I still remember the guy, at least his last name — Parrish. I can see him in my mind as the TV reporter stuck the microphone in front of him. Reluctantly, he spoke; but first some background.

North Fulton County in the late 1970s and early 1980s was still at best a bedroom community of Atlanta but not quite a suburb. There were many farms and it was still a place where someone could buy a plot of land and have a house built with maybe a few acres to boot. People were usually trying to get away from either Atlanta or its ever-sprawling suburbs.

Old timers quickly recalled how North Fulton was originally Milton County and had nothing to do with Fulton County or Atlanta. Faced with financial woes in the early 1930s and only one paved road, they merged with Fulton County separated by Roswell, GA, which belonged to nearby Cobb County. Negotiations ensued and Roswell was soon turned over to Fulton County to create a “land bridge.” You can see it on a map today.

A few decades later those in North Fulton who enjoyed the peaceful life regretted the merger. Talk of secession was popular but would never be. A four lane state highway went up and by the early 1980s the developers saw gold and the annexing game started. Two small cities of Roswell and Alpharetta, which were towns only a few years earlier, began annexing and many of those that thought they were out of the reach of city taxes and other encumbrances like zoning laws found their tranquil world was about to change. That brings me to Mr. Parrish.

About to be annexed

Apparently Mr. Parrish enjoyed the country life and discovered he was about to be annexed into the fair city of Alpharetta and decided to attend a town hall meeting to voice his opposition to being annexed. After the town hall meeting the reporter snagged Mr. Parrish for his comment that I remember so clearly: “I don’t want any more or any less, I just want to be left alone.”

Although poignant, one reason I remember Mr. Parrish’s comment was that I knew he was going to lose. Politicians, city planners and developers had worked out their plans long before Mr. Parrish saw the zoning signs go up. There were meetings, official and otherwise. Mr. Parrish was late to a game he likely wanted no part of. Nevertheless, he was in the game and he lost.

Bus and motorcoach operators are generally a great bunch of folks. The best part of my job is working with them, often admiring the businesses they have built, many of them multigenerational. Even in tough economies, like today, they find ways to not only survive but also thrive. Over time, many if not most bus and motorcoach operators I have met along the way remind me of Mr. Parrish. Good folks, minding their own business and just want to be left alone. This is not only improbable; it is costing them opportunities and ultimately money.

Like it or not, the transportation of passengers is a political business and one that local, state and Federal governments have great interest. Although no longer economically regulated, politicians, regulators, planners and others are weaving plans — plans that can and will ultimately affect every bus and motorcoach company in the nation.

Don’t wait until there is an issue

If you have not attended a local transportation planning meeting lately, spoken with a state legislator, or written your U.S. Senator, you may find yourself behind the proverbial eight ball. Waiting until there is an issue is often just too late, especially in a business that we already “share” with the government. Operators who begin to engage the political system are often surprised to discover new business flowing their way and opportunities they otherwise would have likely missed.

So what’s an operator to do? Here’s my beginner’s list:

• Attend your local transit meetings.

• Attend a Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting.

• Join your state association and take an active role.

• You have great story to tell. Write your State Representative and Senator. Tell them how you have invested financially in your community and about the services you provide and generally who use them. Tell them about the jobs you have created. If you have a state lobbyist, copy them on the letter and advise them of any contacts or responses you may have.

• Financially support the elections of those that support you. A $50 or a $100 campaign contribution from a constituent goes a long way.

• Join your national association (I’m partial to the United Motorcoach Association).

• Write your U.S. House Representative and Senator. Again, tell them how you have invested financially in your community and about the services you provide and generally who use them.

• Tell them about the jobs you have created. Copy your national association on the letter and advise them of any contacts or responses you may have. Contribute to their PAC.

If ever there was a time to be engaged, this is it. The stakes are high: your business.

Ken Presley is Vice President of Industry Relations for the United Motorcoach Association, Alexandria, VA. [ www.uma.org ]

As you may have heard, U.S. Senator Patty Murray introduced language in an appropriations bill that prohibited the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from enforcing the Charter Service Rule regarding King County Metro Transit in Seattle. While the Charter Service Rule remained unchanged, there was simply no one left to enforce the rule and King County Metro Transit promptly began offering charter service to the Seattle Mariners and Seattle Sounders events.

