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Operator News
- Timi’s Tours VP Jack Kaufman appointed to Moweaqua Village Council
  
  November 16, 2022 |
  
  Despite an expanding transportation business and a growing family, Jack Kaufman continues to make time to be a civil servant.…
- ECHO AFC Transportation marks 30-year milestone
  
  October 26, 2022 |
  
  From its inception in 1992, ECHO AFC Transportation’s mantra “People Powered, Safety Driven” has defined the brand, highlighting the operator’s…
- JRT’s President appointed to Richmond’s transportation authority
  
  October 14, 2022 |
  
  Stephen Story is a new member of the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is responsible for building and operating a…
- Georgia operator leads ‘Convoy of Care’ to Florida to help hurricane survivors
  
  October 9, 2022 |
  
  In response to the devastation left by Hurricane Ian, United Motorcoach Association (UMA) Director Clarence Cox III is leading a…
- John Hall’s Alaska celebrates 40th anniversary with special trip
  
  September 15, 2022 |
  
  John Hall’s Alaska is marking its 40th anniversary by recreating the 18-day trip that started the popular Alaska motorcoach touring…
- Bus drivers win cash prizes in annual photo contest
  
  September 7, 2022 |
  
  One of the perks about being a motorcoach driver is visiting interesting and beautiful places. Fortunately, many drivers like to…
- DATTCO loans coaches for firefighter training
  
  August 28, 2022 |
  
  When an area fire department requested the use of two motorcoaches for training, the Connecticut transportation company DATTCO was happy…
- Vandalia Bus Lines named IMG Operator of the Year
  
  August 21, 2022 |
  
  There’s a lot for Vandalia Bus Lines to celebrate these days. As the family-owned company is marking its 90th anniversary,…
- Vandalia Bus Lines celebrates its 90-year milestone
  
  August 15, 2022 |
  
  Vandalia Bus Lines is marking 90 years in the bus industry and, for most of its history, the company has…
- Mayo Tours moves forward after fire destroys shop
  
  August 15, 2022 |
  
  Mayo Tours is moving forward after a late-night fire on July 31 destroyed the company’s shop and the two coaches…
- Fourth generation takes the wheel at Peter Pan Bus Lines
  
  July 31, 2022 |
  
  As Peter Pan Bus Lines prepares to ring in its 90th year in business, the transportation company is laying the…
- Vandalia Bus Lines evacuates neighbors from flooding after historic rainfall
  
  July 29, 2022 |
  
  While Vandalia Bus Lines is used to traveling to other communities to help people after a natural disaster, this week…
- Celebrating 50 Years: Thrasher Brothers keeps growing
  
  July 25, 2022 |
  
  Thrasher Brothers Trailways, which turned 50 in 2021, enters its next half century with optimism and loads of work. Alan…
- Atlantic Coast Charters helps Great Bicycle Tour roll to success
  
  July 23, 2022 |
  
  For decades, the Great Bicycle Tour along the C&O Canal Trail has been a popular fundraiser to benefit the San…
- TCS Shuttle Service a home run for MLB All-Star Week
  
  July 20, 2022 |
  
  It wasn’t only the players hitting home runs during the Major League Baseball All-Star Week. Off the field, Transportation Charter…
- Bailey Bus creates a mobile billboard for Explore York
  
  July 18, 2022 |
  
  Bailey Bus is lending out a bus to spread the word about York County, Pennsylvania. York County has a grant…
- Sunshine Flyer marks first summer by giving kids free rides to Disney World
  
  July 11, 2022 |
  
  The Sunshine Flyer is marking its first year with a promotion that lets kids ride free on its themed motorcoach…
- Yankee Line, MCI operate first zero-emissions shuttle for U.S. Open
  
  July 11, 2022 |
  
  “Green” described more than just the fairways at the 2022 U.S. Open, thanks to Boston-based Yankee Line. The 42-year-old luxury…
- Operator featured in basketball video shows the essential role of team bus drivers
  
