AUSTIN, Texas -- A top official in Texas state government says motorcoach operators who respond to requests for evacuation assistance in future storm situations will be paid in a timely fashion, unlike the "checks-in-the-mail" fiasco that followed Hurricane Dean last year.

Ted Maddry of the Texas Governors Division of Emergency Management says Hurricane Dean, which hit the Gulf Coast Aug. 20-21, "was a learning experience" for the state. (See Feb. 1 Bus & Motorcoach News.)

Maddry, described by one motorcoach industry source as "a super nice guy who was professionally embarrassed" by the states failure to pay coach operators after Hurricane Dean, said he doesnt think it will happen again.

"Hurricane Dean was a good learning experience because it was a shakedown run for all the procedures we had put in place as a result of Hurricane Rita," said Maddry. "We had 106 contingency contracts in place, and with Hurricane Dean approaching, the decision was made to activate those contracts. But the process was not in place to pay them.

"We learned that, in the future, before we go out and pull the trigger activating contracts, we will have a very systematic process we will go through. We will get the blessing from the hierarchy in government so we are not left out there holding the bag."

Maddry said he will provide the governors staff with an estimated budget to deal with future evacuations "so they will know up front how much this is going to cost the state."

Overall, Maddry estimates the cost of the Hurricane Dean evacuation operation at about $3 million.

In a telephone interview, Maddry told Bus & Motorcoach News that all motorcoach operators and several independent school districts that provided buses have been paid in full. The Texas Prompt Payment Act, which provides for interest of 9.25 percent on bills not paid by the state within 30 days, added to the cost, he said.

Maddry said the state paid smaller bus operators first. "We figured they probably had a greater burden to bear than some of the larger operators."

Among several motorcoach operators left waiting for payment was Sandra Haigler, vice president of Lancaster Trailways of the Carolinas in Lancaster, S.C. She submitted one of the biggest invoices from a bus operator, totaling $119,362.

She said she received full payment shortly after an article appeared in the Feb. 1, issue of Bus & Motorcoach News, describing what an industry source called the "Texas Hurricane Hat Dance."

"We got paid shortly after the article appeared in your paper," Haigler

said.

Asked if her company will respond to another Texas plea for help, Haigler said: "We will. Unfortunately it was just a situation that happened. We recently received a Texas evacuation bid proposal and RFP. We hope it doesnt happen again. We were glad we were able to help. Besides, it was during the slow season."

Haigler said she was reimbursed for the cost of fuel, hotels, drivers, coach maintenance and insurance.

Maddry estimated that 95 percent of the businesses and individuals his office dealt with in connection with the hurricane were "very understanding about it."

"I felt for them personally, trying to keep them informed as best I could on the status of the funding situation," Maddry said. "Some at the tail end of the operation had to wait awhile. "You have to understand that this event was totally unanticipated. State leadership was in a position of theyre damned if they do and damned if they dont. We were watching Hurricane Dean come across the Gulf. We had a great number of assisted care people who had to be moved, so we exercised our bus and fuel contracts. Things like that cost money."

Maddry said the state was fortunate to receive federal assistance for

reimbursements, but was slow in coming up with matching funds.

"At the same time, the state had to pay unanticipated claims," he said.

"You dont go to the governor and say I need this amount of money and he

writes a check. It takes a while to get through the process."

Some motorcoach operators told Maddry they had similar experiences trying to get paid after hurricane duty in Florida. "They said it took about six months," he said, "so I dont feel too badly. At the same time, we ought to be able to pay. These people (motorcoach operators) depend on us and I dont want to ruin our reputation with them. We want them to come back to support us when we need them."