0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 1 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 2 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 3 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 4 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 Published by Rankin Publishing, Inc. MAGAZINE www.buslinemag.com Great Customer Service, Employees And Equipment Leading The Way At Valet Park Of America...........................8 Two Main Goals: Safety & Punctuality Fond du Lac Area Transit.....................28 Speaker Jim Pancero Shares Advice On Staying Open, Moving BUSLINE VEHICLE SHOWCASE: Forward During COVID-19 Transit & Pandemic........................51 Articulated Buses • BYD 44 • Prevost 46 — Busline Buyers Guides — • Motor Coach Industries 47 • New Flyer of America 48 • Proterra 48 Bus Shelters....................41 • ARBOC Specialty Vehicles 49 • Nova Bus 49 Fare Collection Systems...43 • Alliance Bus Group 50 ON THE COVER: Valet Park of America President and Founder RAPID RESPONSE.........................Page 6 Theodore Chagnon, and his wife, Senior Vice President and Business Partner Angie Chagnon, are shown with one of the company’s Micro Bird buses. Valet Park of America is located in Springfield, MA. INDUSTRY NEWS........................Page 55 See page 8. CONTENTS CALENDAR OF EVENTS EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICES NOVEMBER 2020 January 29 - February 2 JUNE 2021 November 16-19 American Bus June 13-17 Rankin Publishing Co., Inc. Canadian Urban Transit Association (ABA) Community Transportation Association (CUTA) Marketplace 2021 Association of America Linda Rankin, Publisher (Virtual Conference) Baltimore, MD (CTAA) Expo 204 E. Main Street • P.O. Box 130 Info: 416-365-9800 Info: 800-283-2877 Richmond, VA Arcola, IL 61910-0130, USA Info: 800-891-0590 November 16-19 MARCH 2021 Email: [email protected] Community March 3-7 JULY 2021 Website: www.rankinpublishing.com Transportation United Motorcoach July 17-21 (800) 598-8083 (U.S.) • (217) 268-4959 Association of America Association (UMA) National School (CTAA) Motorcoach Expo Transportation Association Fax: (217) 268-4815 (Virtual Conference) Orlando, FL Annual Meeting & Convention Info: 800-891-0590 Info: 800-424-8262 Milwaukee, WI Editorial: Harrell Kerkhoff, Editor Info: 703-684-3200 Rick Mullen, Associate Editor JANUARY 2021 March 14-17 January 28-30 APTA TRANSform NOVEMBER 2021 Design: David Opdyke, Kris Bott Busworld Conference & Expo November 5-9 Reception: Mary Jo Dunn North America National Association Anaheim, CA Baltimore, MD Info: 202-496-4800 For Pupil Transportation Advertising Info: busworldnorthamerica.org (NAPT) Annual Conference & Trade Show Contact Kevin Kennedy @ 813-502-6672 Grand Rapids, MI Email: [email protected] Info: 518-452-3611 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 assumes no liability whatsoever for content of any advertisement or editorial material contained herein. Copyright 2020 Rankin Publishing, Linda Rankin @ 800-598-8083 Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written consent of Rankin Fax: 217-268-4815 Publishing, Inc. Subscription Rates in United States: 6 issues $25. Single Copy rate: $10 including postage/handling; Buyer’s Guide $15 including postage/handling. International rates: 6 issue annual Air Mail Subscription $60 U.S. dollars net Email: [email protected] Page 4 BUSLINE September/October 2020 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 5 BETTER DATA. BETTER DECISIONS. Your buses’ HVAC has a story to tell. Thermo King ConnectedSuite™ delivers a robust flow of HVAC information and presents it in a more actionable format than third-party telematics. ConnectedSuite lets you: Collect data on your assets in real time, and track historical fluctuations in behavior. Receive real-time notifications of alarms and alerts. Correct inefficiencies by improving critical uptime and asset utilization to reduce road calls and the cost of operation. Get Thermo King ConnectedSuite and let data drive your bus HVAC decisions for better fleet efficiency. Learn more by visiting ThermoKing.com/ConnectedBus. 