The United Motorcoach Association (UMA) announced that FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro is scheduled to speak next month at the 2012 UMA Motorcoach EXPO at the Long Beach (Calif.) Convention Center.
Anne Ferro
Ferro is slated to present an overview of current FMCSA activities in regard to the motorcoach industry during UMA’s annual Legislative & Regulatory Update session on Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific. This will be her third EXPO appearance in as many years as chief of FMCSA
“We are once again pleased to have Administrator Ferro join us at EXPO,” said Victor Parra, UMA president and CEO. “Her participation signifies the importance and relevance of this annual event, and her commitment to our industry.”
Meanwhile, Hersman was added to the legislative and regulatory agenda. She was presented with a plaque at UMA’s Motorcoach EXPO in 2005 for her support of motorcoach industry safety initiatives during her years with the Senate commerce committee. UMA added that this will be her first visit to EXPO since being confirmed by Congress to head up the NTSB.
Hersman, who has a CDL that includes the school bus endorsement, will be transported by UMA from Los Angeles International Airport to the Long Beach Convention Center via a new MCI motorcoach equipped with the latest safety technologies. NTSB has been extremely vocal the past several years in calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation to increase motorcoach safety after many recent high-profile crashes.
NTSB has called for increased passenger protection, which includes stronger roofs, redesigned emergeny window exits and standards for seating compartments more similar to school buses. NTSB also wants better federal oversight of motorcoach operators and advanced vehicle technologies such as lane-departure warnings, electronic stability controls and forward-collision warning systems.
UMA’s Motorcoach EXPO 2012 will begin the previous day and runs through Feb. 12. The conference will focus on elevating the industry and will feature new and timely education sessions on topics critical to motorcoach professionals, as well as 150 industry suppliers on the tradeshow floor and a variety of networking and social functions open to all attendees.
