PRSTD STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #1059
Bolingbrook, IL 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:55 PM Page 1 Page PM 1:55 4/29/13 1 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:55 PM Page 2
never added up to so much.
The numbers tell a pretty impressive story. s :ERO EMISSIONS s -ORE THAN IN ANNUAL FUEL SAVINGS s -ORE THAN OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE BUS s BETTER FUEL ECONOMY THAN HYBRIDS
s BETTER FUEL ECONOMY THAN DIESEL s BETTER FUEL ECONOMY THAN #.' s ,OWER MAINTENANCE COSTS THAN OTHER VEHICLES 4O LEARN MORE contact Ian Shackleton at 864-438-0015, OR EMAIL US AT SALES PROTERRACOM
Proterra.com Altoona Certified Electric Bus Ú 0ROTERRA
1 1 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:55 PM Page 3
+HDY\GXW\UHOLDELOLW\ 0DGHLQ86$ Happy operators Panoramic view
Heavy-duty power trains Exceptional fuel economy
,QFUHGLEOHFRPIRUW
2XWVWDQGLQJVWDELOLW\ 8QPDWFKHGPDQHXYHUDELOLW\ Excellent stopping power
Unmatched 24/7 factory support | Extensive parts availability | Nationwide service network | Exceptional warranties
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS YOU WANT OUT OF A CHASSIS. LET’S START BY GIVING YOU ALL OF THEM. Compromising on your needs is never a good place to start. So we don’t make you. Product quality, numerous options, and uncompromising factory and service support. You get everything you need from your chassis and your manufacturer. That’s the peace of mind that comes with owning a Freightliner. | Find out more at freightlinerchassis.com. ON THE ROAD? )LQGRXWPRUHZLWK\RXUVPDUWSKRQHE\VFDQQLQJWKLVFRGH Get the free app at http://gettag.mobi
6SHFLÀFDWLRQVDUHVXEMHFWWRFKDQJHZLWKRXWQRWLFH)UHLJKWOLQHU&XVWRP&KDVVLV&RUSRUDWLRQLVUHJLVWHUHGWR,62 DQG,62 &RS\ULJKW'DLPOHU7UXFNV1RUWK$PHULFD//& $OOULJKWVUHVHUYHG)UHLJKWOLQHU&XVWRP&KDVVLV&RUSRUDWLRQLVDVXEVLGLDU\RI'DLPOHU7UXFNV1RUWK$PHULFD//&D'DLPOHUFRPSDQ\
1:44 PM 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:55 PM Page 4
MAy/JuNE 2013 Published by Rankin Publishing, Inc. MAGAZINE www.buslinemag.com IN THIS ISSUE Third Generation Motorcoach Firm, Serves National Customer Base From Its 5 Iowa Locations Hawkeye Stages...... 8 Transit Emphasis On Customer Service Yields Increased Ridership ...... 20 CTAA EXPO Set For June 2-7 In Albuquerque ...... 28 5Star Specialty Programs ...... 29 A Travel Exchange Panel Keys To Success In Group Travel ...... 30
Busline Vehicle Showcase: RAPID RESPONSE...... Page 6 ALTERNATIVE FUELS / INDUSTRY NEWS ...... Page 41 ON THE COVER: HYBRID VEHICLES Steve and Kari Tjossem, of Hawkeye Stages, are shown with one of the company’s 39, 40 Temsa motorcoaches. Hawkeye Stages operates from five Iowa locations. See page 8. CONTENTS CALENDAR OF EVENTS EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICES JUNE 2013 AUGUST 2013 OCTOBER 2013 June 1-5 August 19-20 October 26-31 Rankin Publishing Co., Inc. Canadian Urban Transit Midwest Bus & Taxicab, Limousine Don Rankin and Linda Rankin, Publishers Association (CUTA) Motorcoach Association & Paratransit Association 204 E. Main Street • P.O. Box 130 Annual Conference Annual Convention Annual Convention St. John’s, Newfoundland St. Charles, MO Boston, MA Arcola, IL 61910-0130, USA Info: 416-365-9800 Info: 608-354-7110 Info: 301-984-5700 Email: [email protected] Website: www.rankinpublishing.com SEPTEMBER 2013 JANUARY 2014 June 2-7 (800) 598-8083 (U.S.) • (217) 268-4959 Community Transportation September 10-11 January 11-15 Association of America BusCon 2013 American Bus Fax: (217) 268-4815 Annual Expo Conference Chicago, IL Association Marketplace Albuquerque, NM Info: 800-576-8788 Nashville, TN Editorial: Harrell Kerkhoff, Editor Info: 800-283-2877 Info: 800-891-0590 Rick Mullen, Associate Editor September 29 - October 2 JULY 2013 APTA FEBRUARY 2014 Design: David Opdyke July 19-24 Annual Meeting February 16-20 Reception: Sandy Pierce National School Chicago, IL United Motorcoach (UMA) Transportation Association Info: 202-496-4800 Expo At Travel Exchange Annual Meeting Los Angeles, CA Advertising & Convention Info: 800-424-8262 Contact Kevin Kennedy @ 623-434-8959 Tulsa, OK Email: [email protected] Info: 800-222-6782 Or Busline Magazine is published 6 times a year by Rankin Publishing, Inc., 204 E. Main, P.O. Box 130, Arcola, IL 61910-0130. Publisher Don Rankin @ 800-598-8083 assumes no liability whatsoever for content of any advertisement or editorial material contained herein. Copyright 2013 Rankin Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written consent Fax: 217-268-4815 of Rankin Publishing, Inc. Subscription Rates in United States: 6 issues $25. Single Copy rate: $10 including postage/handling; Email: [email protected] Buyer’s Guide $15 including postage/handling. International rates: 6 issue annual Air Mail Subscription $60 U.S. dollars net
Page 4 BUSLINE May/June 2013
1 1 12:55 PM 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:55 PM Page 5
Prevost coaches do more than transport your passengers in style and safety. They move your business forward by giving you the
best in dependability, fuel effi ciency and support. Our high-deck H-Series Coach offers state-of-the-art amenities that elevate every
passenger’s experience. Our longer-wheelbase X3-45 Coach combines the smoothest possible ride with a wider entry and 80"-high
interior passenger space. All Prevost coaches deliver exceptional performance with lower operating costs. Which means they’re as
perfect for your business as they are for your passengers.
Please contact your Prevost Regional Sales Manager for more information. USA 1-877-773-8678 CANADA 418-883-3391 www.prevostcar.com The ultimate class.
12:55 PM 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:55 PM Page 6
MAy/JuNE 2013 Published by Rankin Publishing, Inc. MAGAZINE www.buslinemag.com
Busline Vehicle Showcase: ALTERNATIVE FUELS / HYBRID VEHICLES
Relational Bus Systems ...... 34
Distinctive Systems ...... 35 Motorcoach Manager ...... 36 BUYERS GUIDE ...... 37 MCI...... 39 ABC Companies...... 39
Proterra...... 40 GILLIG ...... 40 Page 48
Company Website Page # Company Website Page #
ARBOC Specialty Vehicles www.arbocsv.com 32 Midwest Bus Corporation www.midwestbus.com 27 Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison www.atlanticdda.com 14 Mile-X www.mile-x.com 44 Bauer Compressors www.bauercng.com 25 Motorcoach Manager www.motorcoachmanager.com 36 Bauer’s Intelligent Transportation www.coachsales.com 23 National Interstate www.natl.com 7 Bitzer www.bitzerus.com 24 Nissan Commercial Vehicles www.nissancommercialvehicles.com 9 Budget Truck & Autobody www.budgettruckandauto.com 47 Prevost Car www.prevostcar.com 5 BusCon Expo www.busconexpo.com 19 Protective Insurance Company www.protective insurance.com 17
Buses For Sale.com www.busesforsale.com 43 Proterra www.proterra.com 2
Chestnut Ridge Foam www.chestnutridgefoam.com 45 Relational Bus Systems www.rbs2000.com 34 CTAA www.ctaa.org/expo 50 Resorts Casino Hotel www.ResortsAC.com 48 Distinctive Systems www.distinctive-systems.com 35 Safety Step www.safetystep.net 44 Espar Climate Systems www.espar.com 22 Service Insurance www.serviceins.com 46 Freightliner www.freightlinerchassis.com 3 Sutrak www.sutrakusa.com 42 Glaval Bus www.glavalbus.com 15 TEMSA www.temsa.com 13 Holdsworth www.holdsworthfabrics.com 31 Turtle Top www.turtletop.com 11 Hometown Trolley www.hometowntrolley.com 28 Vanner Power www.vanner.com 12 Kirks Automotive, Inc. www.KirksOnline.net 47 Volvo www.prevostcar.com 52 MAHA Lifts www.maha-usa.com 33 Willingham Inc. www.willinghaminc.com 21 MGM Brakes www.mgmbrakes.com 26 Read or Download Complete Issues Of Busline Magazine Online At: www.buslinemag.com
Page 6 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:55 PM Page 7
NATIONAL INTERSTATE: SUPERIOR CLAIMS HANDLING – IT’S WHATWE DO.
As specialists in wheels-based insurance, we aggressively adjust hundreds of millions of dollars in claims each year. And on every claim, we fight tirelessly to keep customer costs low. In fact, a recent study of 90+ years of Workers’ Comp and Auto Liability claims for 25 transportation companies, our techniques helped our customers enjoy a 20% savings compared with their previous carriers. But don't just take our word for it, here’s the story straight from two of our customers:
MICHAEL, COACH TOURS LYNN, RMA CHAUFFEURED TRANSPORTATION “As an alternative risk client of National Interstate, I have “Accidents can be emotional events. National found their claims process to be far superior to what I had Interstate has removed the emotion come to expect after 20 years in the transportation business. and substituted it with compassion and Their staff communicates with me frequently about even a solutions. They’ve guided us through all our accidents minor claim. We have saved a significant amount compared and resolved each one in a timely manner -- all while to what I had expected our claims would cost. I get the communicating with us at every step. Insurance is a necessity feeling that National Interstate is working but, with National Interstate, it’s also an investment in our as hard as they can to keep the business success.” costs down.”
3250 Interstate Drive Richfield, Ohio 44286 800-929-1500 www.natl.com 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 8
HAWKEYE STAGES Third Generation Motorcoach Firm, Serves National Customer Base From Its 5 Iowa Locations
By Harrell Kerkhoff, Busline Magazine Editor Decorah (the company headquarters), Fort Dodge, Newton, Ottumwa and Waterloo. nown as the “Hawkeye State,” Iowa is home “By maintaining multiple terminals, Hawkeye to 3 million people and famous throughout Stages is equipped to efficiently serve nearly all of Kthe world for its large agricultural landscape. Iowa, collectively handling the ebb and flow of The state, however, enjoys a diversified economy, demands within individual market areas,” Hawkeye urbanized areas, a number of colleges and universi- Stages President Steve Tjossem said, during a recent interview at the company’s newest facility in “By maintaining multiple terminals, Hawkeye Stages is equipped Newton. “We like to think that certain qualities to efficiently serve nearly all of Iowa, collectively handling the ebb found with Iowans — and Midwesterners as a whole — enhance our daily work experiences, and flow of demands within individual market areas. We like to whether it’s the performance of co-workers or think that certain qualities found with Iowans — and Midwesterners interaction with customers. as a whole — enhance our daily work experiences, whether it’s the “As much as we try to promote our state, we do however realize there is a limited potential performance of co-workers or interaction with customers.” for inbound group travel traffic, so we often — Hawkeye Stages President Steve Tjossem find ourselves operating motorcoaches to great distances away from home.” ties, and a populace that enjoys exploring destinations The service area for Hawkeye Stages includes all within Iowa and beyond. of Iowa and segments found within certain sur- It’s also home of Hawkeye Stages, a third-genera- rounding states. The company travels as well to des- tion motorcoach operation that currently dispatches tinations found throughout the continental United coaches from five different locations in Iowa — States and into Canada. Hawkeye provides both Page 8 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 9 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 10
motorcoach tours in 1957, and then started operating tours under Legacy Tour & Travel approximately 7 years ago,” Tjossem said. In 2008, officials at Hawkeye Stages pur- chased Northwest Iowa Transportation, based in Fort Dodge, along with this motorcoach operation’s NorthLand Travel tour company. “Northwest Iowa Transportation was oper- ating all of its scheduled tours under the name of NorthLand Travel at the time of the pur- chase, while we (Hawkeye Stages) were oper- ating tours as Legacy Tour & Travel. When the companies combined, it provided a perfect opportunity to redefine the roles of both Northland and Legacy,” Tjossem said. “NorthLand Travel specializes in public Shown is the headquarters of Hawkeye Stages, located in Decorah, IA. scheduled group tours to such places as charter and tour trips from a mixed fleet of 25 chased in 1954. It was a 29-passenger Flxible Washington, D.C., New York, NY, and motorcoaches that feature different seating Visicoach for $15,417. The company received Branson, MO. A lot of what is sold through capacities that can accommodate 29 to 57 pas- operating authority for several other line runs, NorthLand Travel revolves around the tradi- sengers. along with charter authority, over the next tional motorcoach tour, but we are increasing- The origin of the company dates to 1954 several years; while a trip to watch the ly expanding into air, rail and cruise tours. when Steve Tjossem’s grandfather, Bernard University of Iowa Hawkeyes play in the 1957 “Legacy Tour & Travel, meanwhile, pro- White, purchased the regular route operating Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, served as the vides private customized tours for preformed authority and five used buses student and adult groups. It also offers tradi- from Waterloo Stages. tional motorcoach trips along “My grandfather had a trucking with tours to such far away loca- company known as White’s tions as London and Costa Rica. Motor Transport. My dad, The bulk of what inbound traffic Lawrence Tjossem, was also we have is generated by Legacy, involved with the trucking opera- bringing in international groups tion. They started in the bus busi- for primarily agriculture-related ness in 1954 while remaining tours.” involved with trucking for In recent years, according to awhile. The bus side of the busi- Tjossem, Hawkeye Stages’ ness originated in Decorah, which Legacy Tour & Travel and is where our company headquar- NorthLand Travel have actually ters remain today,” Steve generated more revenue and Tjossem said. “Personally, I start- profit than its motorcoach char- ter operation. “These two tour companies have easily been the largest gen- erator of demand for our coach The Hawkeye Stages office staff and tour guides located at the service as well,” he said. “About company’s Decorah, IA, office are, above left to right, Pat Downs, 30 percent of our charter busi- Carlyn Kraabel, Denise Baumler, Joleen Sorenson, Pavel Makarov, ness comes from our two tour Julie Swenson, Cathy Krupa and Tom Spindler. companies. The second largest Shown at left is Byron Everman. percentage is from college-relat- first group tour departure organized and sold ed transportation demand.” by Hawkeye Stages. Hawkeye Stages has also been particularly Over time, Tjossem said the line run busi- successful during the past few years with ness could not sustain itself and all regular providing extensive student trips via motor- routes were dropped by the company. Instead, coach to Washington, D.C. These trips take Hawkeye Stages developed into a high-end place at different times of year, and include ed at Hawkeye Stages full time in 1986 after provider of charter and tour transportation. current and retired teachers who aid in the returning from college. Of course, like most This has been aided with the help of two sister educational experience while visiting the people who have grown up in the bus busi- tour companies — Legacy Tour & Travel and nation’s capital. ness, I really started working as a kid by wash- NorthLand Travel. “There are around 25 schools that partici- ing buses. After college, I worked in our bus “Hawkeye Stages first provided traditional pate in this program right now. It’s become depot as the company was still operating line runs. I worked nights and weekends and slow- “...we are able to use the coach as a classroom while en route to the main ly became involved with more portions of the destination. This travel time is used to prepare students for what they are company. I have been president of Hawkeye going to see in Washington, D.C. This is the type of trip that I think those Stages for 13 years.” involved with the coach business need to work on. It’s important to find The company’s first new coach was pur- ways to take advantage of what we (as an industry) have to offer.”
Page 10 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 11 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 12
wife and works at Hawkeye Stages in accounting, added that a few years ago these student trips were opened to include parents and grandparents as well. “Therefore, we are now transporting adults who are traveling with their children and grandchildren on these trips,” Kari Tjossem said. “It’s a wonderful way to introduce people to a kind of travel that they might not otherwise try,” Steve Tjossem added.
The Fort Dodge, IA, NorthLand Travel office Managing 5 Locations The Fort Dodge, IA, Legacy Tour & Travel office staff shown are, left to right, Michelle Reed, staff shown are, seated, Bob Oliver, and back row, Rhonda Strutzenberg and Jan Cswercko. hile operating from five locations Deann Haden-Luke and Gerald Bures. part of their yearly curriculum and provides a in Iowa, it’s imperative that offi- Decorah, a town of approximately 8,000 peo- wonderful piece of business for our compa- Wcials from Hawkeye Stages remain ple located in the bluff country of northeastern ny,” Tjossem said. “In fact, we have groups focused on effectively coordinating the com- Iowa. Decorah is famous for its Norwegian signing up for the summer of 2014 who pany’s various transportation activities. Of heritage, celebrated by the local Vesterheim haven’t even started their 2013 trip yet. These course, doing this is often easier said than Norwegian-American Museum, and also as schools are from Iowa, Minnesota and done. the home of Luther College. Wisconsin. “It’s difficult in many ways, but today’s Most of the mechanics employed by “What is great about these trips is that we technology really helps us when it comes to Hawkeye Stages are based out of the Decorah are able to use the coach as a classroom while bookings and knowing where our equipment facility. These mechanics often travel to other en route to the main destination. This travel must be located,” Steve Tjossem said. “This, company locations, such as Waterloo and time is used to prepare students for what they more than anything, helps tie everybody Newton, to perform maintenance work. are going to see in Washington, D.C. This is together. We rely a lot on technology as it’s The company’s facility in Waterloo, a city the type of trip that I think those involved with difficult to physically get around and see located approximately 77 miles southwest of the coach business need to work on. It’s everybody on a regular basis within our com- Decorah, includes a fully equipped mainte- important to find ways to take advantage of pany due to the distance between some of our nance shop; while tour offices remain in Fort what we (as an industry) have to offer.” facilities.” Dodge (approximately 100 miles west of Co-owner Kari Tjossem, who is Steve’s The company’s headquarters remain in Waterloo) and Decorah. Hawkeye Stages also
Page 12 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 13
THE BEST BUS IS A FULL BUS
TEMSA MOTOR COACHES FROM CH BUS SALES ARE THE ONLY 30’ AND 35’ INTEGRAL DESIGNED COACHES IN THE UNITED STATES – THIS GIVES FLEXIBILITY TO BOLSTER PROFITS WITH A FULL BUS AND THE COMFORT AND RELIABILITY OF A 45’ COACH.
