Peter Pantuso, CTIS, ABA President & CEO
Aggravated with extra fees, delays and traffic jams, Americans are rediscovering a trusty steed — the motorcoach. Bus tours remove many of the hassles associated with flying and driving, leaving travelers to enjoy the journey while feeling more eco-conscious. Peter Pantuso is the president and CEO of the American Bus Association, a trade organization representing 1,000 motorcoach/tour companies in the U.S. and Canada. More than 65 percent of private buses are members. According to the association, Pantuso is credited with revitalizing the ABA and expanding its lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. Associate Editor Suzanne Oliver talked with him about the expectations of today’s travelers, and the advancements being made in motorcoach travel and the industry.
What are the advantages of taking a motorcoach versus planes, trains or automobiles?
Taking a motorcoach over a plane allows people to see, rather than fly over, America. We are also price- and time-competitive with the airlines on a portal-to-portal basis when in the 200-400 mile range, what we call the motorcoach sweet spot that’s too far to drive, too close to fly. Buses are re-deployable anywhere, requiring no new tracks to be laid down and can go anywhere there’s pavement. And when you go by coach, you can sit back and enjoy the ride, rather than be stuck in white-knuckled gridlock.
Why is it important for motorcoach and tour companies to be part of the ABA?
ABA connects the motorcoach and group travel industry like no other travel association. We bring people together to make connections within the industry to build their business throughout the year, and we hold the premiere group travel and motorcoach show each January at Marketplace, where more than 100,000 pre-scheduled, seven-minute appointments take place among 3,200 member delegates looking to make new business connections.
What should tour operators bring to entertain customers?
A simple zeal to make the group tour experience something special for everyone, through their knowledge of the attractions and destinations on the agenda, a recognition of the importance of individualizing the experience within the group travel dynamic, and a thoroughly prepared agenda that includes everything from extra behind-the-scenes treats to a hotel or restaurant ready to pre-key and handle 55 tourists at a time on arrival.
What new amenities and technologies do motorcoaches feature?
Today’s new coach is a modern marvel of the best creature comfort technology coupled with the best environmental and safety engineering. Many of today’s coaches offer Wi-Fi, iPod and laptop hookups, personal DVD players, reclining leather seats with footrests, and some even have 2-1 seating configurations and galleys for business executive service or custom charter groups going upscale. With 2010 engines, coaches have become so clean in many instances the air coming out of the exhaust is cleaner than the air that goes into the system. Many coaches are equipped with safety belts and other crash-avoidance and occupant-protection equipment.
Why did the ABA rename Earth Day 2010 Motorcoach Day?
As the greenest way to travel, every day is Earth Day in the coach industry. So this year we decided that we’d leverage our 206.6 passenger miles-per-gallon profile into a way to further distinguish the coach from the carbon-intensity that defines every other travel mode.
What is the ABA doing to attract a younger audience?
We are seeing many young professionals make coaches their top choice for travel. This is an historic shift away from cars, as it’s no longer a rite of passage for young people to get their driver’s licenses and get a car. Now, it’s more of a status symbol among one’s peers to have a smaller carbon footprint, and many young people today proudly refuse to own a car and boast of their loyalty to buses as part of their environmental commitment.
Why is bus tourism important to a community’s economy?
Bus tours are critical to every community and state in the country because they bring in travelers 55 at a time to see regional attractions, and in doing so, infuse local economies with thousands of leisure travel dollars spent on hotels, dining, attraction tickets, retail shopping, taxes and more. This in turn creates jobs and boosts local tax revenue, so every state is a bus state, and you can see just how much every congressional district and state relies on bus travel economically through a new ABA Foundation study that breaks the impact down from coast to coast. [guerrillaeconomics.biz/abafoundation]
What challenges do the bus industry face?
For a long time, buses were the best mode of travel many people hadn’t heard of. But that’s changing and now we’re seeing a travel mode shift that’s getting people out of their cars and off of planes and trains and into coaches for the convenience, luxury and accessibility buses offer over other modes. We are also the only mode of travel that receives virtually no federal subsidies, while others receive billions in tax dollars. And with the charter rule, we are starting to see the end of predatory pricing on competitive routes from transit systems that had been illegally keeping independent bus companies from competing on a level playing field. But that’s still an issue that the transit agencies keep fighting to keep to themselves.
How do you present your case to the government?
We want officials at all levels of government to know how vital coaches are to any long-term transportation solution. We provide services to 14.4 million rural Americans who live far from rail and air hubs; we complete the network of intermodal transportation links and fill in gaps throughout the system, allowing people true freedom of mobility. That’s why it is crucial we are treated in a way, whether it’s via the new highway bill or other legislation, that recognizes the services we provide bind the nation together and should be incentivized.
How will the travel industry help the economy rebound?
When the recovery starts to gain more momentum and people resume leisure travel, they likely will still be reticent to spend money freely like they did in the days preceding the economic downturn. So they will start with domestic vacations before they feel ready to go internationally. For example, they will take a three- to five-day trip via motorcoach instead of flying to Paris. In doing so, they will infuse discretionary dollars into North American destinations first, helping local economies rebound by keeping travel dollars from going offshore.
What is the proposed Travel Regional Partnership Act and how does it benefit the ABA?
This legislation provides grants to local regional attractions to promote themselves as travel destinations. It gives domestic travel a boost and benefits our industry by reminding people of all there is to explore next door on a group bus tour.
