Member Alert: Upcoming Washington DC Rallies & Other Special Events
ABA has been working with numerous private and governmental partners in recent weeks to compile critical information related to motorcoach transportation for several special events scheduled for January 2021 in Washington, DC.
While many elements and details related to the events are still being determined and some are subject to last minute change (such as routing and street closures), we hope to at least provide you sources to monitor so that you can remain informed as the situation continues to evolve. As we start upon the road to recovery, we hope that we can help you prepare for a successful trip.
Special Policies in Place
For all of the upcoming events, please be aware and instruct your passengers about the strict COVID travel restrictions, procedures and policies that are currently in place in Washington, DC. The recently updated restrictions will be in place until Jan. 15, 2021 and may be extended further.
Also, please be mindful of the Washington, DC engine idling rules. Don’t risk a fine.
The maximum engine idling time allowed in the District of Columbia is 3 minutes. That time may increase to a limit of 5 minutes if the temperature falls below 32 degrees. Please be responsible and limit your idling time. Violators of the DC idling laws may face fines of $1,000 or more.
Upcoming Special Events
Trump Rallies, Jan. 6, 2021
There are at least four separate planned events on Jan. 6 by permit-holding groups at present. To stay up to date on their schedule of events and event locations, visit their respective websites and social media feeds (schedules and locations subject to change) as it may impact the pick-up and drop-off locations for your groups:
https://eightypercentcoalition.com/
https://www.millionmagamarch.us/#date-time
Be prepared with alternate plans! Businesses may close unexpectedly, even places where your groups have reservations. Also, due to the COVID restrictions in Washington, DC listed above, many downtown businesses are not currently operating, restaurants and dining locations may be difficult to find or have severe capacity limits.
Some limited street closures for Jan. 6 have been announced, and additional locations may be added and should be monitored as the event gets closer.
Presidential Inauguration, Jan. 20, 2021
Planning for the Presidential Inauguration is ongoing, but is expected to have very limited access and very few official in-person events. Members of Congress typically receive 200,000 tickets to distribute among their constituents for inaugurations. This time, there will be less than 1,000 tickets available.
You can receive updates for live and virtual inaugural events here:
March for Life, Jan. 29, 2021
City officials have not yet announced any special plans for the March for Life event on Jan. 29. We currently anticipate that it will likely be treated similarly to the Jan. 6 event and other March for Life events in prior years.
We will continue to keep you updated with additional information on these and other special events, as more details become available.
Motorcoach Parking
The Union Station Parking Garage has been identified as a major motorcoach parking facility within the District of Columbia by the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT). At present we recommend that you contact this or other parking facilities directly to inquire about parking availability and to make reservations.
Visit https://godcgo.com/motorcoach/ to find out more about motorcoach parking locations and routing information while operating in Washington DC.
There are also motorcoach parking locations located outside of downtown Washington in the city of Alexandria and Arlington County.
Additional Resources
You can also contact the motorcoach and group tour operators hotline hosted by Destinations DC at 1-855-67-BUSES (28737).
Please feel free to contact Brandon Buchanan in the ABA Offices with any additional questions. He can be reached at (202) 218-7227 or bbuchanan@buses.org.
