The Motorcoach Channel

From everyone here at Plan of Action, we would like to introduce to you an exciting new development from our research department. Although we currently offer an industry-leading standard for using technology to map facilities and prepare for emergencies, a glimpse into the future of this process shows great hope for even more improvement. In an unprecedented move, our team at Plan of Action is working to incorporate cutting-edge 3D modeling technology into our future Emergency Preparedness Plans. This will enable us to take your company’s standard of preparedness to a whole new level.

By utilizing the latest in Computer Aided Design programs, we are already able to recreate scale models of facilities, replete with interior and exterior pictures. In the near future, we will take that a step further and introduce 3D modeling to our Facility Planning process. We will have the ability to replicate interiors with the added effects of emergency conditions such as diminished visibility. This technology will also be able to provide simulated training exercises for evacuation.

What this amounts to, is an Emergency Preparedness Program that not only provides accurate evacuation planning, but also details critical situations of how to escape from your facility in the event of an emergency. This will aide in the preparation for circumstances your employees may encounter such as sensory deprivation. 3D modeling will allow them to be more prepared and ready to react quickly and effectively in a crisis situation.

This is a glimpse into the future of your teammates at Terrapin Blue, where we are always striving to find the next break through technology to better serve our clients.

ATHENS, GEORGIA – January 28, 2011 – This week, Plan of Action traveled across the country to visit several clients for pre-tactical planning sessions.

Traveling to six states in four days, the Plan of Action (POA) team visited motorcoach operators in Louisville, KY, Nashville, TN and Asheville, NC to develop customized “emergency preparedness plans,” or EPPs, which minimize the negative impact of potential crisis situations.

Throughout the visits, the POA team consulted with each client, in addition to photographing and mapping its facility, all in preparation for designing targeted EPPs, comprehensive safety plans that are sent directly to first responding agencies, aiding them to save human lives in the event of a crisis situation.

Patrick Kelly, POA’s Senior Director of Planning, spoke in regards to the recent client visits:

“Plan of Action always looks forward to hitting the road and visiting each and everyone of our clients,” Kelly said. “Face time with each of our valued clients helps POA to create meaningful relationships, prepare tailored emergency preparedness plans, and gain valuable insight into our ever-evolving market. Each facility visit provides critical information that manifests the development of progressive and proactive emergency preparedness, crisis management, and security awareness.”

“As we strive to establish formidable, aggressive, and individualized tactical preparedness plans, our personalized site visits continue to incorporate POA’s tailored approach, fostering the ever-evolving needs of each of our operators, ensuring the safety of their operators and passengers, and helping to make the motorcoach industry a wonderful one,” he said.

This past December, Plan of Action worked with Safety Bus in Pennsauken, New Jersey. The team performed its first motorcoach and school bus emergency preparedness planning and training services, entirely in Spanish, at Safety Bus’ Absecon and Pensauken locations.

Samantha Janeira, of Safety Bus, said the following in regards to POA’s work:

“Plan of Action’s flexibility to meet [our] needs was a great experience,” she said. “POA’s training team adapted to the scheduling demands that Safety Bus’ drivers and managers face to ensure that everyone in our organization was fully trained and certified with their safety class. Their ability to adapt and tailor POA’s program around our demanding schedules made the experience all that much more worthwhile.“

Last week, our team traveled to the city of Philadelphia to participate in the American Bus Association’s 2011 Marketplace & Product Pavilion.

This four-day event was a productive experience for the Terrapin Blue family of companies, which includes Plan of Action, and served as an opportunity for our team to network with motorcoach industry professionals.

At our booth throughout the event’s Product Pavilion portion, we met hundreds of professionals that represent a variety of groups in the travel industry, including bus operators, hotel owners and destination marketing organizations. Eager to hear about the diverse array of services that our family of companies provides, these individuals learned a great deal about Terrapin Blue throughout Marketplace.

(Pictured above on left: Ryan Kelly, CEO of Terrapin Blue, on the Product Pavilion floor.)

The Terrapin Blue team also attended educational seminars led by professional speakers and industry leaders throughout the week, learning about a variety of topics applicable to the transportation industry, such as marketing and social media.

And of course, being in Philadelphia, our team took the opportunity to experience the city’s rich history and culture.

Marketplace 2011 was a unique industry event for our company, and Terrapin Blue looks forward to its continued partnership with the American Bus Association, as well as future ABA-sponsored events.

Read more about our recent exclusive partnership with the American Bus Association here.