The American Bus Association (ABA) is going places under its new CEO, Fred Ferguson.

Ferguson joined the Washington, D.C.- based organization in 2024, but he’s no stranger to the area, having been there since college. He began as a congressional intern and then became chief of staff for former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, before moving to an in-house lobbying role with the gun, ammunition and outdoor products maker Vista Outdoor.

“I’ve done the public life as a congressional chief of staff, I did the private side as an in-house lobbyist and corporate executive, and the trade association route is the best of both worlds,” he told CEO Update.

Making connections

The association has four different groups of members: motorcoach operators, tour operators, travel and tourism-related organizations, and product and service suppliers.

Bus operators primarily want lobbying and safety and maintenance guidelines from ABA, while other members want access to the operators and view the organization as a conduit to them.

“That allows us to create a lot of programming that creates connections and professional development across membership categories, but then also really specific lobbying campaigns,” Ferguson said.

“We play ball in a ton of spaces, from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee all the way to the National Park Service and consumer access to the parks.”

Travel and ABA revenue snap back

The association currently employs 11 people, up from eight when Ferguson began.

“It’s nominally not a huge number, but as a percent, it’s a huge jump,” he noted.

Before he came on board, there hadn’t been a new position added since 2018, and ABA’s staff numbers declined during COVID-19.

“It really was this cultural shift of, ‘Look, we’re healthier than we realize. The shows are doing well, our membership is strong. We need to go on offense; we need to believe in ourselves,’” he explained of the additions.

Membership is about 2,500, and the organization’s operating budget for the year ahead is about $6.8 million, up more than 25% since 2024.

That increase, Ferguson said, can be attributed partially to the success of the association’s long-standing four-day annual trade show, Marketplace. The industry took a hard hit during the pandemic, from 3,000 companies operating buses before 2020 to 1,800 now. But group travel is surging, and tourism operators come to the show to make connections with bus operators.

“I know there’s a lot of discussion about ‘Are trade shows dead? And what's the future of shows?’ But this model is incredibly successful,” he said.

Cutting expenses has also been a priority for Ferguson. Moving the association’s headquarters to Capitol Hill and selling its underused condominium located on K Street meant lowering real estate costs from $35,000 to $8,000 monthly.

Branding and stepping up

Coming from an outdoor products company, Ferguson took a serious look at ABA’s branding.

“As I walked into ABA, what I realized was, we’re sitting on a very strong operating structure, but the brand itself needs work,” he said. “We’re not, maybe, as confident as we should be. … So, what I really tried to do was say, ‘No, look, we are a big dog. We are the mover and shaker in the group travel industry.”

A new visual identity can now be found on ABA’s website and a new line of merch: hats, vests, and for members who donate to the association’s political action committee, custom Nike Dunks. Expect a store and giveaways at the next Marketplace.

Employee empowerment has been another important piece of Ferguson’s leadership.

“We’re a lean and mean team,” he said. “I want each of us to basically step up and become the best version of ourselves. I think before I got here, there was a lot of hesitancy.”

Giving team members agency as they take tours, attend events and bring industry members to Washington has unleashed creativity. Ferguson’s message to staff? “I’m going to give you a long leash to do your job, and you don’t need check-ins, you don’t need micromanagement.”

The future: certifications and fly-ins

A certification program is on the horizon. ABA, Ferguson pointed out, exists in a highly regulated space, and members go above and beyond safety requirements. Certification could allow companies to demonstrate higher performance levels to the government, insurance providers and consumers, possibly resulting in more bookings, better insurance rates and smoother government inspections.

Meanwhile, Ferguson plans to stay focused on what the association does best. Amping up and promoting the show is part of a new strategic plan — ABA’s first since 2018.

“We are the best in the world at putting on a group travel trade show,” he said. “I want us to take that muscle, that skill set, and do more events.”

He’s planning for at least four yearly events, including an industry fly-in. “People want to be around us,” he said. “They want to come to ABA to get that connection platform, and we just need to give it to people.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that employees who donate to ABA's PAC would receive custom Nike Dunks. The article has been corrected to state that ABA members who donate to the PAC would receive the shoes.