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 6 Company Website Page # Company Website Page # ABA/Busworld North America busworldnorthamerica.com 54 J & J Chemical jjchem.com 61 ABC Companies abc-companies.com 7 Kelderman Air Suspension Systems kelderman.com 38 Altro altro.com/transport 12 LiquidSpring LLC liquidspring.com 24 American Battery Solutions americanbatterysolutions.com 15 Marathon Brake Systems MarathonBrake.com 50 American Seating americanseating.com 42 Micro Bird Commercial mbcbus.com 32 AngelTrax angeltrax.com 17 Midwest Bus Corporation midwestbus.com 37 ARBOC Specialty Vehicles ARBOCsv.com 35 Mohawk Lifts GovLifts.com 57 Better Life Technology BLTLLC.com 16 Motrocoach Tire Sales MotorCoachTireSales.com 55 Bird Bus Sales 888-275-7425 x122 21 ProAir, LLC proairllc.com 10 Bitimec Wash-Bots wash-bots.com 31 QMF Steel qmfsteel.com 2 Bitzer bitzerus.com 30 Reyco Granning reycogranning.com 14 BRC Group brcgroup.ca 40 Roaring Fork Transportion Authority rfta.com 56 BYD byd.com 25 Safety Step safetystep.net 62 Cable Car Classics cablecarclassics.com 22 Safety Vision safetyvision.com 20 Camira camirafabrics.com/stayingsafe 61 SanUVAire SanUVAire.com 60 CBM NA cbmcompany.com/en/ 36 Sardo Bus & Coach Upholstery sardobus.com 29 Chestnut Ridge Foam CRFOAM.com 39 Service Insurance serviceins.com 62 CHTC Bus Group chtcbusgroup.com 27 Sutrak sutrakusa.com 52 Clean Seal cleanseal.com 53 TAPTCO (Transit And Paratransit Company) taptco.com 3 Complete Coach Works completecoach.com 60 Temsa temsa.com 11 Diamond Manufacturing diamondmfg.com 43 Thermo King www.thermoking.com 5 Dixie Electric Ltd. delstar-hd.com 58 TIB tibinsurance.com 34 Driverge® Vehicle Innovations driverge.com 26 Transign transignllc.com 64 Freedman Seating freedmanseating.com 13 TripSpark tripspark.com/ROD 18 Handi-Hut, Inc. handi-hut.com 41 Vanner Power vanner.com 6, 51 Hometown Coach hometowncoach.com 23 Voith voith.com 9 Irizar USA irizarusa.com 63 : the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy: see IAP IITM Electric Beltless Alternator Introducing Increased Accessory Power (IAP IITM) from Vanner. The next generation in hybrid electrication that delivers all the necessary clean energy to power: - Electric Air Conditioning - Electric Air Compressors - - Electric Power Steering - IAP II integrates Vanner’s proven energy management technologies including: - Hybrid Beltless Alternator (HBA®/EBA®) - High Voltage Distribution Module (HVDM®) - Vanner’s 80-Series Equalizer with Model Based Battery Monitoring (MBBM®) - Water-cooled Vanner Exportable Power Inverter (VEPITM) The result is up to 30kWs of continuous export power. Learn more about IAP II and its 100% Electrication capabilities at www.vanner.com. Energy Management Systems www.vanner com @VannerHybrid Page 6 BUSLINE September/October 2020 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 7 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 8 Shown, left to right, are Valet Park of America officials Maggie Gaughan, Joyce Cote, Janice Saporito, Mike Chagnon, Angie Chagnon and Ted Chagnon. By Harrell Kerkhoff, Busline Magazine Editor he importance of client diversification is often heightened during periods of uncertainty. That fact has been amplified for Valet Park of America — a parking services and transportation provider based in Springfield, MA — during the current COVID-19 pandemic. On the Ttransportation side, the company has stayed active with shuttle work for health care clients, while other areas of its operation have been silent. “Initially, we shut down all of our shuttle and point that number was reduced to 500, and currently other transportation operations (due to COVID-19). stands at around 650 employees. Employees were given the opportunity to be fur- “I have many friends who are involved solely loughed or transfered to another department. We in transportation, and unfortunately some are still have since restarted shuttle operations at facilities shut down. Thankfully, we provide services to a that need our assistance, with all the proper safety variety of clients. That has enabled us to continue procedures in place to guard against coronavirus,” operating.” Valet Park of America President and Founder There is no denying, however, that COVID-19 Theodore Chagnon said. “Prior to the pandemic, has had a big impact on Valet Park of America’s we employed approximately 1,000 people. At one business activity for most of 2020. Page 8 BUSLINE September/October 2020 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page 9 When range matters! Voith Electrical Drive System The Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS) How VEDS works for you can boost your range as much as 25% • Efficiency boost of up to 25% over your current battery pack and is based on a 120,000+ mile road test unmatched in overall efficiency by • Market-best energy recuperation delivering the miles you need between • High system reliability using 100% battery charges. With VEDS, you will automotive certified components ‚ meet your environmental targets with a • Backed by Voith s expert service system specifically designed to meet • Designing and building of electric the needs and standards of the transit drive systems since 1987 bus industry. Learn more at bit.ly/voithveds voith.com 0920busline.FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 9/15/20 1:28 PM Page