In June 2015 the American Bus Association (ABA) announced the formation of a new council: The Bus Maintenance and Repair Council, called BusMARC. This exciting new council will support motorcoach companies of all sizes in collaborating on maintenance and repair issues. The ABA intends for BusMARC to bring together experts in the field to advise on top maintenance matters and to support all motorcoach companies.
Evidence shows that regular maintenance cycles maximize vehicle safety. The ABA created BusMARC following discussions on prioritizing maintenance as a key safety component. ABA Chairman John Meier remarked, “Motorcoach safety and maintenance go hand in hand. ABA is pleased that once again we can take a significant leadership role in the industry with the formation of BusMARC that benefits our members and the traveling public.”
BusMARC will also work to improve the relationship between the businesses that make and supply replacement parts to the industry, the motorcoach owners/operators, the Original Equipment Manufactures (OEMs), the company maintenance directors, and the operations staff. This collaborative method will support developing the most efficient and productive approach to expert maintenance cycles. BusMARC will bring together these experts to collaborate on maintenance issues, with a goal of improved safety for all bus travelers.
All motorcoach owners, operators, maintenance professionals, shop supervisors, and leaders in other parts of the industry are all invited to join BusMARC. The first meeting of BusMARC will be held, January 9-12, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky.
At that meeting, we won’t be surprised if WiFi for private charters is a major topic of discussion. As with trains and public buses, private charter WiFi can improve safety in several ways. First, consistent WiFi connectivity allows improved communication with charter hubs, allowing for faster emergency response. Additionally, WiFi can support CCTV, for on-board video streaming of any safety incidents that may occur. Finally, driver training can zoom into the twenty first century with streaming WiFi video; driver records can be analyzed for potential areas of improvement.
As BusMARC gets off the ground, you can bet that private charter mobile WiFi will be one of the new group’s first priorities.
[Image Courtesy of ABA]