The Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association (GNJMA) has changed its name to the Greater Northeast Motorcoach Association (GNEMA).
The change was recommended by the board to better reflect the increased diversity of the membership. A proposed bylaw change was sent out to the voting members, who approved the change and made it official last week.
“We are rebranding our name because our members that are part of our association are located throughout the Northeast, not just in the greater New Jersey region,” explained Tim Stout, of Stout’s Transportation and GNEMA. “It is similar to when the Atlantic City Bus Association members expanded into regions throughout the greater New Jersey area.
“The name rebranding is supported and welcomed by not just our Board, but our members. We will continue to work with other regional and state associations in our area to support the Motorcoach industry and our partners.”
Over the past few years, the Association has grown beyond the Greater New Jersey area, with operator members hailing from New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Maine.
“Demographically, our footprint currently represents a larger northeast regional organization. Members from surrounding states and beyond have joined our Association to have access to the valuable resources we provide,” the organization said in a release announcing the change.
“As the northeast regional association, we will offer benefits for our members to align with their state, including providing significant influence when engaging with elected officials and politicians regarding our industry’s needs.”
Second name change
This isn’t the first time the Association changed its name to reflect its geographic evolution.
The Association was established initially as the Atlantic City Bus Owner’s Association (ACBOA), created in 1981 so private bus operators in the Atlantic City market would have a unified voice on matters of collective interest. Over the years, with no active New Jersey association in place, the organization’s role grew beyond the scope of Atlantic City, and in January 2004 the association expanded to become a state organization known as the Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association.
The Association was founded by a small group of bus owners: Jeff Weintraub (Harran Transportation), Carl Bieber (Bieber Tours), Tom Dugan (Safety Bus), Sid Kushan (Suburban Coach), Mitch Sussman (Starr Tours), Frank Gallagher (Community Coach), and Dan Mercadante (Leisure Line). Weintraub and Sussman were the first president and vice president, respectively. The catalyst for the group’s formation was Steve Norton, of Resorts. The association’s partnership with Resorts is still strong, as Meg Lewis and her team are annual Platinum Sponsors of the Association.
The Association is led by a Board of Directors made up of motorcoach company owners and other professionals. Tim Stout, of Stout’s Transportation, is the president and has been at the helm since 2011.
