WASHINGTON – Rep. John Rose (TN-6) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) co-led a bicameral letter to President Trump requesting pandemic relief funds for the American private bus and motorcoach industry, including the scheduled service, commuter and charter sectors of the industry. Other signers included Reps. Roe (TN-1), Burchett (TN-2), Fleischmann (TN-3), DesJarlais (TN-4), Green (TN-7), and Kustoff (TN-8).
Motorcoach carriers throughout Tennessee have been devastated by the recent coronavirus pandemic and are desperately in need of targeted federal assistance. The American private bus and motorcoach industry plays a vital role in our travel, tourism and music industries and provides nearly 600 million passenger trips per year. In the wake of the pandemic, nearly all of the 3,000 companies in the industry are completely shut down, 36,000 vehicles are parked, and most of the over 88,000 employees have been laid off.
“Operators in Tennessee and across the country play a vital role in our tourism and travel sectors. At the same time, the industry is critical to maintaining robust emergency transportation capabilities. From moving the nation’s troops, to weather related evacuations, to the recent deployment of motorcoaches to evacuate cruise ship passengers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, this industry has always stood ready to help when needed. We have an obligation to help ensure this industry survives, and we request to use a portion of the unspent CARES Act funds to support the motorcoach industry,” the members wrote.
The text of the letter can be found here and below.
Dear President Trump:
We write to request support for the American private bus and motorcoach industry, including the scheduled service, commuter and charter sectors of the industry. This industry experienced devastation from the COVID-19 pandemic and it needs targeted federal assistance.
The American private bus and motorcoach industry provides nearly 600 million passenger trips per year. Today, nearly all of the 3,000 companies in the industry are completely shut down, 36,000 vehicles are parked, and most of the over 88,000 employees have been laid off. For many motorcoach operators, the spring months are when they earn at least 50 percent of their revenue. This year, however, business has decreased as much as 95 percent for some operators.
While a number of companies in the logistics and transportation industries received targeted assistance, the private bus and motorcoach sector has not. We ask for your support to utilize some of the unspent funds made available as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act for bus and motorcoach companies. Like other passenger transportation industries, the bus and motorcoach industry desperately needs aid to avoid widespread business closures. It is not an exaggeration to state that without direct aid our nation stands to lose an entire industry that, in 2018, generated close to $15.35 billion in revenue.
Operators in Tennessee and across the country play a vital role in our tourism and travel sectors. At the same time, the industry is critical to maintaining robust emergency transportation capabilities. From moving the nation’s troops, to weather related evacuations, to the recent deployment of motorcoaches to evacuate cruise ship passengers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, this industry has always stood ready to help when needed.
We have an obligation to help ensure this industry survives, and we request to use a portion of the unspent CARES Act funds to support the motorcoach industry. Thank you in advance for your consideration. We look forward to working with you to save these jobs.
U.S. Representative John Rose represents Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District and resides in Cookeville with his wife, Chelsea, and their son, Guy. The Sixth District includes Cannon, Clay, Coffee, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, White and Wilson counties as well as portions of Cheatham and Van Buren counties.
