American Bus Association



Coronavirus FAQsDoes it make sense to reach out to legislators in surrounding areas where we may have groups that are not being serviced and in which we provide service to their constituents and explain the economic impact to their area (Foundation research) as well as long term viability of the transportation requirement.While it may be beneficial to share the economic impact of the motorcoach and group travel industry with government officials, with the activity happening regarding COVID-19, it is best to contact YOUR legislator and not where you are traveling. Legislators’ offices are being bombarded with constituents and the effect of the Coronavirus on them, they may not pay attention to someone outside their district. However, you should let the local CVB or tourism organization know if you are not coming so that they can develop an understanding the impact on their community and ask that they, the tourism organization, communicate that their local officials and Congressional leaders.Note: You can find Economic Impact information here: all the steps coach companies, hotels, attractions are taking to make travel safe for their customers isn't it reasonable to say that someone is more likely to contract coronavirus in their daily activities? What can ABA do to promote to the general public all that is being done to make sure that travelling by bus and on planned tours is still very safe?Here is a statement for you to personalize for your company:We, COMPANY, take the health and safety of our passengers seriously. We are reacting to the Coronavirus with the same precautions and policies that we adopt during the regular flu season in accordance with CDC recommendations, such as cleaning and sanitizing our buses regularly. We do remind passengers to avoid close contact with people who are sick, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed/unsanitized hands, clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and areas and understand the symptoms of the flu. If you are experiencing any symptoms, you should not take your trip as planned, but instead seek medical attention.? We will continue to monitor the areas our buses visit, as well as where outbreaks are confirmed. It is not our intention to put any of our passengers at risk.Is there a good subject line to use when sending emails to our government officials that will get their attention?When writing to your government officials it is important right now to put in the subject line: Constituent Company Needs Help. Be sure to flag immediate that you are constituent business owner in their district and state. State the facts of how Coronavirus is affecting your business.The WHO has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic today. This is going to go on awhile now. It’s really going to take your help to get the administration to help the travel industry going forward.ABA has been working day and night contacting Congressional offices and the Administration regarding the effects of Coronavirus on the industry and that any discussion of economic relief packages must include our industry. This effort will continue as long as it takes. ABA has taken the following actions as well:ABA Sends Letter to President Trump Urging Help for Group Travel and Tourism IndustryABA?Sends Letter to Congress Urging Help for the Group Travel and Tourism IndustryTravel Leaders Echo Experts: Make Fact-Based Decisions About TravelingABA Testimony for the Record to the Small Business Committee Hearing about the Effect of COVID-19 on BusinessesABA Holds Conference Call/Webinar on COVID-19 and the Effect on the Motorcoach, Group Travel and Tourism Industry (slides)View the Recording of the ABA WebinarOur perception is that the cruise industry and international travel industry will have the longest recovery duration. Is ABA working on any initiatives to promote domestic travel by motorcoach as domestic travel will most likely increase/recover quicker?ABA has always promoted domestic travel by motorcoach and will continue to do so through letters, media opportunities, social media, etc. Our number one priority is to promote our industry and members to the public at large as a green, economical and safe mode to transportation.Can you screen passengers before boarding for a chartered trip and refuse passengers you suspect are sick?As the bus operator, you have the right and the obligation to protect your passengers from anyone who might pose an immediate threat to their health or safety.? If someone is clearly sick and reasonably appears to be a risk to other passengers, you may refuse service.? But actual passenger screening, as conducted at some airports worldwide, is done by trained health officials (the CDC in the U.S.) using thermometer guns to determine the presence of a fever.? Airport screening also involves taking passengers' travel history, to determine if they have been in an area where an outbreak has occurred.??Can we legally refuse service to someone we can visibly see is ill?Yes.??As the bus operator, you have the right and the obligation to protect your passengers from anyone who might pose an immediate threat to their health or safety.?What are bus companies doing regarding cancellation policies for trips cancelling due to concern over COVID-19?Many bus and tour companies noted in the response to questions ABA posed that they are doing their best to hold customers to contracts, however the vast majority stated that they are being flexible, and many are working with customers on a case by case basis.? In many instances the bus and tour operator has already paid deposits for buses, hotel rooms, attractions tickets and at a minimum they would like to recover those costs.? Do you have to be an ABA member to access that COVID-19 page?NO. Anyone can utilize the information ABA has put together about COVID-19. You can find the webpage here: be a crazy question, but is there any idea on how long we could see this continue? Is this also going to impact our summer business?The simple answer is we do not know. While we do hope that like the regular flu season, this will pass once temperatures get warmer, we don’t know how long it will actually last. The best action is to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: type of relief is being requested of Congress? ABA and others in the travel industry have been requesting that Congress keep the industry in the forefront of any stimulus or economic packages. Stay up to date on this fluid situation with ABA’s Government Affairs & Policy team updates, found here: will also find letter templates for contacting your Representative and Senators.Hotel side- what are hotels doing signage wise? Are they posting information about the virus and the measures they are taking? Like all businesses catering to people staying, eating, visiting, etc., you