Motorcoach operators across the U.S. and Canada are collectively holding their breath, hoping the worldwide flu scare wont produce precipitous cutbacks in group travel.

So far, cancellations generally appear to be modest and localized. A few operators report trips being cancelled by schools and elderly groups. One New York operator reported having $9,000 worth of school trips halted early on because of the scare.

Still, in anticipation of a possible worsening situation, operators say theyre preparing for the possibility of decreased ridership and lost work.

At the same time, many operators report having stepped up their coach cleaning process, and begun offering alcohol-based hand cleaners on board.

A&A Travel in Houston received four school-related trip cancellations in a single day; the Louisiana schools were to travel to Houston.

"People dont want to come into Houston," says Carol Huff, co-owner of A&A, which operates three coaches. As a border state, Texas has gotten more than its share of flu scare attention.

"Of course, it really helped when the vice president went on TV and said he wouldnt get on an airplane for anything. That was really cool," said Huff sarcastically.

Jim Galusha, CEO of Silverado Stages in San Luis Obispo, Calif., says his company hadnt yet been directly affected by the flu scare "but we expect to have some impact."

Like other operators, Galusha is following news reports carefully, noting there had been confirmed cases of the H1-N1 flu south of his Santa Barbara terminal and some school shutdowns.

"We have at our level instituted a disinfectant campaign," says Galusha, including thorough cleansing on a daily basis for day trips and providing alcohol-based hand cleaners on Silverados 70-bus fleet.

"We are just beginning our grad night season for schools. The majority of them take overnight trips. If, and its a big if, if it spreads, a lot of the schools may rethink their activities. That would have a major impact.

"We are very disappointed about the statements from our vice president," says Galusha. "Its the biggest news item out there; we have to respond to the conditions in the market place."

B&G Transportation in Hobbs, N.M., also is striving to keep its equipment extra clean since the outbreak, and it hasnt seen cancellations either, said President Mike Whitehead. About 75 percent of the companys business is schools, with 36 school buses, seven motorcoaches and two activity buses.

In Brooklyn, A Silhouette Tours & Travel President Antoine Legrant reported no cancellations: "But it could happen at any moment."

Canada and the New York area were hit particularly hard by a plunge in travel after the SARS scare in 2003, so there is sensitivity to the possibility of another drop.

The sales department at Grand Island Transit Corp.s Grand Tours in Lockport, N.Y., reports getting concerned calls from customers and had a senior trip to Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel cancelled.

"In May, we have several student trips. Weve had a lot of people thinking ahead, wondering what they should do. I just hope and pray they dont go that way, canceling buses. It was so hard recovering from 9/11 and SARS," said a Grand Tours sales representative who asked not to be identified.

Border violence already had limited travel into Mexico, so the current flu scare has had a limited impact -- so far, says Scott Duncan, general manager of the All Aboard America! terminal in Mesa, Ariz.

"Were keeping an eye out but we havent seen anything yet," said Duncan. The 85-motorcoach company also has terminals in Texas and New Mexico.

"Its just a matter of time, obviously, but were not at this time noticing an impact," said Darci Place, general manager of Black Diamond Limousine & Transportation in Mesa. The company has a lot of end-of-year school trips to California scheduled and, so far, none have been cancelled.

A spokesman for Greyhound Lines, whose Americanos subsidiary makes a dozen round trips daily between Dallas and Mexico, said it was among those operators who have stepped sanitizing efforts.

"We use alcohol-based products, ... wiping everything inside the bus because we want to make sure when people get off the bus, and the next group of passengers do get on, they can feel assured they have nothing to worry about," said the spokesperson.