Motorcoach Industry Asking For Help From Washington, D.C. Due To Pandemic

In Congress, the CERTS Act is being debated that would give out 10 billion dollars in relief money towards busing companies.

MOORHEAD, MINN. –“It’s tough to have to sit here and not do anything you know; it’s just not having any income coming in,” Triangle Coach Service  Owner Dave Helms said.

Minnesota motorcoach companies are demanding action from Washington as business continues to be at a standstill since March.

In Congress, the CERTS Act is being debated that would give out 10 billion dollars in relief money towards busing companies.

“This is a big deal for a lot of those folks, I think it will provide relief in what form remains to be seen,” Olander Coach Owner Nathan Olander said.

Nathan Olander, who owns the family business, says the industry is crucial to the economy for rural communities as schools and other groups depend on them for reliable and affordable travel.

“Obviously, within the population it’s based in, it is critical in these communities. Often times, they are very closely knit. It is like a family, so you kind of break up the family when something like this happens,” Olander said.

Businesses we spoke to are also concerned about limiting capacity on busing for social distancing.

They say when you spread groups out too much, it drives up costs not only for the customer but for the business as well.

“They are going to have to take more buses. It’s going to be more money; it’s ya know, you gotta have more drivers, and drivers are sometimes a shortage anyway,”Helms said.

They are concerned without any relief, businesses are going to have to make tough decisions that could end with shutting down for good.

“Lot of businesses are on a timeline where if we are not allowed to be open and rolling if that market just isn’t there with all of that, capital drives up pretty quickly,” Olander said.