WASHINGTON D.C. Private motorcoach operators who signed on early to the Federal Transit Administration charter registration list should keep a close watch on their e-mails over the next several weeks.

Those who dont could be dropped from the program that notifies them of potential charter service jobs available in their area.

Re-registration is required every two years and the FTA already is notifying individual operators by e-mail that their registration is about to expire and they will have to sign up again if they want to continue receiving charter notices.

The list is a critical part of the revised charter service rule that was adopted by the FTA about two years ago to prevent tax-funded public transit agencies from taking charter work from private operators.

Under the rule, transit agencies are required to notify motorcoach operators on the list of any charter work they have been asked to do. The private carriers then would have first shot at the jobs and the transit agencies could do the charters only if there were no private companies willing to do them.

Motorcoach industry representatives say getting and remaining -- on the list is not only important for individual operators, but could be critical to the survival of the charter rule.

"Registration is the only method of telling the communities of your interest in serving them," said Ken Presley, vice president of the United Motorcoach Association.

He and others in the industry warn that the charter service rule is under attack by transit agencies across the country that want it changed so they can resume doing charters whenever it suits them.

Politicians have joined in on the attack and one of them Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from the state of Washington has succeeded in getting King County Metro Transit in Seattle exempted from the rule. (See January and Feb. 15 issues of Bus & Motorcoach News.)

Many in the motorcoach industry have suggested that if operators dont join the registration program and perform the charters the FTA could see that as a sign private companies are not interested in the rule, possibly making it easier for federal regulators and legislators to change it.

"Operators who fail to re-register may be essentially giving their local transit a free license to perform charter work," stressed Presley.

Although the FTA has only begun sending e-mails to operators whose registration is about to expire, problems already have developed.

The FTA said some operators have complained about a requirement that makes them wait until after their current registration expires before a new registration will be accepted.

The e-mails being sent to the operators informs them that their registration will expire in one week and that a second notice will be sent to them one day before it expires. But, the notice says signing up again only can be done after the actual expiration date.

"Weve received some complaints about their being a gap in their registration, and we are working on that problem and hope to have it resolved soon," said an FTA spokeswoman.

Operators that have not signed up for charter notifications can register at www.fta.dot.gov/CharterRegistration. Just click on "I accept these terms" and then "Submit new private charter operator registration."

Assistance is available by calling (202) 385-4357 or (866) 466-5221.

Companies that are already signed up should wait for the notice saying their registration is expiring.