After several decades at its location on West Street in Alexandria, Virginia, the United Motorcoach Association has relocated to a new headquarters building nearby.
A new chapter of UMA’s history began in February as UMA settled into its fresh space on Eisenhower Avenue across from the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.
“We are excited to have a new office more suited to our current operation,” said UMA President & CEO Scott Michael. “The current office served the UMA Membership well, but the UMA Board of Directors felt a change was appropriate.”
Thirty-one years ago, the Board of Directors of the United Bus Owners of America, now the UMA, purchased the previous location to meet the demands of a burgeoning economically deregulated industry, gaining space to grow and add staff. Moving from downtown Washington to just across the river, only minutes from the Hill, delivered a better value by avoiding some of the nation’s highest rent and acquisition costs. The location also attracted staff that wanted to avoid commuter traffic into the District.
Advantages of new location
As many companies discovered during the pandemic, the rise of remote and hybrid workers, combined with staff reductions, reduced the need for office space, and UMA is no exception.
“It’s important we continue to provide the advocacy and service UMA Members have come to expect while continuing the tradition of wisely investing in the future of the industry,” Michael said.
Ken Presley, UMA Vice President, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs & Industry Relations/COO, worked out of the West Street office for his entire UMA career, but he sees the advantages of relocating.
“The new location brings us closer to the METRO train, which is valuable for quick jaunts to meetings with Congress, and we’re also closer to the Beltway,” Presley said. “Preparing for the move has given me an opportunity to start going through the numerous files and historical materials we have collected over many years. Going through old files highlights how far the industry has come and the many wins and struggles the industry has faced.”
Update your address books
The new address for UMA headquarters is: 2034 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 247, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Mail sent to the old address will be forwarded for the time being, but this would be a good time to update records to ensure that future correspondence, including payments, goes to the correct address.
Over the years, UMA headquarters also hosted the National Limousine Association, National School Transportation Association and BusRates.com.
The first weeks in the new location have been busy with unpacking and reconnecting to all the modern necessities such as phone, fax and internet.
“While packing, we’ve had the opportunity to go through a lot of old memories and revisit the rich history of the United Motorcoach Association,” Michael said.
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