Metro Magazine, December 2020

14 The Future is Electric mcc hvac com EcoTemp Max Controller Electric Compressors MCC Generator Battery Thermal Management Eco 136 Electric Eco Xcel Electric Eco RM Electric and its already here METRO MAGAZINE COM FACT BOOK 2021 hide a lot of mistakes in areas where they were not being efficient Now they are super efficient because they have had to figure out how to save every dollar by looking at ways to cut costs and improve their bottom line It is not that they were not doing that before but by implementing new practices and procedures now and maintaining them once we get to some semblance of normalcy I think their businesses will be in better shape moving forward The other thing I would say is they have learned that they must diversify and identify new elements of business moving forward When I look at some of the companies that will most likely survive the pandemic its definitely going to be those that diversified and perhaps pivoted a bit to add new types of contracts outside of the business theyve typically performed What has it been like to lead the ABA during this time On the positive side I believe we are doing everything we can to help our members as well as the industry educate Congress to help get some emergency funding Our team here which includes our outside lobbyists consultants and members have been very engaged in reaching out to every single member of Congress multiple times and really have been working nonstop seven days a week and almost around the clock So we believe that we are doing everything we can to help the industry The frustration is getting all 535 members of Congress to listen to us now The fact that weve got more than 330 Congressional members in the House and Senate signed onto the legislation is a testament to what weve been able to accomplish as a group but the frustration is no matter how much we have done we have not been included in any of the stimulus bills I mean there is only one real stimulus bill that was passed in March with a modification to that in April There have been others proposed by the House and the Senate that we have not been included in up to this point And honestly if we are not included in any of the upcoming stimulus packages its going to spell the end for many of the companies that we have worked with for years as well as many we dont know Because we know the time sweat and equity that many of these people have put into their businesses as well as how much they have on the line in regards to their homes and families it is incredibly frustrating to me that we havent been successful in getting Congress to recognize the importance of our industry and the critical role we play in the overall transportation network And it is frustrating to our members too How do you think 2021 will play out for the industry I am optimistic for Quarters three and four because I believe that is when we are going to start to see the end of this pandemic through the introduction of a vaccine If the projections Ive heard are correct we could be looking at the vaccine being distributed by summer and starting to see people once again feeling more comfortable about being in larger groups by the summer or fall which are still busy seasons for the industry As that begins to happen we will start getting back to life as we once knew it which will keep these companies alive and continuing to operate And as we get into 2022 if the lessons learned from 9 11 are any indicator I believe there will be tremendous demand for travel and the year will be gangbusters for the industry SPECIAL REPORT MOTORCOACH