Delayed Planes Can't Match Motorcoach Convenience

For Immediate ReleaseApril 25, 2013Contact: Dan RonanOffice: 202-218-7220Mobile: 469-583-7070Email: dronan@buses.orgWhy Wait on a Delayed Airplane When You Can Beon the Way to Your Destination on a Motorcoach?As flight delays become more frequent and get longer, there’s a much better alternative thansitting in a delayed airplane on the ramp waiting to take off or holding before the pilots arecleared to land. Ride a motorcoach!Since Sunday, April 21st, the Federal Aviation Administration says 6,000 flights were delayedbecause thousands of air traffic controllers face mandatory furloughs and others are being laidoff as staffing levels are being cut at critical air traffic control facilities across the country. Thesedelays cost you time and money.Motorcoaches are a much better option for many trips. In 2010, motorcoach companies providednearly 700 million passenger trips, second only to the country’s domestic airlines whichemplaned 720 million passengers. Motorcoach travel is safe, reliable, and affordable and manymotorcoaches now are equipped with free Wi-Fi and plug-ins. You can always stay connected,productive and have fun while taking your journey.You would be well on your way on a trip from Washington D.C. to New York City if you weretraveling by motorcoach while your plane is still at the gate because of flight delays. Andbecause motorcoaches go into downtown areas in most cities, you could be at your location orevent before the plane lands. Plus, on a motorcoach you would pay just a fraction of the cost ofan airline ticket, not to mention a lot less hassle.Motorcoach travel is becoming a very popular way to travel across all age demographics fromhigh school and college age students to older people on a visit to a vacation destination.Numerous studies including those from the ABA’s Foundation and DePaul University inChicago show that point-to-point or “express” bus service between large cities such as New Yorkand Boston is the fastest growing form of motorcoach travel. In 2012, DePaul’s most recentstudy found the one-year growth rate is a stunning 7.5%. And it’s not just in the northeastcorridor; many companies are expanding their networks in the South, Midwest, Rocky Mountainregion and the western states.“There are many factors driving growth in the intercity bus transportation industry,” said ABAPresident and CEO Peter J. Pantuso. “Price, value, frequent schedules, comfort, amenities and

the growing awareness of the ‘green aspect’ of traveling by bus come into play, but certainly oneof those with the next generation of riders is the cool factor associated with some of the newexpress carriers. Those companies are using marketing-driven names like BoltBus,Megabus.com, DC2NY and Vamoose. And now there is another major factor, the amount oftime you may be spending waiting in a flight delay, when instead you could be well on your wayon a motorcoach, added Mr. Pantuso.”About the American Bus Association###The American Bus Association (ABA) is the trade organization of the intercity bus industry with more than 1,000motorcoach and tour company members in the United States and Canada. Its members operate charter, tour,regular route, airport express, special operations and contract services. Another 2,800 members are travel andtourism organizations and suppliers of bus products and services who work in partnership with the North Americanmotorcoach industry.