Dealing with ELDs, Review of Motorcoach Driver Training Requirements, Limiting Engine-Related Pollution Control Breakdowns, and FMCSA Update were a handful of the sessions offered at the Bus Industry Safety Council (BISC)’s January 2020 meeting, which marked 20 years of the American Bus Association (ABA)’s commitment to safety. As explained by ABA on their Bus Industry Safety Council web page, the council’s mission “is to continually raise the level of safety in the intercity bus and motorcoach industry through collaborative efforts of professionals in a workshop and educational environment.”
CIT Signature Transportation (CIT)’s own Employee Development and Compliance Coordinator, Amy Edmonds, is one of these professionals committed to BISC and its mission of safety. Amy attended all the sessions mentioned above this January, absorbing the information so she could bring it back to benefit CIT, its staff, and its travelers. In fact, Amy was recently recognized by ABA with an Industry Learning Certificate in recognition of her completion of numerous education seminars at the ABA’s Marketplace 2020. She is a self-admitted “nerd” who “loves learning,” and this certificate only emphasizes this trait. Amy’s commitment to learning and safety reflects CIT’s number one priority: safety. CIT has served Iowa since 1988, taking their travelers 30 million miles for a total of 5 million safe rides. These statistics serve as a numeric representation of CIT’s continuous and successful dedication to the safety of their staff and patrons. It’s through Amy and the other members of CIT’s leadership team that CIT maintains and further improves upon their exceptional level of safety. One of the ways CIT does this is by understanding and complying with laws, rules, and regulations that oversee safety practices.
BISC has five topic-focused committees. One of these committees, Government Activities Review, deals with federal law. As explained by Amy, “when laws change, they know first.” Through following the information this committee distributes, Amy keeps up-to-date with these laws, assuring CIT’s compliance at the driver and company level. Since Amy knows the information provided by BISC and its topic-focused committees is so valuable, she plans accordingly. In the past, Amy has scheduled driver safety meetings upon her return from a BISC meeting. This way, she can immediately translate what she learned from BISC to the CIT family. Besides the wealth of information provided by BISC, Amy values the connections she has made with other safety and operational leaders around North America. These connections serve as a resource for information and advice highlighting the “collaborative efforts” segment of BISC’s mission. When everyone is collaboratively invested in safety, the industry as a whole makes strides.
Though the BISC January 2020 meeting has concluded, the work has not. BISC and its members labor year-round to ensure the safety of the motorcoach industry and the people who travel on its buses. With safety leaders like Amy behind the scenes of CIT, all you have to worry about is sitting back, relaxing, and experiencing the journey. Click here to book your safe journey today.
Written by: Emily Grzywacz