WITNESS THE DIFFERENCE!
EAST MIDWEST SOUTH SOUTHEAST WEST CH TONY MONGIOVI RANDY ANGELL TIM VAUGHT TIM GULDIN RANDY KOLESAR 856-325-0094 507-331-7911 817-994-8692 407-625-9207 310-503-8892
BUS SALES
EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR
www.chbussales.com 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 14
at the Newton facility will also work for all of our renters, and a conference room here is available as well for everyone.” Steve Tjossem said renovating the Newton facility was quite a process. This included dis- mantling the facility’s original single-pane windows along with installing geo-thermal heating and cooling systems to make the building more energy efficient, as well as con- structing a maintenance pit inside the garage area so buses can be maintained from under- neath. Mechanics for Hawkeye Stages include, left to right, Jim Harkness and Steve Schick. Harkness The facility also came with many advan- is standing in front of a 29-passenger 1967 Flxible Starliner that was purchased new by Hawkeye Stages. tages. For example, it’s located on a hill and maintains a facility in Ottumwa, located in Newton is not that far away, and we have kept across the street from a large supermarket southern Iowa, while its newest location is in a sales person in Marshalltown as well.” complex. Newton, a city in central Iowa located approx- The Newton facility includes office space “Our facility is very prominent in Newton imately 30 miles east of Des Moines. and a large maintenance area manned by a and we have already received a lot of atten- “We purchased the Newton facility in early full-time Hawkeye Stages’ mechanic. tion,” Steve Tjossem said. 2012. It was formerly the home of a car deal- “We currently don’t have much of a tour He added that it has become obvious over ership,” Steve Tjossem said. “We were look- office presence in cen- ing for a place to consolidate our former oper- tral Iowa, which is “Common improvements that are now often taken for ations in Des Moines and Marshalltown, IA something we want to granted, such as with charter reservation/booking (located approximately 30 miles north of build on with our systems, have had the most impact on our growth.” Newton). Geographically, it made sense to Newton addition,” he locate in Newton. It’s in the heart of a good said. “We also have extra space here that we the years that having “cookie-cutter” facilities share of our strong customer base in central are going to rent out. Our first tenant is the in place at each of Hawkeye Stages’ five loca- Iowa. Newton Convention & Visitors Bureau, which tions does not make good business sense. “Hawkeye Stages is still able to adequately is great because we share a common interest “We learned quickly that we weren’t going service Des Moines (the state capital) since in tourism. Our (Hawkeye Stages) receptionist to be able to have every facility the same,
DIESEL ENGINES & TRANSMISSIONS The most profitable stop your bus can make!
Use the best quality factory authorized parts
and service for reliability you can count on! •DetroitDieselEngines •AllisonTransmissions •ExchangeEngines •CompleteDiagnosticandRepairServices •Mercedes-BenzEngines •Filters,Batteries&More •CarrierAirConditioning •AllMakesParts
201-489-5800 For more information call Mike DeStefano: or call your nearest location:
Lodi, NJ 201-489-5800 Latham (Albany), NY 518-452-0000 Lodi, NJ Ronkonkoma, NY 631-981-5800 Diesel Emissions (Bus Service Center) 201-291-8415 Middletown, CT 860-632-0218 Solutions Experts Piscataway, NJ 732-752-7100 InVermountcall 802-865-4672 Reduce pollution with www.atlanticdda.com EPA approved emission solutions Visit us online at: from ADDA. Call today! Factory Authorized Sales, Service, Genuine Parts & Training
Page 14 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 15
Big Difference
The Glaval Legacy just got bigger to make room for more luxury Answering popular demand, the Glaval Legacy comes in two sizes to meet your transportation needs: the normal 96 inch width or a more luxurious and spacious 102 inches of width. Offering a world of possibilities, with seating for up to 45 passengers, a wide variety of ADA-compliant paratransit options and available with rear luggage, overhead and under floor storage. The Legacy has the versatility you want and expect for even your most demanding needs. Built on the heavy-duty Freightliner S2C chassis and powered by the proven Cummins 6.7 liter ISB diesel engine and Allison Transmission, the Glaval Legacy gives the strength and energy required. Along with the rear air-ride suspension, the Legacy is sure to impress with stylish beauty, outstanding ride quality and rugged durability. Whether you are looking for limousine, charter, or even public shuttle transportation, the Legacy has just the answer. To see how Glaval’s Legacy gives you more luxury, call 1-800-445-2825
A Berkshire Hathaway Company · Elkhart, IN · 800-445-2825 · www.GlavalBus.com 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 16
He noted that drivers drivers,” Steve Tjossem said. “However, it’s often find themselves in becoming increasingly difficult to find enough places that are unfamiliar, new employees this way. We also seek appli- and thus must be able to cants via our website, newspaper ads, job successfully find their way services and job fairs. around. This is not always “Hawkeye Stages attempts to retain easy with a bus full of pas- employees by treating everyone with sengers. respect, paying a competitive wage, provid- ing certain benefits and maintaining a relaxed but professional work environment. One challenge is that we have lost some good motorcoach drivers over the years to Shown above is the Newton, IA, facility the trucking industry. There are trucking of Hawkeye Stages. companies that are able to provide higher wages. However, as a motorcoach company, offering the same type of services and staff. I feel we pay better than most operators.” There is just not enough going on in rural Hawkeye Stages has established a brand Iowa to justify this type of offering,” Steve of quality service conducted with integrity, Tjossem said. “However, we are spread Steve Tjossem added, and the ability to hold around geographically as a company to get true to this brand has allowed the company into many different markets.” to remain strong in an ever changing and challenging industry. Quality Employees Make A Difference “A solid brand like this is only attainable The Newton, IA, staff includes if a company is able to attract and retain ith a workforce of slightly over Melissa Berry and Rick Brannen. quality people to provide the service. 100 employees spread over five Hawkeye Stages has been blessed through Wlocations, Hawkeye Stages pro- “Drivers often don’t get the respect they the years with a long list of such people,” he vides a wide variety of opportunities for those deserve,” Steve Tjossem said. said. people looking for rewarding employment. Kari Tjossem added: “Sometimes cus- The catch is, most positions require not only tomers don’t understand that a motorcoach Using Equipment To Fit Specific Needs some type of technical skill, but the ability to can’t always go everyplace, or that drivers work well with customers. can’t always drive from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ s the tour business continues to These positions include motorcoach driv- without stopping.” change, smaller group sizes are ers, mechanics, washbay personnel, general When a driver is hired, Hawkeye Stages Abecoming more of the industry stan- and administrative staff, charter sales people, provides one-on-one training that centers on dard, according to Steve Tjossem, and in many cases it is “Sizable growth within our charter bus operation may not be in our future, but I believe more desirable for increased profitability is in this future. Our tour companies show great potential for growth, customers than the and we will increasingly become less of a coach company that has its own tour entities, and traditional group more of a tour company that has its own coaches. The change in mentality within the company size of 50 or more that comes with this transition is likely to make us a stronger coach operation as well.” travelers. The increased dispatchers, marketing staff, tour planners, coach familiarity, safe operation of the vehi- int imacy of a smaller group can make for a tour sales staff, tour managers/guides and cle, compliance requirements, customer serv- much more enjoyable travel experience, he travel agents. ice, proper documentation, company policies added. By far, the most visible and largest segment and procedures and more. “Hawkeye Stages has been able to suc- of these employees, however, is the drivers. At “When first dispatched, our new drivers cessfully tap into this exciting trend, and Hawkeye Stages, approximately 60 people are travel with experienced drivers as often as there is much reason for optimism,” he said. employed by the company as either a full- or necessary so they can learn additional “The timely arrival of our fully equipped 36- part-time driver. It’s a position of great specifics about the job. Ongoing driver train- passenger luxury Temsa coaches, which we responsibility, according to Steve Tjossem. ing is primarily provided at quarterly meet- are using for some of our tours, provides an “A driver should be able to safely and ings,” Steve Tjossem said. “We have greatly excellent option to satisfy the transportation smoothly maneuver the coach as needed, work relied, through the years, on existing drivers needs of these smaller groups. long days with occasional extended times helping in the training process. It’s beneficial “We recently purchased two 2013 Temsa away from home, thoroughly prepare before when new hires can learn from really good TS35s, removing a few seats to accommo- all trips and be able to independently follow existing drivers and see first hand the proper date 36 passengers. This allows for extra leg necessary routes,” he said. “He/she should way to do different tasks.” room.” also be able to work professionally and cheer- He added that a portion of the company’s The company’s Temsa TS35s are also fully with group leaders and passengers. employee recruitment effort starts with word- equipped with leather seats featuring three- “There are so many things involved with of-mouth recommendations, such as current point seat belts, electrical outlets, Wi-Fi, being a good driver. It’s a position that employees who refer their acquaintances to mesh seat back pockets, cup holders, a cord- requires not only taking good care of passen- officials at Hawkeye Stages for possible hir- less microphone, four-monitor video sys- gers and equipment, but interacting with peo- ing. tems, window shades and a rear window. ple in a professional manner. A driver should “For example, some of our best drivers “We very consciously equipped these be outgoing and entertaining.” have come through referrals from existing coaches with all of the ‘goodies,’ wanting to
Page 16 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 17
make sure that our tour passengers would involved with the company gave them tained, such as the critical operating parts of accept them as a smaller, but still luxurious instant credibility for us.” the vehicle. People will tie all of this togeth- option. Electrical outlets and Wi-Fi very There is more to the equipment side of a er. Therefore, cleanliness is always critical.” quickly went from extra features to ‘must charter and tour company, of course, than Although technical advancements in haves,’” Steve Tjossem said. just providing new vehicles. The appearance today’s motorcoaches have been significant, He added that the relationship between of each vehicle, whether new or not, is of Steve Tjossem said advancements in tech- Hawkeye Stages and Temsa is relatively utmost importance. nology that have helped Hawkeye Stages young. “An older, well maintained coach can grow the most often are found in other areas often be favorably received by the customer. of operation. Meanwhile, a new coach that is poorly main- “Common improvements that are now tained is not so readily accepted by the cus- often taken for granted, such as with charter tomer,” Steve Tjossem said. “This is a good reservation/booking systems, have had the indication of the importance of clean and most impact on our growth,” he said. attractive coaches. Hawkeye Stages thor- For example, officials at Hawkeye Stages oughly cleans coaches between every trip, have found that knowledge gained through and works diligently at keeping up with nec- mileage calculating and reservation software essary body work. Good first impressions systems to be extremely beneficial. This type are critical.” of technology helps company personnel gain Cleaning crews at each of Hawkeye quicker access to a customer’s history, lead- Stages’ five locations take care of the often ing to a more efficient operation and to cus- daily chore of washing vehicles as well as tomer service improvements. It also means A member of the Newton, IA, staff for cleaning their insides. To aid in this, four of Hawkeye Stages is able to handle more busi- Hawkeye Stages is Mark Anderson. the five facilities have large power brushes. ness. “Again, it doesn’t matter if it’s a brand “A lot of today’s advanced technology is “We have been waiting for a viable mid- new coach. If people board and there is stuff becoming basic, such as our ability to quick- sized tour coach option for several years. We on the floor this can leave a very bad impres- ly gain important mileage information for now have a mid-sized coach that does not sion,” Steve Tjossem said. the purpose of fuel tax reporting,” Steve compromise on quality,” he said. “Although Kari Tjossem added: “If a company is not Tjossem said. “We also make good use of our history with CH Bus Sales (the exclusive taking care of cleanliness issues when it technology with our student groups as they U.S. Temsa distributor) is limited, our famil- comes to its buses, then customers may start continue to use iPads while on board along iarity with several of the individuals wondering what else is not being main- with PowerPoint presentations.”
SAFETY THAT REVOLVES AROUND YOU
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Protective Insurance Company's loss prevention team members are specialists in the transportation industry and use a collaborative approach to partner with our insureds to address their specific safety and risk management needs. Our loss prevention team understands that no two companies are the same and solutions must be tailored to fit each one's unique needs.
Visit www.protectiveinsurance.com/publictransportation to learn about our specialized online training offerings for public transportation.
FOR COVERAGE THAT REVOLVES AROUND YOU, CONTACT STACY RENZ: (800) 644-5501 protectiveinsurance.com
EXCELLENCE IN: MEDIUM FLEET TRUCKING | LARGE FLEET TRUCKING | PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION | WORKERS’ COMPENSATION | INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 17 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 18
Sticking With A Good Game Plan working relationships with Luther College, Wartburg College and Grinnell mong the many challenges that College,” Kari Tjossem said. face today’s motorcoach opera- Steve Tjossem added that there Ators is knowing what to proper- remains strong out-bound demand from ly charge customers, and then having the Iowa residents who want to visit places courage to not back down from this located beyond the state. amount. This business philosophy has “This is a good thing. It would be nice led to the past success of Hawkeye to receive greater in-bound demand as Stages, and Steve Tjossem sees no need well from people wanting to visit Iowa to change for the future. from other places,” he said. “There are “Because of the success of Hawkeye motorcoach companies in the country Stages’ tour companies (Legacy Tour & that service a lot of this type of demand, Travel / NorthLand Travel), and the cus- and it can look pretty appealing at times. The Newton, IA, garage staff for Hawkeye Stages includes, tomer base these entities provide to our It’s important to understand, however, from left, Bob Stanton and Ron Simonsen. coach business, there has been minimal that these companies also probably face pressure on us to chase marginal charter service at a higher level than our competitors, even more competition than what we (at coach work,” Steve Tjossem said. “This abili- or the ability to charge more for the service Hawkeye Stages) have as a motorcoach oper- ty to focus on quality work, rather than just will deteriorate over time and the model will ator.” quantity, has allowed the company to become collapse,” he said. “Our company has become Officials at Hawkeye Stages market their much stronger, and to build a brand that tends large enough that management responsibilities company’s various services through a variety to grow itself quite well. have been delegated to multiple people. of ways including such traditional outlets as “Sizable growth within our charter bus Because of this, consistency has at times been newspapers, directory ads, radio, Websites, operation may not be in our future, but I more difficult to maintain, and certain projects emails, mailings, travel shows and personal believe increased profitability is in this future. are more difficult to push through. Price pres- visits with group leaders. However, the great- Our tour companies show great potential for sure within the marketplace dictates that we est “door opener” of all, Steve Tjossem said, growth, and we will increasingly become less gain efficiency with any kind of growth, and continues to be the satisfied customer talking of a coach company that has its own tour enti- then not lose that efficiency.” positively to other people about his company’s ties, and more of a tour company that has its Many of the same opportunities and chal- services. own coaches. The change in mentality within lenges facing Hawkeye Stages hold true for “Positive word-of-mouth referrals are criti- cal, especially for the charter busi- “The effort to educate the public on the value of motorcoach travel is too often ness,” he said. “We also conduct undermined by some operators who stoop to a level of service that justifies a bad surveys among customers, such as reputation. Strong operators need to remain committed to quality and prove to those who have taken our tour trips. the public that we, as an industry, have much to offer.” We can gain access to some good information as to where people like the company that comes with this transition is motorcoach operators located across the to visit (in the future). Most of these surveys, likely to make us a stronger coach operation United States and Canada. According to Steve however, center around the critique of our as well.” Tjossem, the bus industry has much to offer service in general, asking about the cleanli- Steve Tjossem further explained that he has and the future should be bright as long as cer- ness of our vehicles, how our drivers per- found it easier, as a company, to compete in tain operators start reversing the tendency of formed, etc. the tour business. This is because while the selling themselves short. “The main thing is to take care of our pas- tour side can still be price competitive, it’s “The effort to educate the public on the sengers. We get a lot of opportunities to quote usually not at the same level as found when value of motorcoach travel is too often under- charters but tend to be a little higher in price operating motorcoaches. mined by some operators who stoop to a level compared to certain competitors. Therefore, “If we, as a tour operator, can continue to of service that justifies a bad reputation,” some types of traditional marketing aren’t build this part of our business, we can contin- Steve Tjossem said. “Strong operators need to really the best for us. They would lead to more ue to feed quality charter work to our coach remain committed to quality and prove to the people wanting quotes who are only interested company. This gives us a stronger base that public that we, as an industry, have much to in going with the lowest-priced operator.” allows us to be a little more choosy about offer. As a company, Steve Tjossem said that what we do with our charter rates,” he said. “One of the unfortunate aspects of the Hawkeye Stages is at a good size right now, “The travel and tour operation also comes motorcoach industry is that a lot of business and it’s not going to grow by cutting rates. with it a little different customer service men- hinges on pricing. As a company, offering “We have actually downsized some over the tality. It’s our hope that with an increased tour prices that are too low will eventually start a last few years because we let certain cus- operator mentality, we can step it up a notch or snowball effect. Margins eventually shrink to tomers walk rather than offer a lower price,” two as an overall company when it comes to where the company can’t pay its drivers as he said. “For future growth, Hawkeye Stages customer service. We want this stronger focus well and also can’t have nice equipment. It must maintain an exceptional team of individ- to filter through the whole organization.” influences everything.” uals who somehow, despite their individuali- As the Hawkeye Stages’ brand is not one Despite such challenges, Steve and Kari ties, find a way to work together in order to geared toward the price-driven customer, Tjossem both remain optimistic about the hold true to the company’s quality brand.” Steve Tjossem said that in order to sustain and future of Hawkeye Stages. Contact: Hawkeye Stages, grow such a brand, his company must be com- “In a state like Iowa, you have a chance to 703 Dudley St., mitted to winning and keeping business by develop a lot of strong relationships with cus- Decorah, IA 52101. providing consistent quality and service. tomers. Many of these relationships last for Phone: 563-382-3639. “Hawkeye Stages must provide customer years. For example, we have had very long Website: www.hawkeyestages.com.
Page 18 BUSLINE May/June 2013
1 4 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 19
REGISTER BY AUGUST 9 AND SAVE!
One Show. Two Days. In nite Possibilities. Now in its 18th year, BusCon continues to bring the bus industry together to share challenges, nd solutions and improve performance. See over 60 of the latest buses, including motor coaches, as well as the newest technology the industry has to offer, in BusCon’s 115,000 square foot exhibit hall.
