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Tampa, FL, is the home for the United Motorcoach Association’s
(UMA) 2011 Motorcoach Expo. The 27th annual event is scheduled
to take place at the Tampa Convention Center on January 19-23.
The first event at the UMA Motorcoach Expo will actually begin on
Monday, January 17 with the International Motor Coach Group’s
Maintenance & Safety Forum. This event is scheduled through
Wednesday, January 19.
UMA Expo registration will open at 10 a.m. on
Wednesday, January 19 and close for the day at 6 p.m.
Additionally, the State Association Summit is scheduled
from 1 to 5 p.m. and will be followed by a
Welcome Reception from 6 to 8 p.m. the same day.
A new event at UMA Expo this year will be the
“Motorcoaches Drive Tourism: Tourism Cares
Fundraiser,” scheduled from 8 to 11:30 p.m. on
Wednesday at the Hard Rock Hotel.
Thursday, January 20 starts with registration at
7:30 a.m. through 6:45 p.m. A continental breakfast
begins at 8 a.m. and is followed by the UMA
Active Membership Meeting from 8:30 to 9 a.m.
Next will be the Opening Session from 9 to 10 a.m.,
featuring the theme “Refocus, Redefine, Reinvent” and
remarks from several industry dignitaries. This will be followed
from 10 to 10:45 a.m. by the Legislative & Regulatory
Update. Attendees will be informed about new federal regulatory initiatives
and will be given insight on what to expect from the U.S. Congress.
Also, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, the annual Maintenance
Interchange will take place. Motorcoach owners, operators and maintenance
personnel can openly discuss maintenance issues. Participants can submit
maintenance issues in advance and provide suggestions for solving these
problems in the day-long session.
From 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday the first of four concurrent hour-long
“Solution Sessions” for Expo attendees takes place. The first group of sessions
is as follows:
• Marketing — Smart Pricing Strategies;
• Operations — 2010 Engines / How They Are Working; and,
• Finance — Reducing Tax Exposure.
A Leadership Luncheon will take place from 12:15 to 2 p.m. on Thursday,
followed by the second set of concurrent Solution Sessions, scheduled from
2:15 to 3:15 p.m. They are as follows:
• Marketing — Aggressive Marketing Techniques;
• Operations — Motivating Employees; and,
Page 30 BUSLINE January/February 2011
EXHIBIT HALL HOURS
January 20 - January 22
Thursday, Sneak Preview
4:45 - 6:45 p.m.
Friday
10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Lunch served)
Saturday
9 a.m. - Noon
(Brunch served)
• Finance — Motorcoach Economics / Finding The “Sweet Spot” (continued
to next hour).
The final concurrent Solution Sessions on Thursday are slated for 3:30 to
4:30 p.m. They are as follows:
• Marketing — Electronic Marketing;
• Operations — CSA 2010 / Update And Other FMCSA Issues; and,
• Finance — Motorcoach Economics / Finding The “Sweet
Spot” (continued from previous hour).
A major event on Thursday will be the Exhibit Hall
Sneak Preview, taking place from 4:45 to 6:45
p.m. Exhibitors will give demonstrations and showcase
their latest industry products and services.
The UMA Expo on Friday, January 21 will
begin at 7:30 a.m. with the annual Maintenance
Competition. This event will last until 10:30
a.m. and gives participants a chance to compete
against each other to solve different maintenance-related
issues.
Friday’s Expo registration is scheduled from
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There will also be a continental
breakfast and General Session titled
“Refurbish vs. Lease vs. Buy.” This event takes place
from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m., the same time period that a
Vendor’s View program is scheduled.
The fourth and final hour-long concurrent Solution Sessions during
this year’s UMA Expo are scheduled for 9:30 to 10:30 a.m on Friday. They
are as follows:
• Marketing — Developing Marketing & Business Plans;
• Operations — View From Travel And Tourism Suppliers; and,
• Finance — Impact Of The New Health Care Law.
The UMA Exhibit Hall will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on
Friday. Lunch will be served at the Exhibit Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Friday’s final event will be the 8th Annual Vision Awards Banquet, scheduled
from 6 to 11 p.m. and featuring a reception, dinner and industry awards.
The final day of the Exhibit Hall during the 2011 UMA Motorcoach
Expo is Saturday, January 22. The show floor will be open from 9 a.m.
until noon, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. Brunch at the Exhibit Hall
will be served from 10 a.m. until noon.
This year’s final event at the UMA Expo, scheduled for 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
Sunday, January 23, is the 7th Annual Ray Dupuis Memorial Golf
Tournament.
Visit Busline Magazine’s Booth #512 At UMA Motorcoach Expo.