Guest blog posted by ABA Senior Director for Policy Robin Phillips, August 6, 2008

Market to commuters: More people than ever are using motorcoaches to travel everyday. Ridership on commuter services is jumping around the country and particularly on the east coast where there are long standing commuter options. These new customers may never have been on a motorcoach or ridden a modern tour bus. Now is a great time to market local tours for local events and activities and if you are not in that corridor it may be worthwhile to contact an ABA member that provides commuter service and talk about connecting with their customers for their travel and tour needs in other parts of the country.

Work with companies to use the commuter benefit: The IRS code provides a commuter benefit. $115 a month per employee can be expensed by the employer. Those funds are a user-side subsidy for commuter bus and other bus and transit options. Employers and employer groups can work with transit organizations or third parties to deliver that benefit to employees to pay for their commuter bus, vanpool or transit costs. This is a great opportunity for you to connect with employers in your area and help them retain the workers they have invested in and respond to the escalating costs of commuting nationwide.

Invite a friend: The concept of an invitation is an important part of making people feel welcome. Many people are afraid to try something new. When you are marketing a new trip think about giving people a deal for two. Marketing new services to both seniors and youth transit organizations found that they got more response when they doubled the deal than when potential new riders received a pass for one.