ABA Thanks House for Helping the Industry, But More Needs to be Done

The American Bus Association (ABA) – the leading organization representing the motorcoach industry in North America, as well as the group travel industry – thanks Rep. Peter DeFazio, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and House leadership for including $750 million in DOT grant funding for a portion of intercity bus service providers, in the text introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives as the next relief package. However, more needs to be done to save the industry from collapse. ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso said:

“The $750 million grant funding available to a number of rural intercity bus service providers is a great start, but it’s not enough to save jobs and an industry that provides essential and diverse services to every walk of life in America. We move commuters to work everyday, school children to school and class trips, and the military and their equipment and other scheduled services not covered by the funding. We provide critical evacuation services to move people from harm’s way, serve in defense planning against security threats, and so much more. And for many, struggling to make ends meet, we are the only means of transportation. The Industry and its workers needs $15 billion in grants and loans to ensure that our 3,000 businesses who employ nearly 100,000 people will still be here when Americans need and want to travel again.”