EXPERIENCE INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
METRO MAGAZINE BRINGS YOU
BusCon 2013 I Navy Pier, Chicago North America’s Biggest Bus Show MORE INFORMATION AT: Welcome Reception: September 9, 2013 BusConExpo.com Conference & Expo: September 10-11, 2013 (800) 576-8788
0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 20
By Rick Mullen, Busline Magazine Associate Editor come together and where people can transfer from one bus to another. We call it Busline Magazine recently spoke with officials from three public transit a ‘turnaround’ because the buses go in and entities who shared how their systems have evolved to service the needs they turn around and they head back out.” of their ridership base. These officials also shared some exciting new In the part of Akron where the programs and innovations taking place at their respective operations. Independence Turnaround is located, METRO once served a large suburban mall. Ownership of the mall changed and ETRO Regional Transit Authority, servicing Summit County, the new owners did not want METRO service there any longer. The need for OH, which includes the city of Akron, operates a total of 208 the turnaround was determined because people were forced to transfer on Mvehicles, including 131 larger fixed-route buses and 77 smaller the street, as METRO no longer had access to the mall area. paratransit buses. “Transferring on the street was not a good experience for customers, “Soon, we will be receiving our first set of articulated buses,” said especially the disabled and those in wheelchairs,” Enty said. METRO Executive Director Richard Enty. “There METRO maintains two park and ride lots and also are six of them coming.” provides express bus service into downtown All of METRO’s current vehicles are wheelchair Cleveland, OH, located about 30 miles north of Akron accessible. Some vehicles are equipped with an in Cuyahoga County on the shores of Lake Erie. hydraulic lift to accommodate scooters or wheel- “Service to Cleveland was also expanded to serve chairs, while others “kneel” by lowering the front pas- northeast Ohio’s main Veterans Administration hospi- senger corner of the vehicle to curb level so passen- tal, the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center at gers can roll aboard on a slide-out ramp. In addition, Wade Park in Cleveland,” Enty said. “A VA facility all METRO line-service buses are equipped with bike located in the southern part of Cuyahoga County, racks. which had been in operation since World War II, was “On an average weekday we record 17,800 board- closed. As a result, many of our veterans were having ings,” Enty said. “On an annual basis it is 5.2 million, a hard time getting serviced, so we decided to expand and of that number, 247,000 are paratransit riders. our express bus service to Cleveland, extending from There are more than 2,300 bus stops in our system. downtown Cleveland to the Louis Stokes Cleveland “METRO employs 239 operators, including special VA Medical Center. service operators who are drivers of paratransit vehi- “The Greater Cleveland RTA (regional transit cles carrying fewer than 14 passengers. In addition, authority), the system I retired from in 2007, built one we have 33 mechanics and 14 service technicians, of the country’s finest full-service rapid transit lines, who wash and fuel vehicles on a daily basis. which includes dedicated bus lanes and high platforms “METRO’s mission is to enhance the quality of life METRO Executive Director Richard Enty along Euclid Avenue. for our community by providing innovative transportation solutions that are “It is actually called the ‘Health Line’ because it serves several hospitals safe, dependable, cost effective and customer-focused, now and in the in the University Circle area of Cleveland. The Greater Cleveland RTA future.” allows METRO to use that corridor. Once our bus gets to downtown Recently, METRO has been busy making some significant upgrades to its Cleveland, it heads east to the VA center using the Health Line corridor. system, including the addition of 33 CNG (compressed natural gas) buses to “METRO buses can’t operate past the Greater Cleveland RTA Health its fixed-route fleet in 2012. Line high platforms, therefore we don’t use their dedicated lanes. However, “We have replaced a computer-aided dispatch automatic vehicle location the roadway was rebuilt — all the utilities were buried, etc. — and now it is system on our paratransit fleet, and we also completed installation of a video a very nice operating environment for buses. Once we put this in place for security system on all of our fixed-route buses,” Enty said. “In addition, veterans, a number of Summit County residents who work at the Wade Park METRO opened a new off-street turnaround for seven bus routes in the VA asked us to add a little more service. northern part of Akron called the Independence Turnaround. “One of the trips in the morning ran at a time convenient for them to get “The Independence Turnaround is a transfer center where seven routes to work, but in the afternoon, the service ended too early. We responded to Page 20 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 21
a petition from 70 VA workers who requested we run a slightly later bus in and security in the form of more than 90 cameras plus a joint city of Akron the afternoons so they could ride home from work. Police and Summit County deputy sheriff-staffed substation. “We also found that many of the VA workers were car and van pooling “A lot of school kids use the transfer center. It is a safe place,” from one of our park and ride lots located in the western part of Summit Enty said. “We’ve been told it is one of the nicest such facilities in the County near Interstate 77, which is a direct route into downtown Cleveland. country.” When we added the additional service to the VA, we believe some of the According to METRO, during the center’s first year of operation, the workers abandoned the car/van pools to ride our express buses.” rooftop solar panels, one of the largest arrays of solar panels in Ohio, pro- In speaking of travel corridors, Enty alluded to METRO’s Transit Master vided nearly 20 percent of the electric energy consumed there. The transit Plan, which outlines how the transit system should evolve during the next center was granted the Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and 30 years. Environmental Design) Certification for environmentally friendly construc- “In the Transit Master Plan, we identified five primary travel corridors in tion in April 2010. Summit County,” Enty said. “The most traveled corridors that were studied In addition, the transit center has 45 geothermal wells for heating and for BRT (bus rapid transit) are two combined routes that we call the Market- cooling and recycled materials were used in constructing the building wher- Arlington corridors. These corridors are carrying the largest percentage of ever possible. Also, about 75 percent of construction scrap material was our ridership right now. The BRT corridor analysis indicated that some of recycled. the trips along the Market-Arlington routes were overcrowded. Therefore, beginning this year, we reduced headway time on the Market-Arlington lines from about 20 to 23 minutes in the peak, down to 15 minutes. It is still a little early, but we are looking at how this has affected ridership. We do know people appreciate the more frequent service.” Summit County consists of 22 municipalities and 9 townships, Enty reported. The county’s pop- ulation, according to the 2010 census, is 541,781 people, including 199,000 in the city of Akron. To service the county, METRO operates five facilities, including its main administration and maintenance facility. Perhaps the jewel of METRO’s facilities is the futuristic looking, state- of-the-art Robert K. Pfaff Intermodal Transit Center, which was completed in January 2009. The center was renamed after Pfaff on May 16, 2012. “Bob Pfaff was my predecessor here,” Enty said. “He had been executive director for 17 years. He started out as a bus driver at METRO 38 years ago and passed away last July. He was highly regarded by transit professionals nationwide as well as civic and governmental leaders. He was a great mentor and we miss him.” According to METRO officials, about 4,000 public transit passengers travel to downtown Akron each weekday, including workers, students, entertainment users, shoppers and those in transit to other locations. In addition, 60 percent of all METRO bus-to-bus transfers (more than 2,000 daily) occur downtown. “We use a pulse system,” Enty said. “Many of the routes come into the center at the same time, and people can go across the platform and transfer. All of our routes go to the center and we also have Greyhound and buses from two neighboring counties that use our main transit center.” The new 14,000-square-foot transit center pro- vides off-street transfers, eliminating the need for passengers to cross a busy city street in order to change buses. The climate-controlled, glass-and- steel building offers an enclosed waiting area for 300 people. The building also houses METRO customer service representatives, restrooms, vending machines, an ATM, storage, office space, a cafe,
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 21 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 22
Enty feels that one of the most telling ways support for public transporta- “They understand METRO supports economic development by helping tion in Summit County is high, is its citizens’ willingness to help fund the get people to work and to job training. The facilities that we build and main- system. tain also provide jobs for county residents.” “I think public transportation is very much viewed as a valuable Despite widespread support throughout the county, funding remains a amenity, both for mobility, as well as for the environmental benefits,” challenge for METRO, as it is in most public transportation entities. Enty said. “When we last went to voters for a second .25 percent sales “The three priorities that I have focused the organization on via the budg- tax increase in 2008, we got a tremendous amount of support. Many et process, establishment of the 2013 departmental and individual priorities people voiced appreciation for our paratransit serv- and development of key performance measures are: safe- ice, because it provides so much mobility to seniors ty, customer service and financial responsibility,” Enty and the disabled. said. “We receive a lot less funding from the state of Ohio “We are getting ready to pioneer some additional para- than we used to, even 15 years ago. Ohio spends an aver- transit service, which will be area specific. The northern age of less than $2 per capita on public transit, compared part of Summit County is less densely populated and our to neighboring states Michigan and Pennsylvania that route service doesn’t work quite as well there. However, each spend on average more than $40 per capita. there is still a need for people who live in this area to go “The current biennial state budget now under considera- shopping, travel to doctor appointments, etc., so we are tion in the Ohio legislature would allocate just over $7 mil- going to pioneer a dial-a-ride paratransit for the general lion annually to transit statewide. That amounts to about one- public starting this fall. tenth of what Ohio Transit Association members requested of the “This new project is in response to people wanting to state’s top transportation leader in a meeting earlier this year. travel within their communities and not necessarily come all “State of good repair bus replacements and facility improvements the way to downtown Akron from the northern part of the county. The require a local match that currently falls nearly completely on county tax- fixed-route that goes there doesn’t run on a very frequent basis because the payers. More assistance from the state would help Ohio transit authorities demand is low to moderate and the trip takes nearly two hours by bus. We leverage more federal dollars to meet basic capital needs.” are very interested in getting as much service as we can around the county As members of one of the nation’s largest demographic groups — the and the paratransit service model for lower-density suburban areas has Baby Boomers — are at or approaching retirement, an aging workforce is proven successful elsewhere. For example, Toledo (OH) Area RTA ad our another of the challenges facing METRO. neighboring county's Portage Area RTA operate this type of demand- “The average age of our drivers is pretty high,” Enty said. “Many response service that their communities find very popular. younger people have left this part of the Midwest to find jobs in the bur- “METRO has a very good partnerships with both Summit County and the geoning areas of the South and Southwest. One of our challenges is to help city of Akron. Numerous other communities, including the cities of Stow, keep our senior drivers sharp, both mentally and physically. Barberton and Cuyahoga Falls have also been very supportive. “We offer benefits for drivers such as contributing to the cost of gym
Sales Rep Contact an Espar Tailor Near You And Get Your Fleet Measured for New Heaters
Espar Climate Systems a member of the Eberspächer group of companies
Espar... Because Off-the-Rack Just Isn’t Good Enough.
www.espar.com /// (800) 387-4800
Hydronic LII 122,000 BTU Hydronic M-12 42,000 BTU Hydronic D5 17,000 BTU
Page 22 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 23
membership to the YMCA. In addition, we have developed a mile-long paratransit system,” BARTA Manager of Programs & Marketing Janet walking course that rings our property. One of our supervisors even put Weiss said. “We have 21 fixed routes to serve Reading and Berks County. together a ‘Biggest Loser’ contest — like the TV show — to help people We also subcontract some of our paratransit service.” become more health conscious. Before BARTA became a county authority, the city of Reading and Berks “Also, in cooperation with our Transport Workers Union, we have recent- County purchased the Reading Bus Company in 1973. This purchase led to ly added a quarterly safe driving incentive. For holding preventable acci- the formation of the Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority, which dents down, all operators will share in a pay bonus depending on how few was in operation of these accidents actually occur.” until January 2010, Looking down the road, Enty is excited about METRO’s participation in when BARTA chan - the upcoming Gay Games 9® in August 2014, which will be jointly hosted ged “Reading” in its by the Cleveland and Akron areas. name to “Region - “We are already beginning to work on developing systems to support the al,” thus reflecting 30,000 athletes plus visitors we are expecting in the early part of August its status as a coun- 2014,” Enty said. “We have a number of venues here in Akron for track and tywide entity. field, martial arts, soccer, and softball. There is also a marathon planned in During 1978, the Akron, plus golf at the Firestone Country Club. We will even be hosting a BARTA Special Ser - rodeo at the Summit County Fairgrounds. The really cool thing about GG9 vices Division was is that it is fully inclusive and open to anyone interested in competing. For established when the a small fee, people 18 and older can register and even participate in the Berks County Commissioners ordered 33 publicly funded social service opening and closing ceremonies. agencies to give up their transportation systems. The commissioners real- “METRO, in conjunction with the Greater Cleveland RTA, Portage RTA ized that by consolidating everything under BARTA, they were able to pro- and Stark RTA, is continuing to work toward regional cooperation to get the vide transportation for more people at a tremendous saving. athletes and visitors from place to place. Exciting times are ahead for Special Services provides door-to-door transportation. An application Summit County and its neighbors.” must be completed prior to using the service. Two working days notice is Contact: METRO RTA, 416 Kenmore Blvd., Akron, OH 44301. required to schedule most appointments. Individuals who qualify for trans- Phone: 800-227-9905. Website: www.akronmetro.org. portation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are entitled to next-day service. erving Reading, PA, and surrounding Berks County, Berks Area According to BARTA, this specialized transportation system was the first Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) became a county of its kind in the state of Pennsylvania and one of only a handful in opera- Stransit authority in January 2010. tion in the United States at the time of its inception. “We are a relatively small authority. We operate about 55 fixed-route “For the fiscal year 2011-2012, BARTA carried about 3.2 million fixed- buses and 35 Special Services Division vehicles. Special Services is our route and 252,774 Special Services passengers, for a total of about 3.4 mil-
I NTELLIGENT T RANSPORTATION
2008 56 Pass Motor Coaches Starting at $148,000! High-End Luxury Pre-Owned Vehicles Why Buy New at Over $500,000? We’re Updating Our Fleet, Over 60 Vehicles Available, But They Are Going Fast, Call Today For Yours and Start Making Money Tomorrow!
In addition to our inventory, we have 2008-2010 Setra 417S and MCI J4500 models that we can customize to your fleet specifications. New exterior paint, graphics and interiors options are available. Call today for information on this special offer!! Interior/Exterior Features: s "LACK LEATHERETTE SEATING s #ORIAN TABLES s ,OW MILES s 0OWER OUTLETS s "LACK ON BLACK s &LAT SCREEN 46S s 4INTED WINDOWS s $6$#$ PLAYER s 5NDERNEATH STORAGE AREA s ,AVATORY
Pier 50, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA | (415) 595-8164 www.coachsales.com | [email protected]
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 23 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 24
lion,” Weiss said. “During the same time period, BARTA traveled about 1.6 increase every year. We have many choice riders. BARTA conducted some million fixed-route and 857,556 Special Services miles, for a total of about surveys a few years ago that indicated more than 50 percent of passengers 2.5 million.” were choice riders. Offering the best in customer service is a high priority at BARTA. The “BARTA also has a partnership with Commuter Services of Southeastern BARTA Transportation Center (BTC), which was opened in downtown Pennsylvania. With this partnership, people who use the bus can sign up for Reading in March 2002, serves as a central trans- an emergency ride home program. If something hap- fer point for most of the bus routes. The BTC has pens and a person needs to go home early or he or a passenger waiting area with an automated bus she must work overtime and their bus doesn’t run arrival and departure system, along with many after a certain time, that person can make other other passenger amenities. Included within the arrangements to get home. Whether the person BTC is a parking garage for monthly permit park- calls a friend or a cab or whatever, he or she will be ing, a community police station and potential reimbursed for that expense. It is a phenomenal retail space. program. BARTA also operates five park-n-ride lots “Commuter Services and BARTA are a great throughout Berks County that are served by partnership. Nine counties are involved in the BARTA’s fixed-route system. Commuter Services area. Commuter Services’ people “We refer to riders as our ‘customers,’” Weiss said. “We try to instill are great. They will come with us to visit different employers. While realiz- in our drivers the need to treat people with courtesy. If customers ing transit may not be the right match for everybody, Commuter Services weren’t riding the bus, the drivers would not have jobs. We try to get tries to match people with car and van pools, ride sharing, etc.” that across. Weiss spoke of two major projects at BARTA. One of the projects recent- “(Many years ago) the idea was to get people on the bus and then get ly completed harkens back to the now defunct Reading Railroad, which them off and not worry about anything except being on time. Now, we brought anthracite coal from the Pennsylvania coal region to cities along the are much more customer oriented. We would rather have our drivers Schuylkill River. The railroad is one of the four railroad properties in the be less strict on the schedule and focus on taking care of our cus- classic United States version of the Monopoly board game. tomers.” “We just completed a $5 million restoration project of the original BARTA’s commitment to customer service seems to be paying off as Franklin Street Station, which was part of the Reading Railroad system,” Weiss reported public transportation in Berks County is well supported by Weiss said. “The station had been deteriorating to the point that the roof was county and state governments, as well as the public. about to collapse.” “We don’t have a lot of detractors,” she said. “I think we have a pretty BARTA acquired the Franklin Street Station on December 14, 2005, good support base in this area. Our ridership has been growing. We were up with the intent to reopen it to again serve the public as a transportation 4 percent last year on fixed-route runs and 3.1 percent in our Special hub for bus services, as it had in the past. The station will also include a Services, for an overall 3.9 percent increase. We have experienced a steady small museum.
