of the craft, while sharing the voices of new writers and emerging theatre companies gives them the opportunity to advance the community and the American theatre.
Contact: Theodore Harris 215-922-1122 or tjharris@ardentheatre.org
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Martz Bus Wins Three Safety Awards
PBA Member, Martz Bus had the privilege of winning three out of six Trailways Fleet Service for Safety Awards in both the Charter/Tour and Scheduled Route Divisions for our PA and FL locations. Scott Henry accepted the award on behalf of Martz at the annual Trailways Conference in Nashville in January.
The 2023 Fleet Service for Safety awards won by Martz Bus included:
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Less Than One Million Miles Traveled
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Charter/Tour Division
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Most Improved
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Charter/Tour Division
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Less Than Two Million Miles Traveled
St. Petersburg, FL
Scheduled Route Division
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Anderson Coach and Travel Wins Spirit Award
The IMG Spirit Award is given to the IMG company that displays the spirit of IMG philosophies, best practices and operations for maintenance, training and safety while demonstrating leadership that benefits fellow members and the IMG Organization. This year's award went to PBA Member, Anderson Coach and Travel! Congratulations! Read more...
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Group Travel All-Stars!
From experienced veterans to rookies set to make their mark on the group travel industry, Leisure Group Travel’s All-Stars spotlights some of the professionals who are setting themselves apart in this competitive field. Congratulations to our Members on the list! Read more...
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Kuztown Folk Festival – Nominated USA Today 10 Best Cultural Festivals
PBA Member, Kutztown Folk Festival has been nominated for 2024 10 Best Readers' Choice travel awards! Their expert panel selected Kutztown Folk Festival as a contender for Best Cultural Festival, which just launched. This contest gives voters four weeks to vote for the candidate of their choice. A person can vote once a day for the run of the contest.
Voting ends Monday, March 18th and the winners will be announced on 10Best on Friday, March 29th at 12:00pm EDT. You can read the official rules here.
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The Bus Network's Latest Power Move
PBA Member, The Bus Network (TBN) is excited to announce a significant expansion to their team, marking a new chapter in their path to making the motorcoach industry better at every turn. They warmly welcome Brian Gens, a seasoned industry expert with over two decades of experience, as the latest addition to our sales force. Read more...
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PBA Scholarship Program - Application Period is Open Until April 30
The goal of the PBA scholarship is to support Member education goals and to encourage the pursuit of formal education. Formal education includes trade certification, specialized training and of course, college. There will be two annual scholarships awarded in the amount of $1,000 each.
The first scholarship will be awarded at PBA’s 2024 Annual Conference. The application period is between January 1 and April 30, 2024.
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Nominees will be invited to the Annual Conference. Visit the Scholarship webpage for eligibility criteria. | |
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Pittsburgh International Airport Ground Transportation Permits, Rules & Regulations Response
PBA shared feedback from our members with the Pittsburgh International Airport regarding current ground transportation permits and rules and regulations. We received a response from Allegheny County Airport and although their response was non-committal, they are taking our suggestions into consideration. Read the letter.
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Interested in Joining a PBA Committee?
PBA has seven active, volunteer-based committees in the areas of Executive, Annual Conference, Ethics. Legislative & Advocacy, Marketplace, Membership and Nominating.
Visit the Committee page where you can view each committee and members, email the committees and/or contact Pattie Cowley to join!
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Submit Your Public Comment for Congestion Pricing by March 11
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced details of a public comment period of the tolling structure that has been proposed for Central Business District Tolling, New York’s congestion pricing program.
The agency will accept written and audio comments until March 11, 2024, and will hold four hybrid virtual/in-person public hearings in February and March.
Members of the public may submit written comments online and by email, mail and fax, and may submit audio comments by leaving a voicemail message. All comments will be recorded and submitted for review. Get more information.
Online: https://contact.mta.info/s/forms/CBDTP
Email: cbdtp.feedback@mtabt.org
Mail: CBD Tolling Program, 2 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10004
Phone: 646-252-7440
Fax: Send to (212) 504-3148 with Attention to CBDTP Team.
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Submit Your Public Comment for the FMCSA Proposed New Rulemaking to Increase Flexibility for State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) & CDL Applicants by April 2
The FMCSA proposes to increase flexibility for State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) and commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants:
- By expanding applicants’ ability to take a CDL skills test in a State other than their State of domicile;
- Permitting a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holder who has passed the CDL skills test to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on public roads without having a qualified CDL holder in the passenger seat; and
- Eliminating the requirement that an applicant wait at least 14 days to take the CDL skills test following initial issuance of the CLP.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is posted and is available for public view. Comments from the public are due no later than April 2nd, 2024.
If you agree that a commercial driver (Class A of Class B) should not have to go through the hassle and expense of having to retake the road test that they have already taken in order to drive a bus, please click this link.
