“PETER PANTUSO, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN BUS ASSOCIATION: We know the buses are coming on January 20th, but we don't know what to do with them when they get here. To the city, we've said, please tell us. You know, we need to know right away. We're only 42 days, I believe, away from the inauguration. We're running out of time. And -- and the phones are continuing to ring every single day.”
-“The Situation Room,” CNN, December 9, 2008
“At the American Bus Association, the trade association of the motor coach industry, Peter J. Pantuso, a spokesman, said companies barred by Washington from interstate commerce should not be allowed to operate anywhere. If Mr. Hill does not know what the practice of the states is, ‘that’s a problem by itself,’ Mr. Pantuso said. ‘He is the chief federal enforcement officer for commercial vehicles.’ There are about 3,500 active bus companies, he said, running about 35,000 buses. Most are quite small.”
- “Fatal Texas Crash Puts Focus on Federal Oversight Flaws,” The New York Times, August 12, 2008
“American Bus Association President and Chief Executive CEO Peter Pantuso insisted that the industry has adequate safety measures. He also said buses are the safest form of transportation, noting that the industry carries about 650 million passengers annually comparable to air travel figures and has had an average of 20 to 30 fatalities over the last ten years. … Pantuso said the challenge is when certain small carriers operate illegally, as was the case in the Texas bus crash that killed 17 people last week. Federal officials said the bus company was unlicensed and had inadequate maintenance procedures. He said the ABA has been ‘asking (NHTSA) about the best ways to protect people’ including improving seat designs, window construction and rooftop reinforcement. He said the administration is in the process of developing new findings and expects to issue fresh data early next year. ‘We're finally seeing a response from NHTSA that we asked for ten years ago,’ Pantuso said.”
- “Bus Industry Analysts Urge Action After Crashes,” Associated Press, August 11, 2008
"The trouble is that so-called "rogue operators" in the bus industry underbid other companies by not having relief drivers and by pushing the limits of allowed time on the road. Both the Minnesota Charter Bus Operator's Association and the American Bus Association are advocating more enforcement to catch these rogues. That could come in the form of roadside bus checks or more on-site audits of company records.”
- “Editorial: Caution, Enforcement Needed After Crash Crackdown on rogues, night driving will improve bus safety,” Minneapolis Star-Tribune, June 24, 2008
“For a city of its size, scoring the ABA was huge for Virginia Beach. Not only was this the first major national convention held in the city, but it took place during the off season, an added boost as the city tries to turn the ‘Beach’ into a year-round destination. Plus, it was the first show to use all 500,000 square feet of the entire $202.5 million Virginia Beach Convention Center.”
- “Pulling Out All The Stops,” PCMA Convene Magazine, May 2009
“The American Bus Association says private tour bus drivers often bring 55,000 tourists a day into the city, but are subject to increasingly onerous parking, driving, idling and security regulations.”
- “Captains of the Interstates: Tour Bus Drivers Roll With the Rules, However Demanding,” The Washington Post, April 5, 2008
“The motor coaches rolled out of the city last week, but local tourism officials still are riding high from their first major convention. The 2008 American Bus Association Marketplace brought an estimated 3,500 motorcoach operators and travel industry specialists to the region during the first full week of February. City officials still are calculating the economic impact of the six-day gathering but had predicted a $5 million boost for the local economy. Convention attendees, local business people and tourism experts say they are pleased with the outcome. ‘It could not have been better,’ said Peter J. Pantuso, the bus association's president and chief executive officer. The association had its highest turnout for the event.”
- “Convention's success sets the tone for future events,” Norfolk Virginian-Pilot editorial, February 16, 2008
“The show is usually a success, with anywhere from $30 million to $50 million of travel business booked through this series of seven-minute dances. ‘That’s just what happens here,’ said Peter J. Pantuso, the bus association’s president and chief executive officer. ‘That doesn’t count what happens when they go home.’ That’s the real coup. These appointments are introductions. A foundation is laid for future business.”
-- “How Does A City Attract Bus Tours? Seven Minutes At A Time,” Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, February 5, 2008
“Thousands of people are coming to the Virginia Beach Convention Center in the next week - and they're taking the bus. They are group tour operators, tourism officials from around the country, and agents for everything from Broadway shows to outlet malls. They'll be here for the 2008 American Bus Association Marketplace … the regional attractions found across Hampton Roads were a selling point as ABA executives shopped for a host city for the 2008 convention, said Peter J. Pantuso, the association's president and chief executive officer. … ‘I'm looking at it from the whole region,’ Pantuso said. ‘You've got great food, great venues, great shopping, the beach is just wonderful ... you seem to have it all in the same area.’ The region's face time with travel industry officials could boost bus and group tour business in Hampton Roads up to 30 percent. ‘There really is nothing like seeing it,’ Pantuso said.
-- “Bus Event To Roll Out Reasons To Come Back,” Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, February 1, 2008
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