The American Bus Association (ABA) serves as a

trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. Through collabor ...

for motorcoach operators and tour companies operating in the

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and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. With its headquarters situated in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, the association has a membership comprising approximately 1,000 companies engaged in bus operations or bus-based tours, alongside around 2,800 organizations representing the broader

travel Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical Location (geography), locations. Travel can be done by Pedestrian, foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, ship or other means, with or without Baggage, luggage, a ...

and

tourism industry Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

. Additionally, several hundred suppliers of buses and related products and services are affiliated with the ABA. Established in 1926 as the Motor Bus Division of the

American Automobile Association American Automobile Association (AAA) is a federation of motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a privately held not-for-profit national member association and service organization with over 60 million members in the United States and Cana ...

, the organization underwent several transformations over the years. It was initially restructured in 1930 under the name National Association of Motor Bus Operators, and later in 1960, it was renamed as the National Association of Motor Bus Owners. Finally, in 1977, the association adopted its current designation, the American Bus Association, reflecting its broadened scope and influence within the industry.

Members

The organization has four types of members: Motorcoach Operators: companies that possess motorcoaches and offer a range of privately contracted services. These services may include charters,

tours Tours ( ; ) is the largest city in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabita ...

, sightseeing expeditions, scheduled service routes, airport express transportation, school bus operations, and/or local receptive services. (The membership does not include public transport bus services.) Tour Operators: companies that organize tours without owning equipment. They offer travel packages by arranging for transportation to hotels, attractions and other travel suppliers. Travel Industry Members: tourism-related companies and organizations that work in partnership with the North American motorcoach industry. They include travel and tourism companies,

convention and visitor bureau A destination marketing organization (DMO) is an organisation which promotes a location as an attractive travel destination. DMOs are known as tourist boards, tourism authorities or "Convention and Visitors Bureaus". They primarily exist to provide ...

destination marketing organization A destination marketing organization (DMO) is an organisation which promotes a location as an attractive travel destination. DMOs are known as tourist boards, tourism authorities or "Convention and Visitors Bureaus". They primarily exist to provide ...

s, accommodations, attractions, food service organizations, and tourism service professionals such as receptive operators who specialize in tour planning for a local area. Associate Members: manufacturers and suppliers of buses and bus-related products and services.

Major activities

The ABA provides networking and business development opportunities, government advocacy, and information about the industry. It works to connect members in several segments of the motorcoach, tour, and travel communities. Specific activities include the following: ABA Annual Meeting & Marketplace: Holds an annual convention, attended by delegates of the group travel industry. It is held in a different city each year, with a typical attendance of about 3,000 people. The meeting presents an annual opportunity for members of the group travel and motorcoach industry to build business relationships, view new products and services, learn about the latest industry trends, and develop personal networks. The Marketplace includes a series of face-to-face, prescheduled, seven-minute appointments between attendees. Other Marketplace events include professional education seminars, exhibits provided by suppliers, and familiarization tours of attractions in the host city. Bus Industry Safety Council: The Bus Industry Safety Council is dedicated to elevating safety standards within the intercity bus and motorcoach industry. Bus Maintenance & Repair Council: The Bus Maintenance and Repair Council (BusMARC) fulfills the imperative for ongoing maintenance education and compliance training. Additionally, it serves as a platform for interaction between equipment, parts, and service providers in the bus industry. Entertainer Motorcoach Council: The Entertainer Motorcoach Council is concerned with entertainer coaches engaged in charter or lease operations. Hispanic Motorcoach Council: The Hispanic Motorcoach Council endeavors to promote the continued growth, fellowship, and development of the Hispanic business community in the motorcoach industry. It will do this by serving as a resource center and forum to promote safe motorcoach operations, encourage interaction among operators and transportation planners, and advocate for Hispanic and minority-owned businesses. Women in Buses Council: According to the ABA website, the mission of the Women in Buses Council is to recognize and advance the role of women in the motorcoach industry through networking, education, and mentoring programs. Publications: The ABA publishes ''Destinations'' magazine for the tour and travel industry, including the annual Best of the Best issue, and ''The Insider'', a biweekly newsletter for members and subscribers. The ABA compiles and distributes ''The ABA Motorcoach Marketer'', an annual member directory and travel guide. The ABA also publishes ''Marketplace Today'', which is the official publication of the ABA's Annual Meeting & Marketplace. Continuing Education: Sponsors the ''Certified Travel Industry Specialist (CTIS)'' program, providing motorcoach and group travel professionals with industry-specific education and credentialing. The education is provided through correspondence courses at

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and attendance at specialized ABA educational seminars. The ABA conducts

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s online, and educational talks and

seminar A seminar is a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some part ...

s at its annual Marketplace event. Awards: Sponsors a ''Lifetime Achievement Award'' for individuals who have made major contributions to the motorcoach, tourism, and hospitality industry, and a ''Kaleidoscope Award'' for individuals or organizations that have directly impacted the advancement of diversity within the industry. Code of Ethics: Sponsors a

code of ethics Ethical codes are adopted by organizations to assist members in understanding the difference between right and wrong and in applying that understanding to their decisions. An ethical code generally implies documents at three levels: codes of b ...

for its members. The code was adopted to promote and maintain high standards of business and personal conduct. Its ten points cover general business integrity and several specific items of financial behavior. Government Affairs: Represents the industry before elected officials and regulatory bodies. Monitors pertinent legislative and regulatory activity, and keeps members informed of developments in these areas. These activities have helped in securing

Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA () is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ...

grants to assist coach operators in equipping coaches with wheelchair lifts, and

Transportation Security Administration The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has authority over the security of transportation systems within and connecting to the United States. It was created ...

funds in support of industry efforts to improve security measures for drivers and passengers.

Affiliated organizations

The ABA sponsors the ABA Foundation, which funds research, scholarships, and internships related to its mission. It supports BUSPAC, a

political action committee In the United States, a political action committee (PAC) is a tax-exempt 527 organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. The l ...

that works to advance the interests of the industry and the traveling public. The ABA maintains strategic partnerships with about 20 other industry organizations and a similar number of state and provincial bus associations.

References

{{Authority control Trade associations based in the United States Bus transportation in the United States Traveling business organizations Transportation associations in the United States 1926 establishments in the United States 1926 establishments in Washington, D.C.

Members

Major activities

Affiliated organizations

See also

References