With King County Metro Transit violating the Charter Service Rule and nowhere for the bus and motorcoach industry to turn since the law prohibited FTA from enforcing the rule, the courts were the last resort.

Murray Amendment ruled unconstitutional

The United Motorcoach Association (UMA) and the American Bus Association filed separate and distinct lawsuits in the District of Columbia Federal Court. After oral arguments from both associations, U. S. Distract Court Judge Ellen Huvelle ruled on June 9th that the Murray Amendment is unconstitutional.

The court held that Sen. Patty Murray’s Amendment violates both the First Amendment right to petition the government and the Fifth Amendment Equal Protection Clause. The court rejected the government’s argument that the Murray Amendment was a valid economic regulation and issued an order requiring the FTA to enforce the charter rule against King County Metro immediately.

The Department of Justice under President Obama’s administration chose to file an appeal to overturn the decision and requested a stay. The appellate court granted an administrative stay that expired on July 8th and as of this writing we await the court’s decision regarding a continued stay. There will be vigorous arguments to follow regarding the judge’s decision and the constitutionality of the amendment. Regardless of the outcome of the court case great concerns still remain.

First and foremost, bus and motorcoach company owners should be aware that a number of legislators expressed interest in adding transit operations in their home districts to the amendment; thereby essentially exempting from the Charter Service Rule.

Second, to become law, the amendment was passed as part of a transportation spending bill that passed both Houses of Congress. To be sure, there were legislators that simply never heard from bus and motorcoach company owners and management. Be assured they are hearing from the transit authorities and the constituents who enjoy subsidized charters.

Charter Service Rule

Senator Murray claims she supports the private sector but has vowed to see legislation that permits transits to provide service to special events. We respectfully disagree with her contention of support for the private sector. Those who really support the private sector also support the Charter Service Rule as it currently stands, and they work tirelessly to see that private bus and motorcoach operators obtain the business and serve the public safely, efficiently and economically.

The question we pose today to every bus and motorcoach operator in the country is this: Do you know where your House Representative and U.S. Senators stand on protecting your company from unfair federally funded transits impeding on your business?

If not, we encourage you to write, fax or email your representatives today and find out. You may be surprised. This is not the time to procrastinate, be shy or assume someone else will take care of it. Elected representatives need and want to hear from their constituents.

As always, please let the United Motorcoach Association know how we can support your efforts.

Ken Presley is Vice President of Industry Relations of United Motorcoach Association, Alexandria, VA. [ www.uma.org ]

By Victor Parra

Could you use more charter work? Your answer should be a resounding, yes — unless you are not a motorcoach operator or hiding under a rock. The better question, of course, is how do you get more charter work?

The few tried and true solutions are to make connections with your current customers to get referrals, promote your company to your local community and advertise in the yellow pages.

Let’s focus on that last one, the Yellow Pages.

While advertising in the Yellow Pages is the method of choice for most motorcoach operators, our annual member survey and industry assessment is starting to show a shift toward online advertising.

Web advertising growth

That shift alone may be the answer to getting more charter work. Our annual surveys show that in the past two years alone when we ask our members to report the marketing tools they currently use, Yellow Pages advertising have dropped nearly 15 percent, while website advertising has jumped by 15 percent.

The fact that just about everything is online these days is undeniable — newspapers, magazines, shopping, music all are online. You name it and it probably incorporates a web presence — not to mention you are reading this blog online right now.

Build a presence

With sites such as Expedia.com, Hotelplanner.com and Travelocity.com, travel and tourism is definitely online. Inviting motorcoach operators to do more advertising online doesn’t seem too far of a stretch, does it? But what does building a stronger a Web presence actually entail?

In addition to setting up your own website to make it easier for potential customers to shop for your services, it also means developing banner ads and listings on related websites that lead potential customers back to your website and to your company.

Think about your local convention and visitor’s bureau, and the local destinations and attractions in your area. Visitors coming to your area are bound to check out those websites, so look to see if those sites offer any advertising or listing opportunities that will expand your visibility.

Could you use more charter work? Of course. How do you get more charter work?

The answer is probably online.

Victor Parra is president and CEO of United Motorcoach Association, Alexandria, VA. [www.uma.org]