I Am a Motorcoach, Discovering the USA by Tread Windshield and Mirror…

. . . Two Eight One here, pondering small things. A speck of something foreign in my fuel line, for example, can cause me serious troubles, even down-time. At nine feet wide, twelve and a half feet tall, forty-five feet long, and 25,000ish pounds, one well-placed nail in a tire can mess up a day and a well-planned itinerary. A glitch (whatever a glitch is) can cause my mechanics to nearly lose their minds looking for a solution for this sophisticated “brain” of mine. These are rare occurrences, but they can happen.

Anyway . . . just trying to comprehend “virus.” As you know, I was designed for you – for passenger care and empathy. But I never appreciated how much you and I have in common until something called COVID-19. One little mystery has shown me that when my passengers are down I’m down. What effects you effects me. When you are confined to home I stay in the garage.

I used to celebrate every trip knowing how much we enjoy traveling together. Now I know it is more than that. We are connected by travel. We need each other. So, while it feels great to get back on the road for this trip to Washington DC, it is strange to do so without you, my passengers.

This is part one of a two-part blog report . . .

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Me and and my pal Two Eight zero here, all set to head out on the road together; and posing for some pics before getting started. In Washington DC we will participate in a hostoric motorcoach rally. These unprecedented times call for an unprecedented show of industry solidarity. We are proud to represent Mid-American Coaches in that effort.

Woa . . . a strange sight to say the least. This is Gateway travel center in Breezewood, Pennsylvania. A popular last-stop before DC, typically the parking lot is so jammed with motorcoaches you pull in trying to spot someone pulling out so you can grab their vacated parking spot. I had never seen this place anything but busy, whatever time of day or night. To see it empty is, yes, very strange.

Now, we knew we were getting to DC slightly ahead of the other motorcoaches attending the rally from around the country, but, again . . . to see DC empty of motorcoaches highlights the reason for us being here. This city is motorcoach central. To drive around in it and see no other coaches on the roads is a testament to the impact of the pandemic on our nobel service. Of course, its not just motorcoaches being effected, there are very few vehicles of any kind on these streets (see the video below).

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

NEWS THAT’S NOT NEW: You already appreciate the following information, or you wouldn’t be a subscriber to this blog. But here’s a review. Motorcoaches help Americans see America, connecting its citizens (along with many foreign visitors) to our nation’s heritage, to its treasured sights and experiences, and to its great cities and landscapes. Motorcoaches give affordable mobility to many who would otherwise have to stay home. We are the only passenger service that also serves all the others: airlines, rails, and cruise lines. Delivering dozens of people at a time to retailers, restaurants, entertainment venues, and regional attractions, motorcoaches are vital supporters of local economies.

COVID NEWS: the motorcoach industry in America is made up of some 3,000 small businesses (mostly family owned) employing over 100,000 people. But those businesses have been shut down due to COVID-19. While 36,000 motorcoaches sit idle, over 90% of of the industry’s workforce has been laid-off or furloughed.

WHAT’S UP WITH THAT? NEWS: Our government has responded to similar devistations in the airline industry (passenger, cargo, and industry contractors) with $60 billion in assistance, the public transit industry with $25 billion, and Amtrak with $1 billion. To date the assistance extended to the motorcoach industry amounts to $0.

RALLY NEWS: The Motorcoaches Rolling for Awareness rally has been organized by industry leaders, American Bus Association (ABA) and United Motorcoach Association (UMA). More than 1000 motorcoaches from across the country are in DC to make our industry and the passengers it serves visible. Our message is simple: It’s how important we treat you that makes us important. But the goal is not mere awareness, it is to convince our national leadership of the need for $10 billion in payroll and operations assistance, and $5 billion in long-term zero-interest loans.

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Yes, I’m slipping in a couple more selfies for the Must Sees. That’s because what you must see is Washington DC and the rest of the U.S. by motorcoach!

Quote Of The Day samples

“Freedom can never yield its fullness of blessings so long as the law or its administration places the smallest obstacle in the pathway of any virtuous citizen.” – James A. Garfield

“If you want the cooperation of humans around you, you must make them feel they are important — and you do that by being genuine and humble.” – Nelson Mandela