UPDATE
planning and payment mechanisms, as well as automated routing
and scheduling.
FTA issued the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the
IMI program in the summer of 2019. In response to the NOFO,
FTA received 104 eligible project proposals totaling approximately
$107 million.
FTA is making innovation a priority in the year ahead through
the Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) initiative announced in
January 2020. FTA is collaborating with the transit industry as it
works to meet the increasing expectations of transit riders.
New report shows how digital
technologies will shape the
charter bus industry
ABA recently endorsed the Busie Digital Trends Report, which
underlines the importance of digital technologies to the charter
bus industry.
Busie — a company that provides an online platform to charter bus
operators to help them simplify the quoting and booking processes
for both their charter sales teams and their customers — released
the report to showcase how digital technologies are empowering
operators, large and small, to compete more effectively and generate
more business opportunities. Regardless of fleet size, operators who
are lagging on technology trends are seeing reduced website traffic
and lower levels of inbound business opportunities.
“While motorcoach operators have a lot of competing priorities in
running their businesses, leaders in the industry have already made
digital technologies a major part of their strategic plans,” said Louis
Bookoff, CEO of Busie. “A company’s ability to adapt to significant
and ongoing changes in how travelers research their trips, how
customers want to buy, and how online brokers are perceived by the
market will be a key factor in whether they will succeed or fail over the
coming years.”
More than 100 operators across the country contributed to the
survey results and an additional more than 500 operators’ public
website data were considered.
“ABA supported this survey of operators as we know the industry
is changing as more generations – from Boomers to Gen Xers to
Millennials – are embracing motorcoach travel and technology,” said
Peter Pantuso, president & CEO of ABA. “More people than not now
book their travel online and the industry needs to be online to stay
competitive to other modes of transportation. The days of taking days
and weeks to give someone a quote on their trip are over. People want
information now or they will move on. The industry’s competitors –
airlines and trains – have offered online booking for decades.”
Key findings in the report show:
• Operators who invest in technology have more time to pursue other
strategic goals.
• Operators need to ensure that their technology is secure and they
protect client’s data.
• Universal digital trends, such as the rise of e-commerce and
search engines, have generated significant impacts across the
travel industry.
As the charter bus industry evolves with market demands,
technology will play a central role in both spectacular successes
and failures.
To learn more, contact Busie at hello@getbusie.com.
In partnership with ABA, Busie researches and produces the Digital
Trends Report annually to keep up with market dynamics as they change.
Omnitrans orders four new
Xcelsior CHARGE ™ buses from
New Flyer
New Flyer of America Inc., a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., one
of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers,
recently announced that Omnitrans of San Bernardino Valley,
California has placed a new order for four 40-foot, battery-
electric Xcelsior CHARGE ™ heavy-duty transit buses.
Omnitrans is a leader in California’s plan to address
challenging mandates for improved public health, air quality,
and climate protection via zero-emission vehicles. With this
new order for zero- emission battery-electric buses, Omnitrans
further supports its commitment to providing comprehensive
public transportation services which maximize comfort, safety,
and customer satisfaction in an environmentally sensitive
manner that further reduces air pollution in the Inland Empire.
The California Air Resources Board passed its Innovative Clean
Transit Regulation in December 2018, which requires transit
agencies to transition their fleets to zero-emission technologies
by 2040.
Since 2000, New Flyer has delivered 300 buses to Omnitrans,
which currently operates more than 175 40-foot and 60-foot
compressed natural gas (CNG) transit buses from New Flyer.
“New Flyer commends Omnitrans on their forward-looking
commitment to expanding public transportation services with
new and innovative technology solutions,” said Chris Stoddart,
president at New Flyer of America. “We are proud that our
zero-emission Xcelsior CHARGE™ battery-electric buses will
help the people of San Bernardino Valley get to work, school,
family and healthcare, on buses that are safe, accessible, and
environmentally responsible.”
New Flyer has delivered nearly 10,400 buses into the State
of California, and has over 200 on order or pending delivery
over the coming year. In addition, NFI offers four locations in
California to support customers with bus service, parts, and
manufacturing support, located in Ontario (San Bernardino
County), Los Alamitos, Fresno, and the Bay Area (Hayward).
Omnitrans is the public transportation provider in San
Bernardino County, California, carrying over 11 million
passengers each year throughout its 480-square-mile service
area, covering 15 cities and portions of the unincorporated
areas of the county.
Jack Allen appointed chairman and
chief executive officer of Proterra;
Ryan Popple named co-founder and
executive director
Proterra, a leading innovator in heavy duty vehicle electrification,
announced in March that the Board of Directors has appointed
current Chairman Jack Allen as chairman and chief executive
officer. Ryan Popple, Proterra’s CEO since 2014, was named co-
founder and executive director. Proterra began planning for this
transition in January and the Board voted earlier this month on
Allen’s appointment.
BUSRIDE.COM | 11