ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The United Motorcoach Association is expanding its popular 20 Group program to Canada.

Under the arrangement, members of the Ontario Motor Coach Association are being invited to take part in the business improvement program with UMA members.

"It is going to expose our members to new and interesting approaches to business development and understanding of how the Canadian market operates," noted Victor S. Parra, president and chief executive of UMA.

Additionally, it will allow more UMA members to participate in the program because of the expanded number of companies that can join, and give OMCA members an opportunity to become involved for the first time.

Brian Crow, president of OMCA, said his organization looked into starting a 20 Group program of its own earlier in the year, but there were not enough members of similar size and in noncompetitive situations to make it work. "With the UMA 20 Group, this barrier will be removed for those who want to participate," said Crow.

Parra said there are a number of UMA members who also have been unable to become involved for the same reasons and they, too, will be able to join now.

UMA introduced the 20 Group program to its members earlier this year and already has three separate groups operating, each with about 20 members. Its goal is to have at least two more groups under way by the end of the year.

Developed several years ago for the International Motor Coach Group, the 20 Group program involves non-competing coach operators getting together several times a year to review each others financial statements, develop benchmarks for performance, and discuss and compare all aspects of their businesses. IMG members involved in the program say it has helped them improve their businesses immensely.

Mixing U.S. and Canadian operators and their different money values is not expected to be a problem because the financials discussed at the meetings usually are based on percentages, ratios and margins not dollar amounts.

"A 15 percent margin in the United States is a 15 percent margin in Canada," said Parra, adding that some Canadian operators have been involved in IMG 20 Groups in the past without problems.

He said the 20 Group program is likely to raise the financial bar in the industry by boosting price points and revenues. "Establishing these ratios so companies know what they need to be generating in terms of revenues to make sure they have sufficient dollars to cover the cost structure will benefit everyone," he suggested.

Parra stressed that the program and its expansion will not only help those operators taking part, but everyone in the industry. "Thats what so great about this," he said. "Even though you may not be in a 20 Group, you may benefit because you will get operators establishing a pricing structure that is really going to be a profitable structure," he said.

The 20 Group program was packaged by business consultant Duane Spader of Spader Business Management in Sioux Falls, S.D. Spader, who has worked with the program for more that 30 years, has partnered with UMA to bring the program to more coach operators.