BALTIMORE Seven central Maryland motorcoach operators have joined forces to provide shuttle bus service this fall for Baltimore Ravens football games, and to develop other business that leverages their new-found cooperative strength.

By taking over the Ravens shuttle the coach operators are taking advantage of an opening created by this years overhaul of the federal charter bus rules.

Lori Parr, of Bill Rohrbaugh Charter Service in Manchester, reports an increase of 100 percent in company jobs during Ravens home-game weekends because of the coach operators joint arrangement with the National Football League team.

That means Rohrbaughs work went from six runs to 12 during those weeks, all because of the revised Federal Transit Administration rule that requires public transit authorities to give private companies first crack at charter work. The rule went into effect April 30.

"Were glad the federal law brought us this extra work," said Parr.

"We realize this is happening all over the nation and the fight that is happening (during) the transition," said Parr, who is charter sales manager at Bill Rohrbaugh Charter Service.

Parr has registered her employers company with the FTA around the nation to track how other areas are doing.

"Carriers need to band together and work together to make it happen. I know that theyre your competitors but you need to band together and make it work. All of the carriers, if we dont work together, then the (Maryland Transit Administration) is going to get it back and we dont want that to happen.

"Organizations just have to trust that their people are going to do it," said Parr.

Bumps in the road

Auto parking is limited near the Ravens stadium, which is in an urban setting, notes Roy Sommerhof of the NFL club. So, the motorcoach shuttles are badly needed to operate what is called RavensRide. There also is a light-rail trolley that stops at the stadium. "We need that combination to make it work."

Transitioning to the shuttle bus system operated by the private companies encountered more than a few bumps in the road. For example, the operators have had to overcome higher insurance requirements and premiums; bad press; a late start, and the cost of using public park-and-ride lots.

But the Ravens and the operators have high hopes that much of the worst is behind them and next season will bring better numbers. There were two pre-season games this year and there are eight regular home games.

"We have a good relationship with the consortium of carriers and thats gone very well. We wish the numbers would be a little more but with time that may change," says Sommerhof.

"One thing that will help is because we got a late start, we would like to market to the season (ticket) holders better in the future. That might drive the numbers a little bit," says Sommerhof, who is vice president of stadium operations for the Ravens.

The team initiated contact with Baltimore-area private bus operators in July, mere weeks before the first preseason game in mid-August, according to Cathy Shea, vice president of operations at Golden Ring Travel & Transportation Inc.

"We havent been pulling in the numbers that the (transit authority) pulled in the past. But I think that was the negative press. There were reasons for the change in price," added Parr.

Surprises, too

"We werent expecting to pay for a parking lot." And higher fuel costs -- until very recently also were a factor driving up prices. "The (transit authority) wants their share; they werent happy about this," Parr noted.

More than 500 fans ride the buses each game, less than half the number that used the transit authority service last year. The seven coach companies share the organizational load, with three carriers handling advance dispatch, Shea explained.

"The FTA ruling caught a lot of us in this industry by surprise. ... We want to try and make this thing work; the key is to make it a reasonable price. The riders seem to feel its a reasonable price," Sommerhof said.

Ridership is key to the success of the project, says Sommerhof. "(Operators) have to be smart with regard to pricing for it to work."

On the private operators ability to boost ridership: "I think it just depends on how the Ravens play, to tell the truth. ... I think a lot of business is driven by the way the team performs," said Parr. The Ravens are X-X at midseason.

Shea says they charge $20 per person from Baltimore and $25 from the Manchester area to the stadium double the amount the tax-subsidized local transit authority was charging. Discounts were offered for early purchasers of ride tickets.

Upfront costs

The operators had to pay $20,700 up front in usage and deposits to the Maryland Transportation Authority and Maryland State Highway Administration.

Since the coach operators began their service, the Ravens have worked out a coach parking arrangement at M&T Bank Stadium with the city of Baltimore and the Baltimore Parking Authority for RavensRide coaches to park free, avoiding the $140 parking fees usually paid by charter coaches, said Shea. "There have been a lot of entities coming together to make this happen," she added.

The coach operators have doubled their liability insurance from $5 million to $10 million so they can use the stadium, Shea said.

"Excellent service was a factor understood as being in everyone's best interest more than price, as both the Ravens and RavensRide carriers understood that the days of $10 bus service, which was taxpayer supplemented, was now over per the FTA charter service rule. The goal was great service and fair prices," said Shea.

"The feedback from the fans, carriers, drivers and Ravens operation has been excellent. Aside from the grumbling over the initial price shock and negative media coverage concerning price increases, all has run quite smoothly.

"Ridership is slowly increasing as word spreads that we are providing good value and improved service," Shea noted.

One reason Shea sees a future in RavensRide is that fans are realizing they can avoid the price of fuel and tolls and not deal with the traffic. And "most fans say they would not go back to plastic (transit bus) seats again even if they had the choice."

Spreading the word

The NFL team is directly marketing the shuttle service through e-mail. "To remind (fans) that this is a viable option," says Sommerhof. The ball club is adding signage on its concourses.

Also, operators have the chance to advertise on radio, and there is a plan to include inserts going to season-ticket holders when they receive their tickets next July. It hasnt been settled yet who will pay for the inserts.

Parr would like to see testimonials used next season as a marketing tool: "But we do appreciate the business we have gotten."

Probably the most effective and cheapest way to market to fans has been to have company staffers go out on Sundays to explain the service and share with fans why the prices are higher. Parr and Shea go to parking lots to tell fans about the costs of diesel fuel, insurance and park-and-ride rentals. "Its just a really complicated story of money and effort and time," says Parr.

"People are just appreciative that we are providing the service. All (the media) focused on was double the price, double the price. We park next to the stadium, its a fast ride there and a fast ride back. How can it be better than that?" asks Parr.

And the future?

Asked whether the Ravens will continue to use the seven operators, Sommerhof responds: "It just has to work for the fans. If it continues to work for the fans, then well do it."

Sommerhof and the operators say that initially he wanted to deal with only one company. But after the request for proposals went out, a group of operators came together and offered the service. "We were fine with that as long as we have one point of contact." Shea serves as the contact.

"The Ravens have been appreciative that our companies have been working together so far," says Parr.

"This has improved relations between the companies. We usually do business on the phone but this has allowed us to meet face to face. It has brought us closer together," says Parr.

Shea says the project has opened the door for the coach companies to work together on other projects. "The carriers involved have already ventured into new revenue-generating sources by working together as a team, providing drivers and staff to take on the big jobs that none of us alone could handle. We foresee many, many more opportunities in the future when we work together as a team. A win-win for all."

Ken Presley, vice president of industry relations at the United Motorcoach Association, sees the initiative by the Baltimore operators as encouraging.

"In many ways, the success of the privatization of RavensRide is not a victory over the transit system but rather a triumph for private operators going outside their comfort zone and saying, we can do this.

"Per-capita service is different but it can also be rewarding," says Presley.

"The operators, along with Maryland Motorcoach Association President Sam Shea and Sackett-Cook Insurance Agency, are to be commended for taking on all the challenges and making the shuttle a success."

Presley thinks the success in Baltimore could be a model for other areas and open up opportunities as a result of the FTA rule change.