Page 24 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 25
The station was originally dedicated on January 25, 1930, and was wireless connection.” designed in the renaissance revival architectural style and is symmetrical in In November 2010, the company was awarded a nearly $587,000 grant design. The one story building is 140 feet long and 47 feet wide. The large from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s central portion was the passenger waiting area and is 77 feet long by 42 feet Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant program. wide with a 26-foot high ceiling. The original building had a marble terraz- The grant was to be used to develop the technology for the BARTA sys- zo floor and terracotta wainscoting (a decorative wall embellishment). tem that will recharge electric and plug-in vehicles wirelessly. The technol- “After being dedicated in 1930, the station was in operation until the ogy consists of an integrated suite of hardware and software that can be Reading Railroad quit operating,” Weiss said. “After the Reading Railroad operated with any type of vehicle. It does not require a conductor to connect quit running, SEPTA (The Southern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) the vehicle to the power grid. out of Philadelphia took over the rail service. SEPTA came to Reading until “The state gave us a grant for the two all-electric vehicles being convert- 1981. When SEPTA stopped service, the station was closed. So between ed,” Weiss said. “(At this time) we are operating nine hybrid diesel-electric 1981 and two years ago it was empty and deteriorating. buses on fixed routes, as well as five hybrid diesel-electric vehicles used by “The one really remarkable thing about this project is the terracotta wain- our Special Services Department.” scoting and the marble terrazzo floors have been restored with the original In speaking of the challenges BARTA faces as it moves into the future, tiles. It is beautiful.” Weiss said No. 1 is funding, not an unusual situation for many of the When interviewed recently, Weiss said a dedication and open house of the nation’s public transit systems. newly restored Franklin Street Station was planned for May. “We could always use some more money so we could expand services,” A second major and unique project is currently underway at BARTA and she said. “We don’t run on Sundays and we are not a 24/7 authority. We have involves some of the system’s vehicles. many people who work on Sundays and they have no other way to get to “We are currently involved in a project with a company developing a work, so it is a challenge for them. There are people who would like later wireless charging system for all-electric vehicles,” Weiss said. “There will service on all of our routes. There are some routes that run later in the be bases implanted in the ground in a variety of locations and the vehicles evening, up until 11 p.m.” will only have to drive over the top of the bases to recharge. As for the future of public transit in Berks County and nationwide, Weiss “We currently have two all-electric vehicles being readied and they will feels riding the bus is an underused resource. be used in our Special Services Department. We are also looking at the pos- “I don’t think public transit is going to go away,” she said. “In some areas sibility of purchasing some all-electric buses for our fixed-route service, as it may get smaller and in other locations it may grow, but I don’t think it is well. something that we will ever be able to totally do without. “A company is converting two of our gas powered paratransit buses. They “I also think the younger generation is a little more ecologically will take the gas engines out and ship them back to us and install electric minded. I think, in a lot of cases, they would just as likely board a bus motors, batteries and all the things to accomplish a total conversion. The all- as jump in a car. The economy is also a factor. It is a lot more expensive electric buses will be able to be charged by both plugging them in or by the nowadays to operate a personal vehicle. The days when a person could
Natural gas -- Supplied to millions of businesses throughout the U.S. upon demand; one of the most efficient, cost-effective, environmental friendly and domestically- abundant fuels available. BAUER…the brand most trusted by our Nation’s Firefighters, First Responders and Armed Forces for high pressure breathing air is also a trusted name in NGV refueling. We offer the most complete line of continuous-duty rated natural gas compressors that are per- fectly suited for fleets of all sizes. When you think compressors...THINK BAUER. More information under www.bauercng.com
COMPACT SERIES
BAUER COMPRESSORS INC., 1328 Azalea Garden Road, Norfolk, VA 23502, Phone 757-855-6006, Fax 757-857-1041, [email protected]
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 25 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 26
buy a car for $500 and fill the tank for $5 are long gone. “A monthly bus pass to ride BARTA is $47. I can only fill my car up for one week with $47. If you take the bus to work instead of commuting, you are giving yourself the equivalent of a $100 raise each month, or maybe even more. “Public transportation is a good investment if it works with a person’s work schedule, location, etc. I realize it is not something that everybody can use. For example, BARTA in located in a very rural county. We have areas that are far from Reading and people out there must rely on their own trans- portation. “I would hate to see public transportation go away. The gridlock we have on the highways now would just be magnified.” Contact: BARTA, 1700 N. Eleventh St., Reading, PA 19604. Phone: 610-921-0601. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.bartabus.com. Greenlink Transit Director Mark Rickards reenville, SC, is a fast-growing community with a population of about 50,000 people, whose public transportation needs are met by “The leading industry here now is BMW along with Michelin, Fluor and GGreenlink Transit. Greenlink also serves the nearby cities of General Electric,” Rickards said. “In addition, the city has developed a Mauldin and Simpsonville. The metro area of Greenville is about 450,000 very viable downtown. In the 1990s, city, state and federal highway people as of the 2010 census. departments actually removed a highway bridge in downtown Greenville, For several years, Greenville has been “remaking” itself after facing some replacing it with a pedestrian bridge called the Liberty Bridge that spans tough economic times with the decline of the textile industry in the area. a scenic waterfall on the Reedy River where textile mills once stood. “The Greenville area was formerly a textile manufacturing center,” “There has also been a lot of redevelopment of the transit system. However, explained Greenlink Transit Director Mark Rickards. it is still a route/pulse-type system that operates out of a transit center that was Indeed, for a long time Greenville was known as “The Textile Capital of built in 1992. We operate 35-foot buses on about 12 fixed routes. We are look- the World.” However, in the process of remaking itself, the city has been ing to expand both regionally and internally in the next 10 years. able to attract other industries especially in the automotive and aerospace “The biggest issue we face in being able to expand is that we depend fields. solely on local, state and federal funds and fares. We do not have a dedi-
Page 26 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 27
cated funding source. employees are trained to consider every person as a ‘customer’ “We try to keep the fares as low as possible. We need more hours and rather than a ‘passenger.’ It is most important that individual atten- days of service. We don’t have Sunday or late evening service. We also tion is given when we can. I think our drivers have good relationships don’t have enough buses to expand into our regional communities. with customers.” “Our sister cities in South Carolina, Charleston and Columbia, all Rickards also spoke of two programs in the planning stage that are in have a small percentage of sales tax that goes directly to transit. We the budget for next year. are looking to do the same over the next two years. One involves developing connecting commuter routes to nearby It is within our mission to seek a dedicated fund- Clemson, SC, and Clemson University. A second project is to ing source to allow Greenlink to expand. In establish a public/private partnership with Greenville’s the meantime, we will continue to grow minor league baseball team, Greenville Drive, to oper- incrementally where we can.” ate a trolley service for the public. Greenlink records an average of 540,000 miles per “We also have a public/private partnership with a year with a ridership of around 1 million. The system’s local hospital and local educational entity, CU- buses run on clean diesel fuel and Greenlink officials are ICAR (Clemson University’s International Center for looking at using all-electric vehicles as an alternative in the Automotive Research),” Rickards said. “CU-ICAR future, according to Rickards. works with St. Francis Hospital in conjunction with All Greenlink buses are wheelchair accessible and are equipped Greenlink in operating a private/public partnership route.” with bike racks. The Greenlink system also features GAP (Greenville Looking ahead, Rickards sees a positive change in attitudes Area Paratransit), an ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) paratran- as to how public transportation is viewed in the Greenville area and sit service provided for individuals who, because of a disability, are beyond. unable to use the fixed-route bus service. “Perceptions are evolving quite a bit as we become more of a cos- GAP provides comparable service to the regular fixed-route bus in mopolitan area,” Rickards said. “International workers and students terms of shared rides, curb-to-curb pickup, service area, hours and days are coming to the area more and more from countries in Asia and of service. Europe where there has traditionally been wide acceptance and Measures to ensure passenger safety and security are in place through- usage of public transit. out the Greenlink system. “People are certainly becoming more aware of the benefits of public “Our facilities are all part of the city of Greenville,” Rickards said. transit. Although Greenville primarily remains an automobile-oriented “We work closely with the local police. We haven’t had a lot of issues community, I see progress. I feel very positive about the future of public with crime other than some vandalism at shelters. In total, we have 58 transit. Our ridership is up and ridership is up nationwide.” shelters. We have cameras on the buses and we have video system sur- veillance at our facilities.” Contact: Greenlink, 1021 S. Main St., While the city has rejuvenated itself in recent years, Greenlink has also Greenville, SC 29601. placed a renewed emphasis on customer service. Phone: 864-467-5001. “Customer service is something we have really highlighted much Email: [email protected]. more now than what was done in the past,” Rickards said. “Our Website: www.greenvillesc.gov/RideGreenlink/.
PRICED TO SELL ² Attractive Lease Rates
(25) 1995²1998 ¶DQG¶ (3) 1999 Low Floor Neoplan New Flyer Series 50 ¶/RZ)ORRU Allison B-400R 50 Series Allison B500 Trans. Thermo King Lift-U lift (11) µ -¶ (1) 1992 MCI 96 A3 Gillig 6V92 DDECII ¶DQG¶ Automatic Trans. High & Low Floor Series 50/Cummins M-11 Allison B400R
Plus more on our website: www.midwestbus.com Call: 800-627-6627 Midwest Bus Corporation, 1940 W. Stewart Street, Owosso, MI 48867
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 27 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 28
• Certified Safety and Security Officer (CSSO) CTAA EXPO Set For June 2-7 In Albuquerque • The Competitive Edge This year’s annual Community Transportation One-, Two- And Three-day Sessions One-Day Courses: June 3 Association of America (CTAA) EXPO is The Community Transportation Intensive • Transit Marketing for Community/Public Transportation • Developing Policies and Procedures for Transit scheduled for June 2-7 at the Albuquerque (NM) Sessions take place June 3-5. The sessions meet • Leadership & Motivation Convention Center. New Mexico’s transportation training requirements for those seeking CCTM • Developing Performance Measures for Mobility network includes all modes of transit — from and CTPA certification. All certification cours- Management & Coordination regional rail to regional rural transit, and from bus es have a testing component. One-Day Courses: June 4 rapid transit to commuter-focused services. The Three-Day Courses: June 3-5 • Financial Management for Transit Agencies 2013 Community Transportation EXPO features • Vehicle Maintenance Mgt/Inspection (VMMI) • Thinking Like a Business several key elements, including: • Passenger Service and Safety (PASS) • How to Address the Issue of Distracted Drivers Trade Fair Train-the-Trainer Workshop • Design Thinking for Mobility Solutions Two-Day Courses: June 3-4 The trade show opening and reception will Professional Development Workshops • Certified Community Transit Supervisory (CCTS) take place on June 4, while the trade fair itself and Various training sessions taught by recog- • Professional Dispatching and Scheduling (PDS) nized experts are offered in the morning and luncheon are scheduled for both June 5 and 6. • Preparing for the CCTM and CTPA Examinations afternoon of June 5 and 6. All EXPO registrants are able to participate in any session. Professional Development Workshop topics planned for EXPO 2013 are: mobility manage- ment, dialysis transportation, livability and sus- tainability, innovative service design, service regionalization, advancing safety and security, transit facility development, creative funding and grant writing, the competitive edge, veter- ans transportation, social media for transit, strategic partnerships, and senior transportation. Two General Sessions Each year at EXPO, Community Transportation officials feature two general ses- sions that offer a discussion from recognized experts on key community and public trans- portation topics. This year’s two general ses- sions will be held on June 5 and 6. On June 5, Lt. Gen. Russell Honore will pro- vide the conference keynote address with his presentation titled, “The New Normal: Leadership and Preparedness in the 21st Century.” Lt. Gen. Honore is best known for his role in leading the U.S. Defense Department’s response teams after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The second session, on June 6, examines reframing the value of transit and changing the way those in the industry highlight the out- comes that transit engenders. Roadeo & Awards Banquet Held June 2, the 24th Annual National Community Transportation Roadeo will honor the value of rural and community transit opera- tors. Drivers compete for top scores on a course that tests skills of these drivers. It’s followed by a banquet and awards ceremony. Special Events Two special EXPO mini-conferences titled “Volunteer Transportation and Mobility Management” and “Tribal Transit Summit” are scheduled for June 3 and 4, and the Community Transportation Awards Breakfast is set for June 5. Local transit tours, meanwhile, are scheduled for June 6. These will be followed by “EXPO’s Big Night Out: A Celebration Of Route 66,” June 6. The Community Transportation EXPO will conclude on June 7. The day includes a Happy Trails Farewell Breakfast. Visit www.ctaa.org/expo or call 800-788- 7077 for more information.
Page 28 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 29
ADVERTORIAL 5Star Specialty Programs Reduce Risk – Reduce Cost Seven Elements To Reducing Risk And Cost With A Formal Loss Control Program
By Charlie Johnson, VP Loss Control Services An inspector should also create a job hazard analysis – 5Star Specialty Programs (JHA). This includes defining the job; breaking the job into a sequence of steps (each describing what is being done); iden- usinesses, old and new, are continuously looking for tifying hazards; determining what can go wrong resulting in ways to mitigate risk. Though risk can’t be avoided an accident; and, recommending safe job procedures that Bcompletely, factors to reduce it can and should be either eliminate or control hazardous operations; managed — which begins at the organizational level. Reducing bottom line premium cost is a key objective for 4. Employee Training — If a loss control program is any successful business. Senior management must take own- developed and personnel held accountable, then employees ership of their company’s loss control, demonstrate the orga- need to be properly educated — especially if there is a new- nization’s commitment to developing a loss control program, hire or replacement made. Safety education may include and establish key performance indicators to follow up on developing a training program (if one doesn’t already exist); progress and measure safety. determining training needs; defining program objectives; pro- Here are seven elements that have helped organizations vide additional supervisor training (if needed); and, requiring reduce risk and cost by committing to a formal loss control new-hire training; program: 5. Record Keeping and Reporting — Supervisors are 1. Management Involvement and Support — When sen- often responsible for keeping accurate, up-to-date information ior management supports the overall safety effort, companies on management safety reports, planned inspection summaries, have a better understanding of how accidents can be con- safety checklists, job analysis worksheets, employee orienta- trolled and affect loss ratio, and that any situation can be man- tion records and major loss announcements. By having these aged safely. It is essential, though, for all department heads to reports current and organized, companies are helping protect play a role in supporting these efforts by developing safety workers’ health and safety as well as identifying potential rules, manage losses, control hazards, motivate supervisors problems in the workplace; and labor forces, review results, and hold personnel account- able; 6. First-aid and Medical Assistance — First-aid given quickly and efficiently can save lives, assist in the prevention 2. Assignment of Responsibility — It is the duty of upper of minor injuries turning serious, and, in most cases, be the management to ensure employees have a clear understanding only treatment necessary. If an accident does occur, it is of what their job entails. It is also their duty to assign respon- important to have a first-aid policy and procedure in place. sibility, authority and accountability to key personnel. An This might include a first-aid trained staff, on-site facility, employee who knows what is expected of his/her perform- equipment, supplies, and a recording of all cases; and, ance, has the authority to accomplish tasks, and is held accountable for results, is not only professionally satisfied, 7. Employee Awareness, Acceptance, and Participation but is motivated to follow safe procedures. — To ensure employees continue to be mindful and informed A policy statement expressing management’s desired direc- about mitigating risk, maintain their interest by managing loss tion is a key factor to a successful loss control program. The control activities. Consider webinars, posters, contests or policy itself may include items such as the purpose of the pro- campaigns to support safety motivation and promotion. gram and what it will cover; who will be assigned safety People are driven by things like self preservation, responsibility; if there will be assistance in the form of a safe- personal/material gain, responsibility, leadership, logic, and ty director or safety committee; and, who will have the author- humanity — so use those concepts for your loss control pro- ity to administer the safety program; gram and safety advantage. The goal of reducing risk and implementing a loss control 3. Maintenance of Safe Working Conditions — Once a program is not to discourage companies, but rather encourage plan is in place, it must be maintained. After reading a policy employees to think safety and precaution while on the job. statement or attending a presentation, people tend to forget Taking ownership of a strong loss control program, as well as what was presented to them. To maintain a safe working con- influencing employees on a regular basis, is the key to having dition, self-inspections should be conducted daily, weekly or a strong and successful business. And, most importantly, we monthly — depending on the job. An inspector must be selec- can anticipate safe work environments — for everyone. tive, know what to look for, practice observing behaviors/trends, guard against habit and familiarity, record Visit www.5starsp.com observations, and prepare a checklist. for more information.
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 29 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 30
A Travel Exchange Panel Keys To Success In Group Travel
Representatives from the hotel, motorcoach, tour, and attraction segments answered questions related to group travel trends, pricing, challenges and opportunities.
By Harrell Kerkhoff representing the attractions business; J. Chris have experienced the same pattern. Busline Magazine Editor Babb, of The Group Tour Company, in “Many tour operators were fortunate (at the Washington, D.C., representing tour operators; beginning of the recession) as most business n advantage to combining the annual and Brian Butterworth, of The Red Lion Inn, was booked 18 months in advance. It was real- United Motorcoach Association and in Stockbridge, MA, representing the lodging ly in 2010 and 2011 when the financial well- ANTA (formerly known as the National industry. being of many tour operators started shrinking. Tour Association) conventions is that this pro- Serving as moderator for the session was I think we are finally seeing a turn for the better vides an opportunity to learn how everyone David Brown, of Holiday Companies, in within the industry.” involved with the group travel business process Randleman, NC, a motorcoach operation. Jeffries — Newseum can work together for the success of all “At Newseum, unfortunately, we did see (a involved parties. QUESTION: What changes have you seen trend of) cancellations among our retail tours To further pro- in the group travel market from a business (during the recession), but our school market vide insight, an and financial perspective over the past four has been strong and steady. They (schools) are industry panel ses - years — from the prosperity before the booking shorter sion titled Keys Great Recession to now? trips on average, To Success In and where a Group Travel was Butterworth — The Red Lion Inn school might held as part of the “Our business dropped off (during the recent have used five inaugural Travel recession), the worst year being 2009. We have motorcoaches in Exchange pro- grown steadily ever since, and 2012 finished the past now it gram in Orlando. higher than 2008, which had been our best may be using Moderator: David Brown, This session inv - year.” only two to four Holiday Companies, olved representa- Babb — The Group Tour Company c o a c h e s . Randleman, NC. tives from the “From a tour operator perspective, one of the Brian Butterworth, Fortunately for hotel, motorcoach, tour, and attractions seg- biggest changes since the financial meltdown The Red Lion Inn, us, Newseum is ments. Panelists were asked questions related to has been (an increase in) price negotiations. Stockbridge, MA. just turning 5 group travel trends, pricing, challenges and Everyone seems to be very price sensitive, and years old (at its opportunities. many people are taking shorter trips. People Washington, D.C. site), so we are still a new The panelists for this hour-long session were: who were once traveling for 7 to 10 days are attraction.” Brian Scott, of Escot Bus Lines, in Largo, FL, now traveling for 5 to 7 days. People who once Scott — Escot Bus Lines representing the motorcoach industry; Linda were taking overnight stays are now taking one- “For us, 2009 and 2010 were slower years, Jeffries, of Newseum, in Washington, D.C., day trips. I suspect most motorcoach companies with 2010 actually a little bit worse. Business in
Page 30 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 31
2011 came back really nice, and 2012 also looked good. We definitely see an increase in price negotiations (among customers), and there is a lot of resist- ance when trying to increase prices.”
