COVID-19 continues to make things difficult for the coach bus industry nationwide.

What You Need To Know

  • Most summer tour bus trips have been canceled

  • Bus companies like Onondaga Coach Tours estimate they will lose about $3.5 million dollars due to pandemic

  • A federal CERTS (Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services) Bill could soon help motorcoach companies nationwide

Onondaga Coach Tours is one company that has had to put a temporary halt on most of its bus tours and group trips. Officials said they've lost more than $3.5 million because of the pandemic.

Casino, shopping and baseball trips typically fill buses throughout the week and on weekends. Those trips, along with day and overnight tours, are currently on hold.

Many companies like Onondaga Coach Tours are re-setting travel schedules and hope to offer more in the near future.

"We've also got to be certain that where our motor coaches are going are not going to be hot spots. We want to be able to get things rolling again, but we also want to be able to keep our community and New York state, safe," said Onondaga Coach Tours Managing Director Jacqueline Frost.

Frost said charter buses are available for groups who would like to go to a particular destination.

She said the company is optimistic about receiving a federal grant through the CERTS (Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services) Act that provides bus companies economic relief.