The U.S motorcoach industry is requesting Congress put the motorcoaches back on the road by making available $10 billion in grants and $5 billion in zero percent interest rates to the motorcoach industry, ensuring these monies are available immediately and easily accessible.
Second only to the U.S. airline industry, the nation’s motorcoach industry provides nearly 600 million passenger trips annually and is made up of more than 3,000 mostly small family-owned, often multigeneration, companies. Nearly 100,000 employees in our industry are facing layoffs. These include drivers, mechanics, cleaners and office staff.
The American Bus Association (ABA) and the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) representing the North America’s motorcoach industry estimates the industry will lose nearly $8 billion in the next five months alone.
This impact on the industry is a direct result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These numbers will only increase as the crisis worsens, or recovery is delayed.
In reviewing the most recent data prepared by John Dunham & Associates, nearly 100% of the charter and tour market has stopped operating. This is at a time when that segment of the industry is experiencing its busiest period. Additionally, scheduled service operations providing public transportation service to people traveling between cities and providing essential transportation to rural parts of the country, is down 60% and will continue to drop.
These declines are a direct result of the White House and health officials directing Americans to reduce or eliminate nonessential travel. Further, the commuter market, which connects workers to larger urban centers, is down more than 60% as of March 18 and continues to drop as employees stop coming into their offices.
If conservative predictions are correct and the current situation lasts well into the summer, the motorcoach industry will lose nearly $8 billion. Further, it is very unlikely the motorcoach industry transportation network will return to pre-COVID-19 levels of operation over the next year.
The motorcoach industry needs Congress to step up and ensure the commercial motorcoach industry remains a vital part of America’s transportation network and fabric.
For additional information, visit www.buses.org or www.uma.org.