QUESTION: What do you see is the future of group travel over the next five years? DEFENDER Triple Action Fabric Treatment Babb — The Group Tour Company “As a tour operator, I think it’s going to continue to grow. There are three trends that I have noticed. No. 1, the use of technology has increased (among tour passengers), especially A natural, comfortable since the new iPads came out. We have start- ed seeing more people with these devices and alternative to vinyl:- wanting to use them as they travel, which necessitates the need for WiFi. Access to WiFi on motorcoaches is in greater demand. J. Chris Babb, “No. 2, the average size of groups traveling The Group Tour Company, is changing. Filling up a 55-passenger motor- Washington, D.C. coach can be difficult as groups continue to • Anti-microbial get smaller. I think this trend will continue. “And No. 3, where we used to see groups that were comprised of purely students or purely seniors, we are now seeing them more comprised of • Anti-bacterial grandparents, parents and kids all traveling together. There are complete families filling up a motorcoach. This means (travel) itineraries must become more diverse in an effort to appeal to a much larger demographic. I • Anti-stain would think this trend will become more pronounced five years down the road as baby boomers become older, have more disposable income and are starting to travel more with their families.” Jeffries — Newseum “Overall, (the group travel) market is becoming a little more demanding as it pertains to activities. They look for special activities, and, for the most part, are willing to pay (extra).” Scott — Escot Bus Lines “We rely on group travel for a good part of our business. From our per- spective, we hope this market stays strong and grows. What I have seen from a local standpoint, it’s becoming more difficult for smaller ‘mom and pop’ operators to continue to do well.” Butterworth — The Red Lion Inn “In talking with operators and suppliers, they seem willing to offer (cus- tomers) more free time during travel and providing a tour with more options. These trips are not quite so set in stone. More options are being given to peo- ple in hopes of attracting additional business. “The Red Lion Inn is an historic full-service hotel located in the Berkshires of New England. Our town (Stockbridge, MA) is a popular des- tination for tours, such as during the fall foliage season. One thing we have Cost effective protection done is work with different tour directors to come up with a (lunch reserva- for vehicle seating giving tion) program at The Red Lion Inn for individual passengers. This provides a lunch option for those on a motorcoach trip who are in our town (for a an improved passenger visit). I also offer operators a flyer that lists things to do in Stockbridge dur- ing ‘free time.’” experience and reduced cleaning costs. QUESTION: How have the habits of your clients changed over the past four years?
Jeffries — Newseum “We haven’t seen a big change in habits over the past four years as Newseum is still absorbing new markets. We have seen fewer seniors than we thought we would. In response, we offer a special senior month at Newseum to encourage increased visitation. “In going forward, I think all of us need to look at our visitation habits and www.holdsworthfabrics.com (what groups) we are missing out on. Social media can help encourage more people to visit. We (at Newseum) also send out information to tour guides so T: 317 484 0305 F: 317 484 0706 that when their group visits us they are more aware of what is going on with our attractions.”
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 31 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 32
Scott — Escot Bus Lines has started a non-stop flight have had to recognize this diverse trend. “Our business has changed between Tokyo and Boston, “This change is not only taking place with significantly, not just during the which is bringing a lot of student groups but with adult groups as well. past four years, but the past Japanese travelers (to New They are becoming part of family vacations. It’s decade. It’s been an intentional England).” led to the rethinking of what a standard (travel) shift and an intentional diversi- Babb — The Group Tour itinerary should be for the East Coast. fication so we aren’t so aligned Company “This change can be hard, especially for peo- specifically to the charter bus “Our company is located in ple in the motorcoach and group tour industries business. Washington, D.C. Especially in who understand that the prospect of cars (pur- “The charter business is very the springtime, a lot of motor- posely) following a 55-passenger motorcoach Brian Scott, respondent to negative and pos- coaches come to this market, down (busy) Interstate 95 is not necessarily a Escot Bus Lines, itive situations that come from particularly with student groups. good thing. Not only is the motorcoach driver Largo, FL. outside forces. These are (The Group Tour Company) now worried about the safety of his passengers, beyond our control. Therefore, we have active- works with motorcoach companies, other tour but also about the two or so cars behind him ly tried to diversify our contracts to a more operators, travelers, etc., to customize trips. (that are part of the trip.) There is a message that scheduled-service type work. Over the past four Before the recession, a common motorcoach (to we need to get out to consumers that traveling years, the pace of this focus has quickened. And Washington, D.C.) would consist of 2 teachers, by motorcoach is a lot different than traveling in so, fortunately, when the last recession hit in 2 parent chaperones and 50 kids. Over the past a family vehicle. 2009 and 2010, because we diversified, we couple years, many such trips have changed to “We have also seen the senior market not were OK. We have intentionally shifted our where we are seeing 25 kids traveling with 20 only travel more with other generations, but business to try to insulate ourselves from those parents and some teachers. This change has they want to do more adventurous things as outside forces.” meant that we now not only have to fulfill the well. The standard national park tour is no Butterworth — The Red Lion Inn needs of the teachers wanting to see the educa- longer acceptable for many travelers.” “On the group travel side, we are seeing more tional elements of a trip, but also fulfill the international travelers. The state of needs of families involved in the same trip look- QUESTION for Brian Butterworth Massachusetts, and New England overall, are ing for more of a family vacation. We even have — The Red Lion Inn very aggressive in attracting international trav- seen instances where families are traveling in People who purchase group travel trips elers. There is an organization called ‘Discover separate cars following the motorcoach. often are able to find a great hotel at a great New England’ that works to attract tour opera- “This requires us to change the way we com- rate for two or three years, then suddenly tors from around the world. It has a great pres- municate with our group leaders, motorcoach the price goes up or the availability goes ence, especially in Europe. Also, Japan Airlines companies and other tour operators. They all down. What are the root causes for this?
For more information Please Contact us at Phone- (574) 825-4880 Fax - (574) 825-1750 Parts & Service - (574) 825-1721 51165 Greenfield Pkwy, Middlebury, IN 46540 - www.arbocsv.com
Page 32 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 33
“Obviously, every hotel, tour operator and or worse margin than cent, about 65 attraction is a different business that works off your other confirmations? percent is from of different business models. The tour and trav- student travel. el business is important to The Red Lion Inn as “From the late 1980s continuing through the Because (group it represents for us an area of growth. We have 1990s (the group travel business) was a big area travel) is booked a very loyal following. Our business is definite- of growth for us. (Group travel) is still an impor- in advance to ly driven by travelers and tourists. tant part of our business model, but we have where we know “We also work with tour operators, corporate since spent a lot of time developing our business who is coming meeting planners, etc., to fill in during (the off- to where we are selling the seat rather than sell- and when they season) when it’s still a great time to visit our ing the bus. Both business models have their are coming, this Linda Jeffries, area, but there isn’t the same type of demand unique benefits and challenges. helps us with Newseum, among travelers. “We try to work (in group travel) with a range staffing issues. It Washington, D.C. “There are officials from some hotels who of customers. Our goal is to build long-term rela- also helps us to want to work with group travel people at certain tionships and work with sizeable enough groups better know how (overall business) is going to times and not work with them at other times. so that we are properly servicing their needs. be throughout the year. That’s unfortunate. I would say, however, that “As far as margins go, (group travel) is on the “We have the luxury of having just about many hotels are interested in doing business thinner side. However, it’s one that provides a unlimited space at Newseum. We don’t turn with (group travel professionals). It’s good, reasonable amount of volume and keeps a lot of people away, and because of that, a lot of times however, when tour operators take the time to buses busy for a good portion of the year. (groups) will book late with us. We do have the understand the business needs of a hotel. This Therefore, it’s an important part of our business, luxury of being very flexible. helps everyone work well together. but one that we try to manage in terms of the “In Washington, D.C., one of our biggest “As far as pricing is concerned, hotels have number of trips we take on during an annual challenges at Newseum, being a paid attraction, investors. Their job is to get the most for a basis.” is that there are so many other things in our city room. If there is a convention in town, the price QUESTION for Linda Jeffries — Newseum to see that are free. A lot of these free attractions is probably going to go up.” You get a lot of individual foot traffic at are also considered ‘must see.’ Newseum. Therefore, how important is the “Another challenge has to do with the QUESTION For Brian Scott group travel segment to your success? amount of time people now have for an attrac- — Escot Bus Lines tion. Some operators have not been to Does the group touring “The group segment comprises about 35 per- Washington, D.C., for years themselves. They market provide a better cent of the visitors to Newseum. Of that 35 per- Continued On Page 41
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 33 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 34
ADVERTORIAL Relational Bus Systems RBS, Inc., is a major provider of Tour and Charter Management Systems missions allow access to specific areas of the program depending on specifically designed for the motorcoach industry. For 20 years, RBS job types such as administrator, salesperson, dispatcher and driver. has been designing, implementing and supporting its premier prod- GoTour is a browser-based tour management system. GoTour man- ucts: GoChart and GoTour. The company serves more than 500 North ages reservations, itineraries, payables, receivables, and produces American customers. management reports and customer documents for group and retail GoChart Charter Management System features customer and contract tours. Access GoTour from any computer that has an Internet connec- management, scheduling, dispatching, accounts receivable and tion. GoTour is hosted at a secure RBS-managed data facility. The RBS numerous accounting/operations reports. Modules allow companies to professional staff manages the server hardware, software and network, customize the RBS system to fit their needs. The security module is including all updates and daily backups. now more powerful with stricter controls, and requires each employee Web Manager provides reliable credit card authorization, online quote to access RBS using a unique login and password. User-defined per- generation and notification, driver access to schedules and document storage and retrieval. This includes: • Credit Card Processing — Integrated into the RBS GoChart and GoTour applications; • Quote Request — Customers request quotes online by providing basic information which is used to open a quote in GoChart. Email is forwarded to the customer and sales staff notifying receipt of online quote; • Special Requests for GoChart Data Access via the Web — Provides web access to driver’s schedules allowing drivers to access schedules from home, office or anywhere with an Internet connection; and, • Document Storage and Retrieval — GoChart offers secure storage and retrieval of paper and electronic documents. Letters, contracts, maps, itineraries, emails, memos, notes, copies of receipts/checks can be scanned using a desktop scanner and quickly assigned to charters and/or customers. Users can access stored documents by clicking buttons on customer and charter screens. Stored doc- uments can be accessed anywhere there is an Internet connection. GoTran provides transit data capturing, report- ing and customer invoicing. Users can easily create and duplicate transit routes, runs and stops for dispatching. The system can capture manually entered or bus-generated actual rider- ship and cash fare data. Captured data can be reported in summary or detail form by route, run or stop; includes flexible customer invoicing. Offsite Backup and Recovery software and serv- ices are designed with disaster recovery in mind. A backup client on your server connects remote- ly and backs up your critical RBS data daily. Only you and RBS have access to this data. Notification emails are sent each time the data is backed up. RBS insures that backup data is properly available for restoration and maintains terminal services/remote desktop environment to which your data can be moved. You will have access for two users, for one month, while you re-establish your network infrastructure.
Call RBS at 800-448-7001 or visit www.rbs2000.com to request an evaluation copy of GoChart. Visit our new website at www.rbs2000.com to request a user name and password to access our GoTour demo site.
Page 34 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 35
ADVERTORIAL Distinctive Systems: Specializing In Comprehensive Software Distinctive Systems is an independent soft- with an ongoing webinar series and expanded GP General Ledger. The Coach Manager side ware vendor specializing in the development of Support Services, has ensured successful of the integration is available free of charge to products for coach, bus and truck companies. implementations, ongoing growth of the usage all clients with current Coach Manager Established for 30 years, they have supplied of the applications with existing clients and con- Software Maintenance agreements. hundreds of systems to operators throughout tinued interaction with the publisher and actual Additional features have been continually the United Kingdom, Ireland, North America, developers of the products. added to the Tour Booking System (TBS). In South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Numerous features and enhancements have April 2013, a fully revised and updated data beyond. been added to the entire product suite. driven website, which is a component of the The range of software is comprehensive and Topping the enhancement list is the new Coach in-house reservation system, was released. It includes systems for managing coach based Manager Gross Payroll module. The module has allows operators to create and maintain a charters, regular contract work, community been eagerly anticipated by clients since new professional website without the expense of transport operations, gross payroll, vehicle main- functionality for gathering vehicle and driver employing a specialist web design company. tenance, workshop management and both back actual mileages and duty times was introduced The full TBS application can be further office and online reservations for extended just over a year ago. Intended to form the basis extended with the addition of the TBS Online tours, sightseeing trips and shuttle services. of the planned payroll functionality from the Booking facility. The Online Booking facility All of the applications are Windows based outset; the finished result provides operators allows clients to create an account, enter pas- and have been developed using Microsoft with the most powerful specialized payroll solu- senger names, select their seats, choose pick- Visual Studio. The success that has been tion ever to be made available to the North up points, select their preferred accommoda- achieved over the years comes about as a American motorcoach industry. tion along with any supplements, accept or direct result of their unique experience of both Also recently released is an integration from decline insurance and pay either a deposit or in the IT and passenger transport industries. the Microsoft SQL Server based Coach full as appropriate. Both 2012 and 2013 have been particularly Manager charter and contract booking system Work on the Vehicle Maintenance System exciting at Distinctive Systems. A new Rental to Microsoft Dynamics GP General Ledger. The (VMS) has continued as well. An optional tire Option has been offered to clients for all 3 of the integration, which is incorporated directly into management module has been designed to Distinctive Systems applications. This has led to the Coach Manager software, consists of a manage the maintenance and history recording another record amount of new client adds to batch controlled CSV export of invoice, credit, of individual tires fitted to vehicles in the fleet. the Distinctive Systems user base. In fact, year adjustment and payment transactions. This new module is now available. after year, for the past 3 years, have seen An integration built using Microsoft's increased user additions in record numbers. Integration Manager tool is then used to import For further details, or to arrange a no obligation The Annual User Group meeting, coupled the resulting data file into Microsoft Dynamics demonstration, please call 646-448-9981.
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 35 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 36
ADVERTORIAL Motorcoach Manager Motorcoach Manager Provides ules can be combined to match each opera- on each piece of equipment. The parts inven- Software Solutions To Fit tion. Details can be personalized. tory can handle multiple garages. Motorcoach Charter Manager provides a sys- Motorcoach Tour Manager, also available as Successful operators in the charter and tour tematic process for handling all the details of Tour Optimizer for companies that don’t own industry must develop systems for handling a trip order — from the initial customer call motorcoaches, simplifies the creation of all the logistical components of the service through the final reconciliation of the finances, group or retail tours by developing and cost- they provide. They must be ready to respond IFTA mileage and fuel reporting, and driver ing itineraries, taking reservations, selling tick- quickly to the changing needs of customers, payroll calculations. It includes visual tools to ets to groups or individuals, creating rooming employees and government entities. increase income through effective utilization lists, name and luggage tags, etc. It tracks Motorcoach Manager provides an orderly way of the fleet. It provides control of scheduling payments to hotels and attractions. Once a for tracking all the changing information so and dispatching, whether an order calls for tour package has been developed, it can be operators can be ready for any situation. one coach or for several coaches and drivers used again on a new date. Motorcoach Manager is easy-to-use soft- running at different dates and times. Companies running regular shuttles with ware which provides a powerful blend of When a trip is repeated, the data can be reservations can use Motorcoach Shuttle innovative features designed to reduce costs entered once and then duplicated. Line runs Manager. Daily shuttles can be pre-entered in by making record-keeping easier and more and shuttles not requiring reservations can be batches and passengers can be quickly accurate. Training and support ensure suc- handled with this feature in the charter mod- booked onto the correct shuttle. Round-trip cess. The software’s flexible reporting system ule. School bus companies use the charter tickets are issued and various reports on the is built on data entered one-time on a color- module effectively for sports and field trips as number of riders, cash receipts, etc., are pro- coded form and organized to provide in- well as routes. duced. Online reservations are an option. depth management tools. Motorcoach Maintenance Manager comple- The software is appropriate for all sizes of As the industry changes, Motorcoach ments the charter module by keeping a histo- charter, tour, scheduled service or mainte- Manager refines its features and functionality ry of equipment maintenance. Parts are nance operations, including companies with in collaboration with its clients. This year the tracked from the purchase to the use on a divisions. Multiple offices can be handled focus is on refining the fully integrated modu- vehicle and a parts inventory is maintained. using state-of-the-art networking. lar products to optimal form. The software can be used to invoice mainte- The four modules can be tailored to the nance work done for outside companies. It For additional information, needs of each motorcoach company. The tracks scheduled preventive maintenance call Motorcoach Manager at 800-780-6880 charter, tour, maintenance, and shuttle mod- and remembers what work needs to be done or visit www.motorcoachmanager.com.
Motorcoach Manager Software Systems That Work
Motorcoach CHARTER Manager Flexible enterprise level management software provides a complete tracking solution with personal, committed Motorcoach TO U R Manager customer service. • Tracks all aspects of your operation • Simplifies creating charters and tours with templates Motorcoach MAINTENANCE Manager • Multiple dispatch management options • Extensive financial reporting Motorcoach SHUTTLE Manager Saves time, money and mistakes.
Transportation Software Systems
Call or email today for your FREE information pack with demonstration CD. 800.780.6880 or [email protected] Modules may be purchased individually or combined. Single or multi-user licensing. Prompt technical support.