should be sharing your efforts in cleaning and disinfecting your property. It does not hurt to share the actions you have gone through to keep your business clean.Should operators be sending mass emails to their entire database regarding measures we are taking to help keep them safe or only to customers with departure dates within the next few months? ABA would suggest that you keep the lines of communications open for all your customers. It does not hurt to share what steps you are doing to ensure that your buses and businesses are continually being cleaned and disinfected for the health of your employees and customers.Do you know or have heard anything regarding the CDC issuing a travel warning for the US?The CDC does not generally issue advisories or restrictions for travel within the United States. However, cases of COVID-19 have been reported in many states, and some areas are experiencing community spread of the disease. Crowded travel settings may increase your risk of exposure to COVID-19, if there are other travelers with COVID-19. As this situation is fluid, please check the destination of your trip. Many local and state officials are declaring emergencies and cancelling events and closing attractions that bring together large groups of people.I received an email today from my credit card processor from their Risk Management Dept. stating that my company (tour operator) is now considered high risk and I need to submit my plan of action to deal with reservation cancellations. I am concerned on how to answer this and don't want to lose my processing. Does our legal consul have any advice on how we should handle this? I am assuming that other tour operators will soon be receiving similar emails from their credit card processors.We have heard from some credit card processing companies that the understand the large number of refunds that are being made and they will not penalize companies during this time.? Of course, then those are charge backs or challenges by customers they do look at the account differently than they would for refunds.Is the ABA working with insurance companies to address the need to have pandemic insurance included in business interruption insurance?ABA recommends that you discuss your policy with your insurance company immediately. One ABA member, True North Companies, offered the following advice: Property/Casualty-Related CoveragesWe encourage our?clients to review their insurance policies and claim reporting requirements. The scope of coverage for claims arising from Coronavirus (COVID-19) depends on the specific facts of the loss or claim, the terms of the insurance policy and the governing law of the jurisdiction in question. As with any claim, each situation is different and 'yes or no' determinations will need to be investigated.Insured perils and/or covered causes of loss, which are defined in each policy, will determine if coverage applies. Business Interruption coverage requires the interruption to be from a Covered cause of loss (e.g., fire, tornado, etc.). Unfortunately, with COVID-19, in most cases, coverage will be excluded due to a "pandemic," "epidemic," and/or "virus" exclusion of the policy.Workers Compensation will also likely exclude COVID-19 claims in most cases, as an occupational disease must:?be contracted during the course of employment.be contracted due to conditions "peculiar" to the work.Potential coverage is as follows:First-Party?Property and Business Interruption Insurance?- insurance coverage that replaces business income lost in a disaster. The event could be, for example, a fire or a natural disaster and or for shutdown or slowdown of your own business.Needs to be a covered cause of loss (with extension for Communicable Disease, Epidemic and/or Pandemic, which is rare).Contingent Business Interruption (CBI)?or?Supply Chain Risk Insurance?-?for disruption of supply chains and, potentially, markets, and downstream customers.Needs to be a covered cause of loss (with extension for Communicable Disease, Epidemic and/or Pandemic, which is rare).Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance -?for liability to third parties arising from bodily injury or, potentially, personal injury or property damage.Definition of personal injury and or property damage will aid in the determination of coverage.?Directors & Officers (D&O), Management Liability, Errors & Omissions (E&O) and Professional Liability Insurance -?for claims that management personnel failed to take appropriate measures to protect the business or third parties.Event Cancellation InsuranceNeeds to be a covered cause of loss (with extension for Communicable Disease, Epidemic, and or Pandemic, which is rare)Workers' Compensation Insurance?– when submitting a claim an employee will have to be able to establish?work-relatedness.?State-specific but with the incubation period being 14 days will the employee concretely be able to prove that they contracted the virus at work.?Employee Benefits-Related CoveragesFLMA and ADA considerations:Does Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave apply for employees or immediate family members who may contract coronavirus?Yes, assuming that the FMLA applies to the employer, coronavirus would qualify as a "serious health condition" under FMLA, allowing an employee to take FMLA leave if either the employee or an immediate family member contracts the disease. The employee would be entitled to job reinstatement as well. State law may provide additional leave benefits.Does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) restrict how I interact with my employees due to the coronavirus?Not if it's a pandemic. The ADA protects employees with disabilities, but during a global health emergency, as recently declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), employees can be required to be medically examined to determine if they have contracted the disease when an employer has a reasonable belief that employees will pose a direct threat due to a medical condition. WHO raised its risk assessment of the coronavirus to its highest level on Feb. 28, according to CNBC.*Please note this is not an endorsement for True North Companies but information sharing.Can ABA compile a list of State contacts for application for disaster relief funds?The Small Business Administration has stated it has created loans for businesses during these trying time. You can learn more about SBA loans here: operators required to carry MSDS sheets for Lysol and other cleaning products?Yes, you are required to do so.Are there additional ways to disinfect the air and or HVAC systems in the bus, such as foggers, disinfection bombs or sprays for filters?While ABA does not endorse any of these products, this is a list of products and services other members are using: ................
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