We are all familiar with the parable, that if you place a frog in boiling water he will jump out, but if the frog is placed in tepid water and then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.
Well, the bus industry was slowly being “cooked” to death before the 2016 election. Regulations were occurring at a rate that far exceeded the ability of the industry to absorb them, with questionable improvements in safety.
The framers of our constitution purposely made lawmaking cumbersome and consensual. Beginning in the New Deal era, Congress discovered a workaround of sorts by creating federal agencies and assigning them broad missions and the authority to go forth and regulate. The “regulatory state” was born.
Increasingly, society seeks government intervention when goods and services go awry, and politicians being…well, politicians… increasingly accommodate. Hearings are held and politicians scold the agencies for not regulating enough. Old timers know this cycle as a “dog chasing his tail,” but, nevertheless, if you are a regulator you crank out more regulations and enforcement. Besides, it’s job security. Of course, every new regulation brings about more enforcement. Industry segments, particularly larger businesses, soon figure out that small businesses have more of a challenge absorbing new regulations and therefore encourage regulators to regulate their competitors out of business.
Regulations also cost every American household an estimated $15,000 annually to pay for all the goods and services that must comply with the myriad of federal regulations.
Regardless of your opinion of President Trump, his administration has brought nearly two years of no new regulations for our industry; indeed, FMCSA Administrator Martinez, appointed by President Trump, is trying to bend back or modify some old ones. Owners of bus and motorcoach companies tell me it feels pretty good and it’s nice to have a focus on their business for a change. President Trump, a former businessman himself, knows the massive amount of time and resources regulations consume and pending regulations are dark clouds hanging over every business, discouraging capital investment and employment expansion.
Fed up, the bus and motorcoach industry enthusiastically supported H.R. 2120 – Buses United for Safety, Regulatory Reform, and Enhanced Growth for the 21st Century Act. The legislation has played a pivotal role in halting or modifying the industry’s most pressing wish list. Your UMA elected leadership, the UMA regional directors you elected to represent you on the Board of Directors, made this possible. They need to hear from you. If you currently enjoy the present regulatory environment of no new regulations and elimination of burdensome and ineffective regulations, let them know. Give them a call or send them an email. With apologies to dogs and frogs, where do you want to see the industry go from here?
The advocates for more regulations are filling the halls of Congress as you read this article. The caution light is on.
A new Congress will begin in 2019. Meanwhile we face a lame-duck session, famous for mischief and sometimes some silliness. We will keep you abreast. As always, thank you for allowing UMA to be part of your continuing success story.