Page 36 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 37
Chevin Fleet Solutions Distinctive Systems Inc. Phone: +1 514-383-0404 43 Orchard Hill Drive See Ad On Page 35 Fax: +1 514-383-4971 Sharon, MA 02067 USA 131 1/2 S. Washington St. E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: 781-793-0788 Fax: 781-784-6894 Binghamton NY 13903 USA Web Site: www.giro.ca Web Site: www.chevinfleet.com Phone: 646-448-9981 Products: GIRO Inc. is a leading provider of Products: Chevin Fleet Solutions, an industry- E-Mail: software solutions for planning and managing provider of enterprise fleet management infor- [email protected] public transport-related operations. Its HAS- mation systems, provides fleet management Company Officers: Don Greenglass, Bob TUS™ fixed-route product addresses bus, software that enables transit, demand response Hopwood metro, tram, light rail, and commuter rail. and charter organizations to enhance equipment Products: Distinctive Systems is a leading Meanwhile, the GIRO/ACCES™ product availability, safety and reliability. Included is supplier of software to the coach industry. addresses demand-response (paratransit) serv- the ability to manage preventive maintenance, Established for 30 years, over 750 operators ices. The software offers modular solutions to maintenance management, inventory, fuel, driv- rely on one or more of the company’s latest cover vehicle and crew scheduling, operations, er, accident and risk management as well as Microsoft SQL-based systems for the efficient and customer information, as well as planning comprehensive and infinitely flexible reporting. management of their companies. The main and analysis. 13 Chevin’s software becomes a central repository systems at Distinctive Systems include its for all fleet related data, allowing organizations Coach Manager Charter and Contract Mentor Engineering Inc. to manage complex fleet and operations data Booking System, the Tour Booking System #10 - 2175 29th St. NE with a single enterprise-wide system. 11 and the Vehicle Maintenance System. 13 Calgary, AB T1Y 7H8 CANADA Phone: 403-777-3760 DDS eFleet Services Inc. Enghouse Transportation Fax: 403-777-3769 11920 Forge Place 2150 Islington Avenue, Suite 205 E-Mail: [email protected] Richmond, BC V74 4V9 CANADA Toronto, ON M9P 3V4 CANADA Web Site: www.mentoreng.com Phone: 604-241-1441 Phone: 416-915-9593 Fax: 416-915-9594 Products: Mentor Streets® Transit is a fully Fax: 604-241-1440 E-Mail: [email protected] integrated transit ITS solution that includes E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.enghousetransportation.com CAD/AVL, event management, schedule and Web Site: www.efleetservices.com Products: With over 25 years experience, route adherence, mobile computing, report- Company Officers: Michael Dixon Enghouse Transportation, formerly TranSched ing, and more. Streets Transit can help agen- Products: Complete solution of fleet manage- Systems, offers a comprehensive and robust cies streamline operations to increase on-time ment capabilities into a single hosted system suite of products that serve the transportation service, improve driver/dispatcher communi- that is delivered as a subscription service, market. CoachWorks is its state-of-the-art cation, simplify scheduling and provide better including: GPS fleet tracking, GPS navigation, motorcoach management software package customer service. hour of service, two-way text messaging, com- designed to enhance all aspects of a charter Mentor MyRide™ is a passenger informa- puter-aided wireless dispatch, point-of-sale business. CoachWorks encompasses tools for tion system that makes real-time bus location payment processing and integrated ticketing the charter industry, including sales, dispatch, and status information available to riders any capabilities. and accounts receivable. By combining multi- time, from anywhere. From real-time maps Features are provided with minimal start-up ple functions into one universal program, and bus departure information to trip planning costs, and the system is designed to be scalable CoachWorks can increase productivity and and SMS, MyRide enhances customer service. to fit business needs. eFleet is personalized to streamline the input and maintenance of esti- With MyRide, passengers can access real-time the vehicle and organization it serves. mates, trip orders and financial records. bus departures and get instant map updates. Dispatchers and managers coordinate fleet Enghouse applications can be deployed indi- Additionally, riders can text message the activities through a web-based system that is vidually, combined with other Enghouse solu- agency from any bus stop to receive the depar- managed, supported and hosted by eFleet. tions, or integrated with third party transporta- ture times of the next few buses leaving that Routine tasks can be automated. Examples tion technology vendors. 12 stop. MyRide integrates with Google™ Maps include: driver logs, IFTA reporting, ETA vehi- for easy trip planning, and passengers can cre- cle reporting, engine diagnostics, paperless GIRO Inc. ate rider accounts to receive automatic alerts ticketing, comprehensive record keeping of trip 75 Port-Royal East for specific routes and stops, when they want navigation, and charge and customer details. 13 Montreal, QC H3L 3T1 CANADA them. 11
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 37 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 38
Motorcoach Manager, Inc. Phone: 609-890-4150 Fax: 609-890-4154 aster; and, See Ad On Page 36 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Manager modules include simple, reli- 3517 Marconi Ave., Suite 207 Web Site: www.ptcllc.com able, real time credit card authorization for Sacramento, CA 95825 USA Company Officers: Bridgette Hobart- GoChart and GoTour; online quote generation Phone: 916-972-1800 Fax: 916-972-1875 Janeczko, President; Michael Gummel, Product and notification; integrated document storage E-Mail: [email protected] Engineer and retrieval; and web access to drivers’ orders Web Site: www.motorcoachmanager.com Products: Paradigm Technology Consulting, for GoChart. Demos available by appointment. Company Officers: Shirley Campbell, LLC (PTC) is a Microsoft Gold Certified Visit the new website and logo at: President; Scott Hale, Vice President Partner focusing on human resources and labor www.rbs2000.com. 13 Products: Motorcoach Manager is innovative, management for the transportation industry. It is flexible software which provides a complete, cost- PTC’s approach to assemble best of breed solu- RouteMatch Software, Inc. effective system for managing charter orders, tions for the motorcoach industry, and to offer Atlantic Center Plaza scheduling and dispatching, group, retail, and sight- an end-to-end turnkey solution that makes it 1180 W. Peachtree St., Suite 1130 seeing tours, shuttles, scheduled line runs, school possible for operators in the industry to leverage Atlanta, GA 30309 USA buses, and vehicle maintenance. The four modules, the best technology available. This is done by Phone: 888-840-8791 which may be purchased in any combination, are bringing together the solutions offered by E-Mail: [email protected] Charters, Tours, Maintenance, and Shuttles. Microsoft, Enghouse, Collective Data and Web Site: www.routematch.com The application is the result of years of collab- eFleet as well as PTC’s own Transportation Products: RouteMatch is a provider of transit oration between the Motorcoach Manager’s staff Suite. The Paradigm Transportation Suite (PTS) ITS software and solutions. Founded in 1999, and hundreds of clients and prospects. Ideas for is a suite of payroll and labor management the company is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. features are incorporated throughout to make applications designed for operators with more Targeting private and public sector passenger managing charters and tours as easy as possible. complex payroll and workforce management transportation providers, the company’s prod- The software can be tailored to each motorcoach needs including those involving union contracts. ucts address routing, scheduling, dispatching, operation. In addition to selling, implementing and sup- billing, reporting, fixed-route CAD/AVL, para- Add-on features such as online reservations, porting operational systems like CoachWorks, transit and fixed-route integration, business bar coding, optimized pricing, a built-in email sys- Paradigm also sells, implements and supports intelligence, transportation coordination and tem, utilization charts, availability charts, financial financial systems such as Microsoft Dynamics more. 10 analysis tools, tight security, etc., are either includ- GP, customer relationship management systems ed or available. Motorcoach Manager runs on stan- such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, vehicle Schedule Masters, Inc. dard computers with any current version of maintenance systems from Collective Data, and 300-1B Conestoga Drive Microsoft Windows. Single-user or multi-user (net- Computer-Aided Wireless Dispatch and Fleet Brampton, ON L6Z 4N5 CANADA worked) versions are available. Responsive, timely Management solutions from eFleet. 13 Phone: 905-495-5402 Fax: 905-495-5404 customer service is the company’s priority. 13 Web Site: www.schedule-masters.org RBS - Relational Bus Systems, Inc. Products: “The Master Scheduler” is a fixed- Norse Systems, Inc. See Ad On Page 34 route scheduling software tool that includes: 245 Sage Hollow Road 10 Lancaster Street - Box 215 scheduling, blocking, run-cutting, rostering, Guilford, CT 06437 Cherry Valley, NY 13320 USA daily operations/dispatch, Web-based trip plan- Toll Free: 800-769-8468 Fax: 203-457-8033 Toll Free: 800-448-7001 Fax: 607-264-8070 ning, customer complaint tracking, performance E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] tracking, reporting and mapping. 07 Web Site: www.norsesys.com Web Site: www.rbs2000.com Products: Providing integrated software to the Company Officers: Bob Schecter, President; ViaTour Software bus industry for more than 26 years. Norse Walter Buist, VP 200 South Main Street, Suite B Systems offers “Virtual Server” deployments. No Products: RBS, Inc. designs, implements and Templeton, CA 93465 USA capital investment is required, just a fee per user. supports Tour and Charter Management systems Phone: 505-466-6300 Fax: 866-587-9350 The most recent innovation from Norse is “Screen with more than 400 customers in North E-Mail: [email protected] Driver,” a complete application development envi- America. Products include: Web Site: www.viatoursoftware.com ronment provided with the application software. GoChart Charter Management Sys tem fea- Products: ViaTour Software is a reservation and In addition to one source for system infra- tures customer and contract management, tour management system that automates a com- structure, application software and professional schedule and dispatch, and accounts receivable. pany’s back-end workflow by integrating reser- support, Norse offers a set of integrated software Modules allow system customization to fit a vations, operations and accounting. Born as a available to the industry. A single fee per user company’s needs and size. Powerful, user defin- niche market solution for travel planners in the provides a managed hardware and software solu- able security requiring unique login and pass- educational travel market, ViaTour tour manage- tion. Applications are offered for charter sales, word is available; ment software also answers the requirements of line run, tour reservations, school bus routing, GoTour Management System, a browser- coach tour operators. dispatch, driver qualification, accident manage- based system, manages tour reservations, itiner- This all-in-one system supports users ment, IFTA taxes, fuel management, work flow aries, receivables and payables, produces cus- throughout the entire tour lifecycle from propos- control, maintenance, inventory, purchasing and tomer documents and management reports for al, costing, and marketing, through reservation multi-site logistics, driver and employee time and group and retail tours. The RBS cloud-based processing and communications, to tour opera- pay, integrated financial systems, individual seat system is hosted at RBS’ secure data facility. tions and, finally, business analysis. ViaTour reservations for tours and shuttles, and more. 11 GoTour is entering the beta testing phase for its bundles these feature sets into four application fourth release, “GoTour v4,” including a “type- levels: Basic, Standard, Pro and Enterprise. It’s Paradigm Technology Consulting, LLC to-find” feature and help that includes videos; user-friendly and integrates with Microsoft 22 S. Main Street Offsite Backup and Recovery provides daily Office. Enterprise, with data in SQL server, Allentown, NJ 08501 USA offsite data backup and features limited online allows for Web integration, publishing and Toll Free: 866-782-4636 access to a customer’s data in the event of a dis- remote online access. 10
Page 38 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 39
A BUSLINE BUYERS GUIDE Motor Coach Industries ABC Companies
Van Hool A300L FC - Fuel Cell
The Van Hool Company was honored with the BusWorld Kortrijk MCI® Commuter Coach Hybrid/CNG 2009 Grand Environment Award, citing the company’s A330 Fuel Cell model. The hybrid-diesel electric bus offers a uniquely environmen- Whether a public transit or government agency’s mandate is to tally-friendly alternative for public transport providers. In the meet clean-air standards, lower fuel costs or improve express United States, the Van Hool A330 Fuel Cell has been well-received by service for its ridership, the MCI Commuter Coach is proving to be the American public where partners ABC, Van Hool, and AC Transit one of the safest, most comfortable, flexible commuting options pioneered a “green” transit initiative in 2005. Along with AC Transit, available today. With clean-diesel, hybrid and CNG options, all Buy Connecticut Transit also has this model in current service. America-compliant and Altoona-tested, MCI has something for This next generation of Van Hool’s fuel cell bus — the Van Hool nearly everyone. A300L FC — retains its place as one of the most technically The Commuter Coach, available in 40- and 45-foot versions, advanced transit buses available today, according to ABC boasts the best MDBF (mean distance between failure) rate in its Companies. This clean, quiet, energy efficient 40-foot transit class. Plus, it offers a 42 percent greater seating capacity than a emits only water vapor from the tailpipe. The new model buses comparable transit bus, at a cost that MCI says is 15 percent lower are lighter than the earlier generation fuel cell bus. Advanced per seat, depending on specifications. The high-floor coach also lithium-ion battery systems and a more durable fuel cell power offers nimble performance and admirable safety at highway plant are key features of the new buses. speeds, with a smooth, quiet ride. Virtually noiseless, yet powerful enough to climb grades in The wheelchair-lift-equipped coach is designed with plush, for- excess of 18 percent and reach speeds of 50 mph, the A300L FC is ward-facing seats along with individual temperature controls and powered by a zero-emission hydrogen-fueled, hybrid-electric LED reading lights for a tour-level riding experience that tran- engine, utilizing a 120 kW fuel cell system, onboard battery power, scends typical transit. In some markets, commuters have been and regenerative braking. Its clean operation can have an imme- known to let non-MCI buses pass by without boarding because diate positive impact on street-level emissions. they prefer the comfort of the MCI Commuter Coach.
Motor Coach Industries; 1700 E. Golf Road, Suite 300, ABC Companies; 1506 30th Street, NW; Faribault, MN Schaumburg, IL 60173; Ph: 847-285-2000; 800-428-7626; 55021 USA; Ph: 507-334-1871; Fax: 507-334-0246 Fax: 847-285-2013 Email: [email protected]; Email: [email protected] Web site: www.mcicoach.com Website: www.abc-companies.com
Model ...... Van Hool A300L Fuel Cell Model ...... MCI® Commuter Coach Hybrid/CNG Seating Capacity...... 28 Seated + 4 Fold-down + Driver Passenger Capacity...... 57, 49 Length...... 40’ Length...... 45’40” Width...... 102” Height ...... 11’5” Height ...... 11’5” Interior Height...... 78.25” Engine...... Hybrid Electric/UTC Power Pure Motion™ 120 Engine Options ...... Cummins ISL, ISX or ISL G Type of Fuel...... Gaseous Hydrogen Transmission Options ...... Allison B500, Allison B500R, Chassis...... ZF Rear Axle W/Offset Differential & Double Reduction Allison EP 50 Hybrid Drive Air Conditioning...... Sutrak Heating/Air Conditioning Fuel Tank Capacity...... 164 gal. – CNG 114.6 Diesel Gallon Wheelchair Lift Option...... Fold Out Wheelchair Ramp at Door 2 Equivalent (DGE) Steering ...... ZF Variable Ratio Steering Fuel Options...... Clean-diesel, hybrid, CNG Suspension...... Air Suspension w/Air Springs GVWR ...... 50,000 lbs., 46,000 lbs. & Telescopic Shock Absorbers
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 39 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 40
A BUSLINE BUYERS GUIDE Proterra GILLIG
GILLIG Low Floor CNG/Low Floor Hybrid
GILLIG’s past alternate fuel experience has led to the latest EcoRide™ BE35 addition of its line of green alternatives — a CNG fueling option. GILLIG’s CNG bus design includes a walkway that runs the Proterra provides zero-emission, Altoona-tested transit solu- length of the roof tank mounting cradle, where the tank enclo- tions through its innovative and forward-thinking electric buses. sures can be safely opened to inspect and maintain the CNG tanks, The largest of any bus in its class, Proterra’s EV buses not only valving and piping. The GILLIG tank enclosure design provides cater to public needs but also provide real-world proof in Pomona, maintenance personnel with a safe, secure place from which to CA, and San Antonio, TX, that all-electric transit works. It holds the work on the CNG fueling system. And best yet, Altoona test capability to carry 35-seated and 29-standing passengers within reports document GILLIG’s 6-plus MPG equivalent average on the its entirely window-wrapped, 35-foot exterior that offers every Altoona test cycle. passenger a view while getting them from Point A to Point B via GILLIG has also been building diesel hybrid buses for more Proterra’s fast charge technology. than a decade, and its years of experience have resulted in the Beyond the fact that Proterra’s buses are efficient in terms of best and most complete hybrid product line, according to the maintenance and savings, just as important is the fact that Proterra company. Altoona test results show that the GILLIG Hybrid is is altering the perception of public transportation: it broke Altoona quiet, reliable and fuel efficient. Customers attest to its smooth records by reaching the highest fuel economy and lowest noise lev- acceleration and the ease of assimilating these hybrids into their els of any transit bus ever tested, according to Proterra. fleets. With rising fuel prices and increased environmental aware- By providing the world a livable future and harnessing American ness, GILLIG Hybrids can be a great addition to a fleet. innovation, Proterra is a “Champion of Change” by changing the environment for the better, changing the pocketbooks of transit GILLIG LLC; 25800 Clawiter Rd.; Hayward, CA 94545 USA agencies for the better, and changing the idea of what it is to use Ph: 510-785-1500; Fax: 510-785-6819 public transportation. Proterra does this by making transportation Email: [email protected]; Website: www.gillig.com entirely accessible without disturbing the daily hustle of urban city centers or the quietness of family neighborhoods.
