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More Than 1 Million Masks Made Available for Motorcoach Industry Drivers & Front-Line Employees as Industry Restarts

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), alongside the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been working with states, industries, and stakeholders to ensure that transportation workers receive the support they need. The cloth facial coverings secured by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be sent out over the next 2 weeks through the U.S. Postal Service to a variety of state motorcoach association locations to assist in making masks widely available for delivery or pick up.

The masks are intended for use by motorcoach drivers, mechanics, support personnel and other front line employees in your business. They are NOT for distribution to passengers.

“Transportation workers are on the frontlines of keeping our transportation systems operational during this public health emergency and their wellbeing and safety is paramount,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

A list of distribution points is available here. 

For those motorcoach operators not located near any of the distribution points listed on the link above or if any of those points get over-subscribed, you can request additional masks from UMA, ABA, or Trailways utilizing the link below:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/88F3LYT  

NewsFlash | June 1, 2020

Reopening America bill proposes 'return to work' bonuses
 
Bus & Motorcoach News | June 1, 2020 | by Ken Presley
 
Washirep_kevin_bradyngton, D.C. – Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) introduced the Reopening America by Supporting Workers and Businesses Act of 2020 today. Of passed. the bill is designed to help businesses rebuild their workforce quickly by turning unemployment benefits into a back-to-work bonus.
 
Upon introduction of the legislation, Rep. Brady said: “For us to rebuild our economy, we must make sure Americans can get back to work in a safe, healthy environment. Through a Return to Work Bonus – which would allow workers to keep up to two weeks of unemployment benefits if they accept a job offer – we can make sure these temporary job losses don’t turn into permanent ones.”
 
31% of small businesses have stopped operating amid COVID-19, Facebook adds tools to help them
Forbes | June 1, 2020 | by Maneet Ahuja
 
The coronavirus pandemic has continued to take a catastrophic toll on America’s small businesses. According to Facebook’s State of Small Business  report , 31% of small businesses and 52% of personal businesses have stopped operating as a result of the crisis. 
 
“What we know today is pretty sobering,” says Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. “We’re in a really hard economic situation that is hitting all businesses, but particularly, small businesses really hard. We also know how critical small businesses are for jobs—long before coronavirus,” she says. “Two thirds of new jobs in this country happen because of small businesses and so that means what’s happening with small businesses has always been important, but it’s more important than ever.”
 
Especially concerning is that only 45% of business owners and managers plan to rehire the same number of workers when their businesses reopen. That number is just 32% for personal businesses. 
 
UMA Member CIT Signature Transportation celebrates our military
 
How to sell your way out of a tough economy: ideas for our times
How to Sell Your Way Out of a Tougher Economy

NewsFlash | Thursday, May 28

Town Hall panelists share progress and path forward
 
 
Today's UMA Town Hall brought together hundreds of motorcoach operators to hear a panel of fellow operators share their current experience and how they're approaching the concept of restarting. Did you miss today's meeting? Download the slides and the recording below to hear the panel discussion, an update on federal funding programs, and UMA Chairman Jeff Polzien's perspective on proactively restarting our businesses.
 
Was your EIDL declined? You can contact the SBA at this email address to inquire furthe r: pdcrecons@sba.gov . This is another case of members helping members in the chat!
Small step in the right direction: House votes more flexibility for PPP; Senate approval expected
(May 28, 2020 – Washington, DC ) Today House lawmakers approved the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, a measure that will modify the Paycheck Protection Program to address the concerns of small businesses. Introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), the bill is expected to pass the Senate as early as next week.

 
The bill would:
  • extend the forgiveness period for PPP loans from eight to 24 weeks,
  • reduce payroll spending requirements from 75% of loan funds to 60% of loan funds, giving businesses more flexibility in deciding how to allocate the emergency funds, and
  • extend a June 30 deadline to hire workers back.
 
“As we work to get America open again, we've got to be mindful of the fact that times are continuing to move on, and these businesses are struggling and they can't meet some of these restrictions and deadlines,” Rep. Roy said.
 
UMA President/CEO Larry Killingsworth called the measure "a small step in the right direction. We are hopeful the Senate will pass it next week, then move forward quickly with longer term solutions for the motorcoach industry. We will need them.”  
Laughter will keep your team connected — even while you're apart
Harvard Business Review | May 27, 2020 | by J. Stewart Black
Videoconferencing has been around for more than  20 years . Until the pandemic, though, you would find that many if not most people needing to attend a meeting remotely would be calling from a real conference room full of their teammates. Today, we’re routinely holding videoconferences that are 100% virtual. And that introduces a problem technology can’t fix.
 
The problem is us, specifically the fact that that we haven’t evolved socially — or even neurologically — to the point where we can bear much isolation. So much of our wellbeing, and by extension what makes us productive, is predicated on physical proximity, that the removal of that proximity for any period of time can be severely damaging.  One surprising casualty of social distancing? Laughter.
 
A case study in successfully using the PPP: Annett Bus Lines keeps its team together
Bus & Motorcoach News | May 28, 2020 | by  Shandra Martinez  
The Paycheck Protection Program has been an anchor for the family-owned Annett Bus Lines in Sebring, Florida as the operator weathers the pandemic-triggered economic crisis. 
 
The experience of the second-generation owners, Brian and David Annett, with the potentially forgivable federal loan, offers a case study of how the PPP can be a lifeline as companies wait for business to resume. 
 
“The PPP has been a blessing for us,” said Brian Annett, describing the program as a tool to take care of employees.
 
Nearly 60% of the country’s more than 30 million small businesses have applied for PPP loans, with early 14% of those applications have been funded. By contrast 89% of United Motorcoach Association members  surveyed  reported they applied for the loan, with more than 73% approved. 
 
Mark your calendar for brighter days! EXPO in Orlando Mar. 3-7, 2021
 
 
Stay informed
 
 
Every Thursday at 2 p.m. ET on the Zoom platform. Join from your computer or phone.
LEARN ABOUT TOWN HALLS
 
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