All you need to do is hit the comment button, identify yourself and make the comment. It should take less than 5 minutes. Your input is very important to make our struggle to hire drivers heard.
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2024 Marketplace Registration Closed! | |
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We are busy preparing for the upcoming 2024 Marketplace, being held March 25-26, 2024 in State College and hosted by The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau!
Registered Marketplace Exhibitors, the PBA Marketplace Committee is hosting an informational virtual session before the Marketplace on March 8, 2024, at 10:30AM EST. We highly encourage you to register. Get info!
If you haven't already, make sure you make your hotel room reservation by the deadline! Reservations may be made through March 1, 2024, at the special group rates.
Marriott SpringHill Suites: $129++
Call 814-867-1807 and give the code PBAC, or click this link.
Hampton Inn & Suites: $129++
Call 814-231-1899 and give the code PBA, or click this link.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites: $119++
Call 814-231-1800 and give the code PBA, or click this link.
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AS ALWAYS, WE THANK OUR SPONSORS! | |
2024 Annual Conference - Registration is Open! | |
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The 2024 Annual Conference will be hosted by Visit Ithaca in Ithaca, NY June 17-20, 2024! We will be experiencing the area with FAMS, Dine-Around Night and Opening & Closing venues at area partners.
Note, to receive Member pricing, you must be recognized by the member portal, identified by your email or you can login to the system.
If you have not created an account yet, please do so today.
Note, if you attend the 2024 Marketplace, you can get discounted pricing for the Annual Conference, by the registration deadline of 4/24/24, using the Marketplace promo code.
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A 2024 Annual Conference Sponsorship is a great way to promote your organization! There are many opportunities in which you can choose, from sponsoring a session, meal or placing an advertisement in the meeting program. View the available sponsorships and then when registering, select it on your registration form.
Special hotel rates are being provided by our host hotel, Hotel Ithaca. Reserve your hotel room at our special discounted rate of $149.00/night. Cut-off date: May 17th.
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INDUSTRY AND COMMONWEALTH NEWS | |
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CVSA's International Roadcheck Is Scheduled for May 14-16
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck is scheduled for May 14-16. International Roadcheck is a high-visibility, high-volume commercial motor vehicle inspection and regulatory compliance enforcement initiative that takes place over three days in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
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CDC Plans to Drop Five-day COVID Isolation Guidelines
The Center for Disease Control plans to recommend people who test positive for COVID-19 to take a call on when to end isolation based on their symptoms. Read more...
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FTA Webinar on Bus Procurement Best Practices February 29th
The COVID pandemic, combined with longstanding transit agency procurement practices, has created significant challenges for transit vehicle manufacturers, resulting in supply chain issues in the bus sector.
At the webinar, presenters will provide an update on the current U.S. bus market and highlight procurement tools, guidance and resources recommended by FTA. They will also review flexibilities available to transit agencies to help lower bus costs and simplify procurements. Transit agency leaders, fleet managers, legal, finance, and procurement staff, and others involved in supporting bus and bus facilities purchases are encouraged to attend. Register for this FTA webinar.
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FMCSA Questioned on Studies Added to Safety Fitness Rulemaking
A group of trade associations is warning federal regulators against including data the groups consider too old and irrelevant for use in developing a rule aimed at determining if a trucking company should stay in business. Read more...
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Benefits of Motorcoach Seatbelt Use Cited by Boston Globe
Seat belts are highly effective in bus rollover crashes. A recent article in the Boston Globe shares the latest strides of Sara's Wish Foundation in promoting passenger safety at Boston’s South Station terminal. Their ongoing seatbelt research, a collaborative effort between the UMass Transportation Center, the Foundation, the motor coach industry, government, and stakeholders, aims to enhance "Buckle up" messaging for a safer travel experience. Read more...
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CDL Schools, Driver Training Programs Focus on the Right Fit
The driver shortage and turnover are top concerns within the trucking industry, and insiders contend commercial driver license schools and training programs play a critical role in attracting new entrants, educating applicants about the lifestyle challenges that come along with being a professional driver, and matching drivers with the right fleet. Read more...
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Joint Venture EV Charging Network Ionna Begins Operations
Seven leading automakers’ electric vehicle charging joint venture, Ionna, has received regulatory approval to begin operations, the company announced. Read more...
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Domestic Tourism Is Growing After the Pandemic
People tend to travel domestically despite growing demand for international tourism, a travel agency said, adding that lower costs make it attractive. Read more...
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ICYMI
Alerts, Invitations, Press Releases, and more are sent out to our Members as needed. Here are the emails we sent out since last Go News below.
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PBA maintains active Social Media Platforms. In addition to the emailed communications we send to you, we actively share information to our platforms. We encourage you to LIKE US, FOLLOW US and ENGAGE with us! #pabus | | | | |