Proterra, Inc.; 1 Whitlee Ct.; Greenville, SC 29607 USA Ph: 864-438-0015; Fax: 864-281-1894 Email: [email protected]; Website: www.proterra.com
Model...... Proterra EcoRide™ BE35 Model...... Low Floor CNG / Low Floor Hybrid Seating Capacity...... 64 (35 seated, 29 standing) Seating Capacity...... 26, 32, 40 Length...... 35’ Length...... 30’, 35’ and 40’ Width...... 102” Width...... 102” Height ...... 11’2” Height ...... 136” Engine...... Battery Electric Only Engine...... Cummins ISL-G / Cummins ISB Type of Fuel ...... N/A - Zero Emissions Battery Type of Fuel...... CNG / Diesel Chassis...... N/A - Composite Structure Chassis ...... GILLIG Air Conditioning ...... Thermo King (electric) Air Conditioning...... Thermo King Wheelchair Lift Option...... Ricon or Lift-U Wheelchair Lift Option...... Lift-U Steering...... TRW Steering...... TRW Suspension ...... Air Suspension ...... GILLIG Front, Neway Rear
Page 40 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 41
From MGM Brakes: New Electronic Air Disc Brake Monitoring System
MGM Brakes, Charlotte, NC, a 100 precent Brakes. MGM’s spokespeople say that prior Buy America Company, now offers Bus OEM drum brake technology utilized an Electronic deployment of Electronic Air Disc Brake Controller (ECU) and Hall Effect Sensing Monitoring systems for heavy commercial Technology within the actuator, to monitor vehicles. brake stroke. It is widely deployed on S-Cam MGM’s development of the e-Stroke (drum brake) applications with thousands of technology utilizes the same Electronic Electronic Brake Monitoring System contin- systems in daily service. Controller (ECU), but now adds new optical ues with the release of e•STROKE for Air Disc MGM’s new Air Disc Brake monitoring sensing to monitor push rod movement inte- gral to the actuator, and is environmentally sealed between the caliper and the actuator, Holdsworth Presents New Collection according to the company. Today’s reality of reduced maintenance Of Fabric Designs staffs and declining budgets demand opera- tional effectiveness at all levels. MGM says Holdsworth company is now offering its new Elements collection and Defender fabric electronic brake monitoring as a proactive treatment. Holdsworth spokespeople say the Elements collection is a new generation of approach to maintenance has increased in pop- designs available in 125 different design and color permutations, covering grays, blues, ularity as the technology has developed. This reds, greens and browns. Inspiration for technology enables operators to reduce costs the designs came from a multitude of cur- by catching problems as a symptom, which is rent trend areas which encompass architec- identified electronically. These symptoms, if tural details, mathematical and geometric undetected, can result in premature component patterns, as well as natural and organic damage, additional parts replacements, exces- influences. sive downtime, or vehicle safety issues. The new collection coordinates with Officals at MGM say air disc brake systems other Holdsworth trim and ancillary fab- pose unique challenges to maintenance opera- rics for complementary textile finishes on tions. Periodic inspections are difficult, due to wallsides, curtaining and headrests to cre- the lack of brake component accessibility, ate versatile interior schemes on vehicle which can make physical removal of wheels a fleets. The Elements collection is available necessity. Even with wheel removal, the to order with a 55-yard minimum and four week leadtime. caliper mechanism allows no access to mov- Defender is Holdsworth’s triple action long-lasting ing parts in order to determine proper adjust- fabric protection treatment. The company says this sin- ment or function. NTSB has recently recom- gle treatment can be applied to fabrics to ensure fabrics mended Brake Monitoring Systems for safety have an invisible protective shield that makes them anti- on all heavy commercial trucks and buses. bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-stain. Holdsworth says CVSA has long recognized the limitations of Defender will protect the surface of the fabric preventing physical inspections during safety inspections water, oil and other stains from adhering to the surface. of air disc equipped vehicles, according to the Holdsworth is part of the Camira Group whose North company. American headquarters is in Indianapolis, IN. Customers Officials at MGM Brakes believe its in the eastern half of the United States are serviced by Wagner & Associates (Phone: 919- onboard technology, using integrated electron- 552-4466) and in the western part by BusTex Corp (Phone: 303-404-0890). ic brake monitoring, is the most cost effective Visit www.holdsworthfabrics.com for more information. way to provide real-time diagnostic evalua- tion. As a safety device on tour buses depart- Travel Exchange Panel: develop long-term relationships. This type of ing from remote locations, or as a maintenance management and consistency is important. Continued From Page 33 alert for city transit bus operations, real-time “It’s also important to work with companies monitoring of air disc brakes may equate to are depending on their historical knowledge that have qualified drivers. You can’t have a safer vehicles and better component utilization from 10 years ago and don’t realize the time it successful tour unless you have a good driver, over the long haul. The company says MGM’s now takes to get from one attraction to another. good equipment, good guide and good itinerary. electronic brake monitoring system can alert Many itineraries have changed since 9/11, and It’s an issue if a company doesn’t have experi- the driver via vehicle displays, or alert mainte- many of the ‘must-see’ attractions are now more enced drivers who know the rules of the road nance to wheel and problem specific faults in difficult to visit. You have to make appoint- and know the cities they are operating in. the mechanical function of the caliper system, ments through the National Park Service for “Also, everyone seems to be looking at mar- or air delivery system via AVM or diagnostic certain attractions. It’s a very big challenge for gins more closely. Therefore, there are attrac- tools. tour operators to coordinate all of this and still tions now that don’t offer comps to drivers For more information, telephone 800-527- work (Newseum) in as well.” and/or guides. This is unfortunate.” 1534 Ext. 750, or visit www.mgmbrakes.com. Linda Jeffries added: QUESTION for J. Chris Babb “People have to get out of the frame of mind — The Group Tour Company that ‘comp’ means ‘complimentary.’ It should What is your ideal bus transportation actually mean ‘compensation,’ a reward for Read Or Download provider look like? bringing the business to a place and (recogniz- Busline Magazine Online At “We work with many motorcoach companies ing) everything that the driver and the escort www.buslinemag.com that are family-owned and managed. We like to sometimes have to put up with.” May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 41 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 42
MCI news Greyhound Lines Orders and CEO Rick Heller. “This is a significant con- Under the new structure, there will be one key 130 MCI® D4505 Models tract. It demonstrates MCI’s ability to supply new coach sales contact representing MCI and Reliability Driven coaches, parts and service, and Setra brands to both private and public sector cus- Motor Coach Industries will deliver 130 MCI allows us to participate in Greyhound Lines’ expan- tomers. The pre-owned sales team, which is based D4505 coaches to Greyhound Lines as part of a sion. We are proud to be a part of its success in serv- out of the MCI service centers, remains unchanged. two-year contract. ing its growing ridership.” Under the new structure, Scully directly MCI officials say Greyhound’s new D4505 reports to: Pat Ziska, vice president of the field coaches will reflect the company’s updated look MCI Combines Private, Public sales group; Mitch Guralnick, who heads the pre- and will come equipped with wheelchair lifts and And Setra Sales Teams owned sales group; digital amenities now available on all of its newer Mike Denny, who Greyhound coaches, including Wi-Fi and power Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is unifying its heads a new sales and private, public and Setra new coach sales teams financing operations under one group. The new sales team will be led group; Brent Maitland, by Patrick Scully, who moves to the position of who leads the newly executive vice president sales and marketing for formed marketing team; MCI. Tom Wagner, major MCI President and CEO Rick Heller said: commuter accounts; and “We’re making this move for several reasons. Pam Lawrence, who First, we want to provide our customers with one supports the group’s Patrick Scully point of contact for new coach sales. Our sales administrative needs. outlets at all passenger seats. The new coaches team will be responsible for selling MCI and Setra Scully joined MCI in 2012 as vice president of also come with three-point passenger seat belts product to both public and private sector customers public sector sales and marketing following and leatherette seating for 50. Greyhound has alike. We have heard from customers who have MCI's acquisition of the U.S. and Canadian dis- also ordered MCI’s optional air-ride driver’s seat, said they would prefer one sales contact for either tribution rights for Setra motorcoaches from and added security features including an aisle MCI or Setra purchases, and we are ensuring we Daimler Bus, where Scully was formerly chief gate and driver’s shield. meet that customer requirement. Second, we will commercial officer responsible for both private “Greyhound Lines has once again selected have a tightly unified sales organization focused on and public sector sales. MCI to deliver on its commitment to provide its customer responsiveness. There’s a great deal of passengers with safe, comfortable and environmen- experience and talent at MCI, and the new sales Visit www.mcicoach.com tally friendly transportation,” said MCI President structure will give customers greater access to it.” for more information.
Page 42 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 43
Village Charter, Inc., Announces Purchase Of New Temsa TS35 Coaches
Village Charter recently added a new Temsa owned by Jeff and Norman Arensdorf. TS35 coach to its fleet. Village Charters, Inc. The company offers over 200 retail tours d/b/a Village Tours and Travel, began operating across the country annually, and offers charter in Wichita, KS, in 1980. Village is privately services. Village expanded into the Oklahoma
National Interstate Named To Forbes 100 Most Trustworthy Companies Receives Highest Score In Small-Cap Category City market with its tour division in 1989, added coaches to that market in 2005, and last year National Interstate Corporation announces that it has again been named to Forbes 100 Most acquired Time Lines. Trustworthy Companies. In this year’s small cap group, National Interstate is one of five com- Headquarters are maintained in Wichita, with panies receiving the highest current score of 99, and one of only three companies receiving a a third branch in Salina, KS. Village operates a score of 99 for each of the last four quarters. National Interstate has been on the Forbes 100 Most fleet of 47 charter coaches, and this is the first Trustworthy Companies list for the past four years, and, in 2010, was named the most trustwor- Temsa in the fleet. thy small-cap company. The coach is a fully integral mid-sized coach The Forbes list recognizes companies that consistently demonstrate transparent and conserva- that offers a spacious interior for passengers and tive accounting practices, have a low incidence of high-risk events, and have appropriate board driver. The TS35 is constructed from stainless supervision. To create the list, over 8,000 companies traded on U.S. exchanges were evaluated steel, and has independent front suspension and and scored. automatic transmission, “We are very pleased that Forbes continues to recognize National Interstate as one of CH Bus Sales is the exclusive distributor of America’s most trustworthy companies,” National Interstate President and Chief Executive Temsa motorcoaches in the United States. CH Officer Dave Michelson said. “Since our company was founded in 1989, we have been commit- Bus Sales is a privately owned corporation. ted to the highest level of ethical business practices in everything we do. We are proud to remain Temsa is a fully owned subsidiary of Sabanci on Forbes’ highly prestigious list, and believe our openness and integrity is a key asset that is Holding, a financial and industrial group in important to all of our business partners including our current and prospective customers, agents Turkey. who represent us, and those who choose to invest in our company.” Visit www.chbussales.com or To view the March 18, 2013 article, visit www.forbes.com. www.temsaglobal.com for more information.
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 43 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 44
Van Hool Deliveries Windstar (www.gowindstar.com) has now Tyson. “Brad Jackson, who manages our Cary, grown to 57 coaches, offering luxury tours, NC, division, has substantial charter experi- Windstar Lines Adds convention planning and charter service in ence, and when we added coaches to his fleet in 2013 Van Hool T2145 To Fleet Iowa and Illinois as well as Omaha and portions 2010, business accelerated. We’re buying four “One of the great things about Windstar is the of Nebraska. additional coaches for the Cary fleet and expect family aspect. I get to work with my family in Windstar recently took delivery of a 2013 to be operating motorcoaches out of our other running the business and we try to treat our cus- Van Hool T2145 with chrome mirrors, a back locations in the near future.” tomers like family,” says Jeff Greteman, presi- up camera, a multi-monitor DVD system, Hi-Fi dent of Carroll, IA, based Windstar Lines. “In Audio and CD Player, and a full fabric interior. 1995 my parents, Mike and Cathy Greteman, were running a little tour company and decided Harrison Global Expands Fleet With 2 Van Hool C2045s And 2 GCA M1235s Harrison Global, a Waltham, MA, based cor- porate travel specialist (www.smartertrans- portation.com) has recently acquired four motorcoaches for its Cary, NC, location. Brett Tyson, Harrison Global’s director of organizational development said that the com- The recent acquisition consisted of two Van pany, started by brothers David and Derek Hool C2045’s and 2 of ABC’s M1235 mid- Marcou in 1986, has been experiencing growth sized coaches. The C2045’s have Van Hool to buy their own coach in an effort to ensure the at all of its locations. Currently it operates out Grand Luxe leather covered seats with 3-point quality of transportation they offered clients. of five facilities centered around Boston, seat belts, perimeter lighting, luxury entertain- “My younger brothers, Scott and Pat, both Washington, DC, and North Carolina’s ment system with 15.4-inch video monitors, started working at Windstar when they were 21. Research Triangle. Wi-Fi, 110 volt outlets, satellite TV, woodgrain We love working together and we’re even clos- “We specialize in providing upscale chauf- flooring, and Van Hool’s rear passenger win- er than when we were growing up.” feured transportation to corporate, hotel and dow. The M1235’s carry 27 passengers and are Since 1995, the company has grown dramat- college clientele. That business has been steadi- configured with a rear luggage compartment ically, with additional Iowa locations in Cedar ly growing. Our owners, David and Derek and lavatory. They, too, have a deluxe entertain- Rapids; Dubuque and Des Moines. Other loca- Marcou, have always envisioned adding motor- ment system, and 3-point seat belts. tions are Lincoln, NB; and Rochelle, IL. coaches to Harrison Global’s offerings,” said Visit www.abc-companies.com.
SAFE, STURDY & DURABLE Safety Step will meet all your transportation needs…
s Safety Steps full line of transportation steps are designed specifically for the transportation industry s Anti-tip design makes it impossible to tip over with normal use s Transportation models provide a 6”, 8”, 10” or 12” boost s The 10" and 12" steps have brackets for extra durability s Rugged all-aluminum welded construction s All models are lab tested to hold over 1,000 pounds, but weigh a mere 7 pounds s Non-slip angled rubber leg tips and gripper strips keep your passengers and your Safety Step securely in place s Durable powder coat finish available black, silver or safety yellow
To view all our transportation steps or to order online, visit our website: www.safetystep.net or call (888) 448-4237
Page 44 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 45
Personnel ABC Companies Appoints New Veolia Transportation APTA Access Committee, and APTA Older Parts Territory Sales Manager Names Ryan Larsen Adults Transportation Subcommittee. President Of IntelliRide Division Visit www.veoliatransportation.com and ABC Companies has appointed Mike www.veoliatransdev.com for more information. Richardson as parts territory sales manager for Ryan Larsen has been named as president of the Southern region. Richardson’s territory will Veolia’s new IntelliRide division. The ARBOC Specialty Vehicles Announces include Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New announcement was made by Veolia’s CEO Appointment Of John Walsh As Vice Mexico. He comes to Mark Joseph. President Of Sales & Marketing ABC with over 33 IntelliRide officials years of experience in say its mission is to ARBOC Specialty Vehicles has hired John the coach industry. improve the quality of Walsh to the position of vice president of sales Richardson began paratransit, medical ser - and marketing. his career in this indus- vices and other shared In his new position, Walsh will oversee all of try with Carrollton Bus ride human services, the sales and marketing activities which will Company as a driver while reducing cost. include developing new and mechanic. He then IntelliRide partners with business opportunities spent the next 25 years transit authorities, hum - both domestically and Mike Richardson with Motor Coach Ryan Larsen an service agencies, and internationally. Industries starting out private health providers Prior to joining as their shop manager and ended his tenure with to seamlessly integrate classic ADA fleets and ARBOC, Walsh spent MCI as the parts and service manager for their flexible fleets (taxis, vans, etc) and rigorously 23 years with National south central region. Most recently, he was the manage their performance. Bus Sales & Leasing driver training and maintenance manager for Veolia spokespeople say that as a 28-year in leadership roles the Tornado Bus Company. transit veteran, Larsen has served in nearly including president For more information, contact ABC every capacity in the transit industry. where he was respon- Companies at 800-222-2875 or visit www.abc- Prior to joining Veolia, Larsen served as sible for leading the John Walsh companies.com. president of Ecolane, a web-based software entire operation of the for managing paratransit. company. Most recently, he served as CEO Brent Maitland Named MCI Vice President Larsen earned a BA in history and an MA for VPG Autos. Of Marketing And Product Planning in urban and regional planning from the Visit www.ARBOCsv.com for more infor- University of Iowa. He is a member of the mation. Brent Maitland has been named MCI vice president, marketing and product planning. In this newly created position, Maitland is respon- sible for promoting and communicating the Think FMVSS 302 Protects MCI Reliability Driven and Setra corporate Think FMVSS 302 Protects brand strategies in both PassengersPassengers and Equipment?Equipment? the private and public sectors using a variety of media, including print and electronic advertising, and pro- motions. At the same time, Maitland will work closely with MCI’s Brent Maitland engineering and after- market teams to bring new products to market, while furthering cus- tomer satisfaction. Maitland, who has been associated with MCI since 2004, assisted in creating the MCI Reliability Driven marketing messages relat- F.R. Cushioning CR SAFGUARD™ XL ed to coaches, parts and service. He also (meets FMVSS 302) Fire-Resistant Cushioning most recently led the redesign and market Both seats above were subjected to BS 5852 Source 2 Ignition. launch of the 2013 MCI J4500 coach. Prior to that, he held several executive positions SAFGUARD™ XL Fire-Resistant Cushioning… with the company, including leading pre- • Complies with advanced F.T.A. fire safety criteria. owned coach sales and MCI Service Center • Minimize risk and liability related to vehicle businesses. fire safety. Prior to joining MCI, Maitland was a part- • O.E.M. and maintenance seat retrofit applications. ner in KIMA Consulting and a consultant Telephone: 800-234-2734 with Deloitte and Touche. He is a graduate Call for specifications. Easily added to seating Fax: 724-537-9003 of the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. requirements within vehicle bid packages. e-mail: [email protected] Ross School of Business. May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 45 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 46
News From Prevost Prevost Joins Family Of Official NASCAR® Partners
Prevost Signs Agreement With Greyhound Prevost and NASCAR have announced a new multi-year partnership For 90 X3-45 Motorcoaches that designates the Sainte-Claire, Quebec-based company, as the Official Luxury Motorcoach of NASCAR. The company says that in doing so, The relationship between Greyhound and Prevost, which began in Prevost reinforces its nearly 30-year association with the No. 1 spectator 2007, continues with the signing of a new order for ninety (90) sport in the United States, and increases its visibility. Prevost X3-45 motorcoaches. The coaches have been designed by Prevost President and CEO Gaetan Bolduc said, “Prevost motorcoaches Prevost to meet tough standards set by Greyhound’s commitment to are fixtures at NASCAR customer satisfac- events, populating driver, tion, according to team owner, and NAS - Prevost. CAR officials’ parking Prevost President lots. Prevost hospitality, and CEO Gaetan executive, and technical Bolduc said, “Prevost support coaches serve as is proud to once again mobile work stations.” supply high quality With 38 race weekends coaches which realize and an average race-day the criteria estab- attendance of more than lished by Greyhound 100,000 fans at NASCAR and its passengers. Taking into consideration the safety of passengers and Sprint Cup events, many drivers across North America, Prevost and Greyhound have worked thousands of fans experi- together to set the highest standards for our industry.” ence NASCAR via tour The 90 X3-45 coaches are equipped with Prevost AWARE, a safety and charter bus groups feature which includes Adaptive Cruise Braking, Following Distance annually. Alert and Stationary Object Alert. The coaches also have dual 1800 watt Prevost’s involvement inverters powering 110 volt outlets and Wi-Fi Internet access throughout with NASCAR began in the coach cabin for each passenger. the 1980s as Featherlite Delivery of the X3-45 coaches is scheduled to begin in May and be Coaches and Marathon Coach provided trackside offices and living quar- completed in April 2014. ters for competitors, sponsors, suppliers and families who made the race track their home throughout the race season. “Prevost’s state-of-the-art motorcoaches provide a home-away- from-home for our drivers, team owners, partners, and fans through- out the course of our demanding season,” said NASCAR Chief Sales Officer Jim O’Connell. “Our three national series provide a grand stage for Prevost to showcase its luxury motorcoaches.” NASCAR will utilize Prevost’s motorcoaches this year for at-track hospitality through the NASCAR Fuel for Hospitality® program. The NASCAR Fuel for Hospitality program was designed for Official NASCAR Partners to provide employees and customers with a VIP race-day experience at the track. In addition, Prevost will also be join- ing the NASCAR Fuel for Business Council® to buy and sell directly with top Fortune 500 companies.
