North America makes the Smart Move

US-based Motorcoach Marketing Council partners with Smart Move to promote safe, green, efficient, user-friendly and affordable bus and coach transportation worldwide

Denver, CO, 17 February 2012 – The Motorcoach Marketing Council joined Smart Move, a joint long-term industry campaign promoting a greater use of collective passenger transportation by bus and coach worldwide, on 10 February 2012. The Smart Move campaign is endorsed by 91 committed partners around the world, to now include the US-based Motorcoach Marketing Council, thousands of bus/coach operators, several international industry organisations such as the American Bus Association, Global Passenger Network, and United Motorcoach Association, in addition to vehicle manufacturers, media partners, and individual supporters, all sharing the values and advocating the objectives of the campaign.

The Motorcoach Marketing Council is a not-for-profit public interest organisation dedicated to educating travellers about the availability, selection, and benefits of motorcoach transportation across North America. “It is a natural fit for the Council to join Smart Move and contribute to this global industry effort,” stated the Council’s Chairman, Brian Annett of Annett Bus Lines (Sebring, FL). “We share the same long-term goals to improve public perception of the motorcoach, and fill more seats,” said Annett. By working together, the Smart Move partners aim to educate policy-makers and travellers across the globe about the fiscally attractive, convenient and eco-friendly advantages only a bus/coach provides.

Buses and coaches are the best solution to a range of current and future mobility challenges, such as climate change, congestion, road safety, connectivity and social inclusion. They are the only mode of transportation that can successfully compete with the private car in offering a sustainable transportation alternative while maintaining a high level of flexibility, at no cost to taxpayers. Promoting the use of buses and coaches worldwide brings substantial benefits to society and communities in terms of: affordable, sustainable, high quality transportation at negligible costs for society; considerable improvement in road safety and reduction of road fatalities; decreased CO₂ emissions and road
congestion in cities; and the creation of millions of new ‘green’ jobs worldwide.

"We're very excited about taking our campaign globally,” noted Victor Parra, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Motorcoach Association, and Director of the Motorcoach Marketing Council, when announcing its new partnership with Smart Move at the United Motorcoach Association Expo event today, in Long Beach, California, “Now, millions of travellers around the world will see the same campaign messages advocating the many advantages of motorcoach travel,” said Parra.

The motorcoach operators continue to be the driving force of this new movement to raise consumer awareness. By way of the new partnership, the Motorcoach Marketing Council will additionally disseminate and share Smart Move campaign and marketing materials, fact sheets, videos and best practices with its motorcoach operators and campaign supporters to strengthen the Smart Move outreach to politicians, media, and the general public.

Learn more about the Motorcoach Council’s North American outreach campaign, “Bus & Coach. The Smart Move”.