With Industry Hurt by Virus, Anderson Coach Rolls into D.C.

GREENVILLE, Pa. – Anderson Coach & Travel is one of the hundreds  companies from across the country meeting in Washington, D.C. today as part of the Motorcoaches Rolling for Awareness rally organized by the American Bus Association and United Motorcoach Association.

The one-day event is aimed at “reminding Congress and the Trump administration that our industry needs support in this unprecedented crisis,” the organizations said in a joint statement.

Buses will be adorned with signs detailing what kind of groups use buses, the economic impact of those groups and the people employed by busing companies.

“Like many local small businesses, my operations have been absolutely devastated by the coronavirus. My buses sit idling while my employees remain at home. We all want to be back on the road, bringing people from Point A to Point B while serving our communities again. Without help from the federal government, I fear our buses may never return to the road and our passengers will be stranded without access to the nation’s transportation system,” said President Doug Anderson. “I look forward to joining hundreds of my fellow motorcoach operators in Washington to showcase the strength in numbers of our industry and the positive benefits we provide to every community in America.”

Anderson Coach has a fleet of 45 motor coaches, as well as 180 school vehicles used by Conneaut, Greenville, Jamestown and Reynolds school districts in Mercer and Crawford counties. 

According to the trade groups, the bus industry has laid off or furloughed more than 90% of its 100,000 employees and some 36,000 buses are sitting idle.

Collectively, the businesses in the industry have requested $15 billion in federal grants and loans through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and Paycheck Protection Program.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.