Prevost Opens New Service Center In Houston
Prevost has opened a new Service Center in Houston, TX. The Houston facility is a new construction building providing 5,400 square- feet, including a service area with two drive-through bays. The service center is staffed with Prevost technicians who are certified for bumper-to-bumper maintenance and repair for all Nova Bus vehicles, and Prevost and Volvo Bus coaches, including Volvo engine and trans- mission. The facility is equipped with a controlled access fence, operational after hours, monitored by a security patrol and a video surveillance cam- era. The Prevost Service Center is located at 10155 Windfern Road, Houston, TX 77064. Phone: 713-849-8562. Other Prevost Service Centers are in South Plainfield, New Jersey; Jacksonville, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Dallas, Texas; Mira Loma, California; Delta, British Columbia; Fort McMurray, Alberta; and Quebec City, Quebec. Visit www.prevostcar.com for more information.
Page 46 BUSLINE May/June 2013 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 47
ARBOC Specialty Vehicles Announces Partnership With Freightliner Custom Chassis
A recent announcement states ARBOC Specialty Vehicles will expand its product offerings in the paratransit market through an emerging partner- ship with Freightliner Custom Chassis, and the co-development of a low-floor rear-engine custom chassis. Through the partnership, which started in fall 2012, ARBOC Specialty Vehicles — a custom builder of paratransit vehicles for a variety of applications based in Middlebury, IN — and FCCC are working through a collaborative process to develop a customized, dedicated chassis for ARBOC’s Spirit of Liberty product line. Officials say the new product will be powered by an FCCC rear diesel pusher and feature a low-floor design that will eliminate the step-up over the rear axle, and will equip the Spirit of Liberty for use in a variety of low-floor applications such as assisted living facilities, hotel and rental car transport, transit agencies and others. The low-floor chassis will offer customers a GVW of up to 25,900 lbs., and feature ARBOC’s low-floor interior through- out the passenger area with no steps including oversized wheelchair zones. ARBOC and FCCC expect to start production soon after full test valida- tion. The Spirit of Liberty line offers three models ranging in body length from 28 feet to 33 feet and seating capacity from 31 up to 37 passengers. Through its three key product offerings, the Spirit of Mobility, Spirit of Freedom and Spirit of Liberty, ARBOC says it offers low-floor paratransit products that serve a variety of industries and applications as well as meet- ing and exceeding 2014-2018 federal fuel economy standards. Visit www.ARBOCsv.com for more information. Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation manufactures chassis for the motorhome, delivery walk-in van, and school bus and shuttle bus markets. Visit the Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation website at www.freightlin- erchassis.com.
CH Bus Sales Conducts Temsa Operator Training
CH Bus Sales and Temsa recently held an extensive technical training ses- sion for Temsa operators, technicians and mechanics. The two-day session was held at the Creative Bus Sales facility in Elkhart, IN. Leading the ses- sions was Cihan Yaycioglu, the U.S. Temsa technical representative. The all-encompassing presentation, training tools and hands on training covered detailed familiarization with the Temsa coach. Temsa and CH Bus Sales personnel with the experience and knowl- www.budgettruckandauto.com
Painting edge to answer all questions and concerns were Ricon Lifts available. The participants said the training was very beneficial. Fabrication CH Bus Sales and Temsa plan to continue Vinyl Graphics offering technical training to customers through- out additional regions of the United States. Collision Repair CH Bus Sales is the exclusive distributor of Certified Welding Temsa motorcoaches in the United States. CH Bus Sales is a privately owned corporation with Frame Straightening an industry experienced ownership and man- agement team. Visit www.chbussales.com or :$YDORQ5G-DQHVYLOOH:, www.temsaglobal.com for more information. 3+21( )$; 72//)5(( May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 47 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 48
Alcorn McBride Inc. product lineup includes LCD TVs and monitors Company Officers: Jonathan Stanley, President & 3300 S. Hiawassee Road, Building 105 (including wallmount, flip-down and wedge-style CEO; Doug Humphreys, Executive Vice President, Orlando, FL 32835 USA displays), heavy-duty stereos with integrated PAs, Sales; Ange Berlin, Vice President, Creative Phone: 407-296-5800 FAX: 407-296-5801 PA/DVD controllers, DVD players, wired remote Products: AudioConexus is a commentary sys- E-Mail: [email protected] controls, microphones and accessories. tem specialist, offering digital hardwired multi- Web Site: www.alcorn.com ASA also offers the exclusive Voyager® lingual commentary systems for GPS triggered Products: Compact, rugged, easy-to-install GPS Observation Systems which include single cam- audio entertainment at every seat in one or many audio/video players. Perfect for guided tours and era, split-screen, tri-view, and quad-view systems. languages. The company also features wireless location-based advertising. 09 Voyager Observation Systems are designed to multilingual commentary designed for sightsee- increase road safety, elimate dangerous blind spots ing operators where portability and flexibility are ASA Electronics/JENSEN that typically surround buses, and aid drivers in essential to fleet management. The carry on, 2602 Marina Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514 USA daily driving maneuvers such as backing, merging, carry off TriggerPOINT multilingual commen- Toll Free: 800-688-3135 FAX: 574-266-5979 changing lanes and making wide turns. 09 tary system removes the operational and visitor E-Mail: [email protected] restrictions affiliated with hardwired solutions. Web Site: www.jensenheavyduty.com AudioConexus Inc. Passengers use wireless receivers and headsets. Products: ASA Electronics is an international 556 O’Connor Drive, Suite 129 AudioConexus’ single language system is manufacturer and supplier of audio and video Kingston, ON K7P 1N3 CANADA designed to deliver GPS triggered audio com- equipment and backup camera/observation systems Phone: 613-507-1300 FAX: 905-492-1301 mentary over public address systems. Every com- for the transit, mid-size and coach bus industries. E-Mail: [email protected] mentary system features free Route Builder soft- ASA’s high quality JENSEN® Bus Entertainment Web Site: www.audioconexus.com ware. Commentary systems are self-managed. 13 GROUPS LOVE TO STAY THE NIGHT OR PLAY FOR THE DAY AT THE ALL NEW RESORTS CASINO HOTEL &YQFSJFODF UIF OFX 3FTPSUT $BTJOP )PUFM JO "UMBOUJD $JUZ COMING SPRING 2013! XJUI UIF IPUUFTU TMPUT BOE UBCMF HBNFT "UMBOUJD $JUZT MBSHFTU TUBOEBSE SPPNT FY DFQUJPOBM EJOJOH BO BMMZPV DBOFBU CVGGFU BOE UIF CFTU SFWVFTIPXTJO"$
You can also earn and use your Comp Dollars (Player’s Club points) at
Mohegan Sun, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Resorts Casino Hotel! www.MargaritavilleAtlanticCity.com t":FBSSPVOE-BOE4IBSL#BS(SJMMPOUIFCFBDI t#FBDI#BS0QFO4FBTPOBMMZ t0$MPDL4PNFXIFSF$BTJOP#BS t.BSHBSJUBWJMMF3FTUBVSBOU t3FUBJM4IPQTBOENPSF CONTACT MEG LEWIS AT 609.340.7715 FOR BOOKINGS OR FURTHER INFORMATION.
Visit us at ResortsAC.com and follow us at /ResortsCasino /ResortsCasino
Page 48 BUSLINE May/June 2013 4:58 PM 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 49
Intec Video Systems 23301 Vista Grande, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 USA Phone: 949-859-3800 FAX: 949-859-3178 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.intecvideo.com Company Officers: Donald Nama II, President; Dino Nama, Vice President Products: Rear vision camera systems and industrial strength video safe- ty systems. 13
KVH Industries, Inc. 50 Enterprise Center, Middletown, RI 02842 USA Phone: 401-847-3327 FAX: 401-849-0045 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.kvh.com Home of the Best Full-Service Products: KVH Industries is a leading manufacturer of solutions that pro- vide global highspeed Internet, television and voice services via satellite to Travel Plaza in Northern Illinois mobile users on land, the sea and in the air. 10 Featuring… REI (Radio Engineering Industries, Inc.) 6534 L Street, Omaha, NE 68117 USA Toll Free: 800-228-9275 FAX: 402-339-1704 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.radioeng.com Products: Designs, manufactures, services and maintains a full range of mobile electronics for the transportation industry. Solutions include: audio/video passenger entertainment systems; mobile video surveillance, Seating for 175, Homestyle Cooking, Daily Specials, passenger safety announcement players; PA systems; camera observation Buffet, Soup & Salad Bar, Full Menu, Carry-Out systems; radios; HD monitors; speakers and microphones. REI fleet management solution provides a quantifiable return on invest- (815) 562-5840 ment, reduces risky driving behavior and can improve operating efficien- cies. Variety of features: smart phone apps, vehicle diagnostics and mainte- nance, trip planning, fleet management, real time ETAs, routing, student tracking, alerts, ad-hoc messaging, reports, passenger information systems and more. REI prides itself on designing, manufacturing, servicing and main- taining customer friendly, comprehensive systems. Founded in 1938. 13
Safety Vision, LLC 6100 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. N., Houston, TX 77041 USA Seating for 40, Specialty Sandwiches, Phone: 713-896-6600 FAX: 713-896-6640 Homemade Soup, Fresh Salads & Sides, E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.safetyvision.com Blue Bunny Ice Cream! Products: Provider of mobile video solutions for transit, police, school bus, commercial, and other public and private sector fleets since 1993. (815) 561-9595 Safety Vision mass transit onboard surveillance camera systems enhance passenger and public safety; improve driver/operator performance; Designated Bus Parking and increase ridership and revenues; reduce risk of fraudulent claims; and max- imize operational efficiency. Pull-Thru Fueling Island Comprehensive mobile video solutions include onboard surveillance, collision avoidance and driver behavior modification systems. Bus Drivers & Tour Components include mobile digital video recorders (MDVRs); rear-, side, and forward-view interior and exterior cameras featuring infrared technol- ogy; in-cab monitors; video-viewing and -sharing software; and vehicle Guides Eat free! monitoring software featuring GPS. Advanced surveillance system tech- nology enables the secure capture, automated wireless download, and sim- Mini-Mall — 2 Stores plified backend management of video, audio and other evidentiary data. 11 with over 5,000 sq. ft. of shopping! Seon Design Unit 111 - 3B Burbidge Street, Coquitlam, BC V3K 7B2 CANADA ATM,Major Credit Cards accepted. Toll Free: 877-630-7366 FAX: 866-664-3677 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.seon.com Company Officers: Terry Akiyama, President I-39 & Hwy 38, Exit 99 Products: Manufactures fleet management and video surveillance solu- tions for mobile applications, including the transit, coach, and school bus Rochelle, IL industries. Seon’s real-time fleet management solution, vMax® Live Plus, provides insight on any route, driver, or vehicle in a fleet. vMax® Live Plus integrates both video and vehicle data into one simple-to-use, OPEN 24 HOURS web-based application. Track important vehicle data, and the health of a bus camera system. Seon will continue to design and develop technolog- ical solutions now and in the future. 13 Please call ahead!
May/June 2013 BUSLINE Page 49 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 50
Community Transportation EXPO 2013
June 2-7, 2013
ALBUQUERQUE
NM
COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION
EXPO To register for EXPO 2013, go to www.
ctaa.org/expo today for our lowest rates
June 2—7, 2013
Albuquerque, New Mexico
0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:56 PM Page 51
BOWMANSDALE 2112 Bumble Bee Hollow Rd. Off Rt. 15 • Mechanicsburg, PA HARRISBURG LEMOYNE NEWPORT 717-697-5383 2929 Paxton St. • 717-561-8050 Rts. 11 and 15 North across from Rt. 322 and Rt. 34, Newport Exit CAMP HILL 4605 Jonestown Rd. Radisson Hotel • 717-761-7992 717-567-9344 4230 Trindle Road • 717-737-3896 717-652-7035 LEBANON PALMYRA CARLISLE 7845 Linglestown Rd. 1202 W. Maple St. • 717-273-8691 901 E. Main St. • 717-838-6815 60 Noble Blvd. in Super Walmart 717-545-8580 757 E. Cumberland St. • 717-273-9023 PINE GROVE 717-960-9400 Rt. 83 and Union Deposit Rd. 1725 Quentin Rd., Lebanon, PA l-81 , Exit 31 • 717-345-6400 608 E. High St. • 717-249-7721 717-564-9320 717-306-6565 RED LION 1176 Harrisburg Pike • 717-243-7774 4403 N. Front St. • 717-238-1048 LEWISTOWN 897 West Broadway • 717-246-1802 905 Walnut Bottom Rd. • 717-249-0694 Harrisburg East Mall/Rt. 83 & Paxton St. US 522 & US 22 • 717-248-5255 655 Lombard St., Cape Horn Plaza CEDAR CLIFF 717-561-0703 121 Electric Avenue • 717-248-4447 717-246-7801 Exit 19 off I-83 • Camp Hill, PA Eisenhower Blvd. I-283, Exit 1 LITITZ SCOTLAND 717-737-6404 717 -939-6972 990 Lititz Pike, Rt. 501 N. 3347 Black Gap Rd. • 717-263-7507 CHAMBERSBURG 5590 Allentown Blvd., Rt. 22 717-627-4666 SHIPPENSBURG 1075 Lincoln Way East • 717-263-4601 Exit 26 off I-81 • 717-652-9123 LITTLESTOWN 333 East King St. • 717-532-7945 NORTH CHAMBERSBURG Kline Plaza, 101 S. 25th St. 430 North Queen St. • 717-359-8946 SHREWSBURY 2891 Philadelphia Avenue (US 11 N.) 717-232-0008 LYKENS VALLEY Exit 1 off I-83 • 717-235-4663 717-263-2970 Uptown Shopping Center 4660 Rt. 209 • 717-362-8416 SILVER SPRING CLEONA 720 Division St. • 717-236-6226 MANHEIM Rt. 114 and Shadow Oak Dr. 493 W. Penn Avenue • 717-272-5677 Harrisburg Airport • 717-948-3900 711 Lancaster Rd., Rt. 72 Mechanicsburg, PA • 717-697-3460 COLUMBIA 6535 Grayson Rd. in Wal-Mart 717-664-4944 SPRINGETTSBURY 1788 Columbia Ave., off Rt. 30 717 -561-0445 MECHANICSBURG Hallam Exit off Rt. 30, Rt. 462 717-684-7048 HERSHEY Wesley Dr. Exit, Rt. 15 717-757-9655 DILLSBURG Rts. 39 and 322 • 611 E. Main St., 717-761-7525 WAYNESBORO 898 North US Rt. 15 • 717-432-9500 Hummelstown • 717-566-6041 KMart Plaza, 5600 Carlisle Pike 302 East Main St. • 717-762-9201 EAST MANCHESTER JONESTOWN 717-766-9675 YOCUMTOWN 4245 North George St. • 717-266-3170 Rt 72 & I-81 • 610-562-8462 6250 Carlisle Pike in Wal-Mart Exit 14A off I-83 • 717-938-5705 ELIZABETHTOWN LANCASTER 717-591-9864 YORK 1284 S. Market St. • 717-367-6471 1880 Hempstead Rd. • 717-509-6988 MERCERSBURG 2125 York Crossing Dr & Rt 74 ENOLA Willow Valley Square • 717-464-5119 11924 Buchanan Trial West 717-767-1381 Enola Rd., Exit Rt. 11 1829 Oregon Pike • 717-569-7898 717-328-0111 Exit 4, I-83, 133 Leader Heights Road 15 S. off Rt. 81 • 717-732-4228 1434 Manheim Pike • 717-394-3417 MIDDLETOWN 717-747-9191 EPHRATA Rt. 30 and Centerville Rd. 2270 W. Harrisburg Pike • 717-944-9535 York Galleria Mall • 717-757-3026 140 N. Reading Rd.• 717-733-1660 Lancaster, PA • 717-393-9523 MIFFLINTOWN 60 Arsenal Rd. • 717-699-4600 GETTYSBURG 68 East Town Mall, Rt. 30E Rt. 322 and Rt. 35, Mifflintown Exit Exit 6W off I-83 • 717-845-9360 517 S. Steinwehr Ave., Bus. Rt. 15 Lancaster, PA • 717-394-8957 717-436-9779 3141 Carlisle Road, Dover 717-334-5920 1755 Columbia Ave. MYERSTOWN 717-767-2594 1090 York Rd.• 717-337-1030 Millersville Exit off Rt. 30, Rt. 462 295 West Lincoln Avenue (Rt. 422) 144-158 S. George St. • 717-846-1021 GREENCASTLE 717-397-5112 717-866-2278 Rts. 30 & 74 in Wal-Mart Rt. 16 and I-81 • 717-597-2589 575 N. Franklin St., next to McCuskey NEW CUMBERLAND 717-764-8923 HALIFAX High School • 717-394-7938 101 Limekiln Rd. • 717-774-1027 380 Memory Lane • 717-757-2912 3761 Peter's Moutain Rd.• 717-896-2535 2034 Lincoln Hwy East in Wal-Mart NEW HOLLAND Tell us you saw this ad in Busline Magazine, HANOVER 717-390-1099 828 W. Main St. • 717-354-9300 and 1 driver and 1 tour guide will receive a 991 Carlisle St., Rt. 94 • 717-632-7531 King & Water Streets • 717-299-6699 NEW OXFORD FREE MEAL! 350 Eisenhower Dr.• 717-632-0005 Manor Shopping Center 6040 York Rd., Rts. 30 and 94 Please call ahead to the phone number listed by 1448 Baltimore St. • 717-630-0337 1296 Millersville Pk. • 717-293-5706 717-624-4266 the McDonald’s of your choice. 0513Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 4/29/13 1:57 PM Page 52
The exceptional efficiency of an integrated powertrain
The Volvo 9700 consistently delivers a profitable combination of performance, efficiency and passenger-
pleasing comfort. With its dependable Volvo D13 SCR engine, you get a proven platform that saves fuel and
minimizes maintenance. The integrated I-Shift transmission takes fuel economy to the next level by keeping engine
speed in the sweet spot. Advanced safety features add bumper-to-bumper protection. And wherever you go, you’re
backed by our extensive network of Prevost professional service providers. The Volvo 9700 is known around the globe
for its high productivity and low operating cost. Here in North America, it’s the best way to accelerate your bottom line.
Learn more at www.prevostcar.com.
35 Gagnon Blvd., Ste-Claire QC, G0R 2V0, Canada | USA 1-877-773-8678 | Canada 418-883-3391
2:28 PM