  May 10, 2022 |
  
  Bus driver Tom Walters was a bit surprised when CBS Sports put him in the spotlight during the NCAA men’s…
- Pacific Coachways President Tom Giddens’ passion for buses began at church
  
  May 9, 2022 |
  
  Tom Giddens’ love of buses began at church. When his pastor bought a brand new Carpenter school bus to take…
- Transplant buddies forged their friendship in the bus industry
  
  May 3, 2022 |
  
  Mike Waters likes to explain his physical connection with bus buddy Tom Giddens like this: “The joke we have is…
- Amador’s Lisa Allen finds her place in a motorcoach dynasty
  
  February 13, 2022 |
  
  RENO, Nevada — As she stood in her bus yard with the snow-capped Carson Range in the background, Lisa Allen’s…
- Universal Coach Line first in Canada to order MCI battery-electric coach
  
  February 10, 2022 |
  
  Universal Coach Line is the first company in Canada to purchase MCI’s first long-distance, battery-electric motorcoach. The order of the…
- UMA chairman Jeff Polzien becomes an operator again with California acquisition
  
  February 7, 2022 |
  
  Jeff Polzien has decided to come out of retirement to return to the industry he loves. This week, he closed…
- Royal Coach Tours’ gamble on Las Vegas pays off
  
  January 15, 2022 |
  
  Nearly 5 years ago, Royal Coach Tours saw an opportunity to move into the Las Vegas market, and the gamble…
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Opinion
- James Wang: What essential gear to get before driving a coach bus
  
  October 12, 2022 |
  
  If I could go back and tell my younger self 4 essential gear to get before driving a coach bus,…
- James Wang: 4 things that are killing the bus industry
  
  October 3, 2022 |
  
  There are four things that are killing the motorcoach industry. Things that are literally still causing privately owned bus companies…
Industry News
- Pedestrian fatalities increase in 2020
  
  November 29, 2022 |
  
  An average of nearly 18 pedestrians per day were fatally struck by passing vehicles in 2020 according to a recent…
- MCI parent company raises $381K for 18 communities
  
  November 22, 2022 |
  
  The parent company of MCI, NFI Group Inc. (NFI), has raised $381,868 through its annual United Way Workplace Campaign, surpassing…
- CBA addresses industry challenges during 48th annual convention
  
  November 20, 2022 |
  
  West Coast operators who attended this year’s California Bus Association (CBA) annual Convention & Trade Show on Oct. 23-26 in…
- Goodbye Greyhound, hello Megabus: Trailways of New York announces new partnership
  
  November 18, 2022 |
  
  Trailways of New York is moving on after its divorce from Greyhound this spring. It’s partnering with Megabus, one of…
- Two big competitions test skills at 2023 UMA EXPO in Orlando
  
  November 17, 2022 |
  
  It’s that time of the year when motorcoach drivers and maintenance technicians can test their skills with their colleagues from…
- Flix reports record-breaking summer, with a 130% rise in passengers
  
  November 17, 2022 |
  
  Flix is reporting a record-breaking summer, which offers one sign that bus travel is truly back after years of pandemic…
- ABC Companies expands fleet options with new Turtle Top shuttle bus
  
  November 17, 2022 |
  
  ABC Companies is expanding its equipment lineup with the unveiling of the Turtle Top Odyssey XL S2C, a 41-passenger shuttle…
- The Museum of Broadway opens in Times Square
  
  November 17, 2022 |
  
  The Museum of Broadway opened this week with a ribbon cutting. The highly anticipated museum, located in the heart of…
- OMCA partnering to promote Indigenous tourism experiences
  
  November 16, 2022 |
  
  The Ontario Motorcoach Association (OMCA) is partnering with Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO) in an effort to support Indigenous tourism. Together,…
- Industry veterans team up to manage TMCA
  
  November 16, 2022 |
  
  Two association management veterans are teaming up as the new management team for the Tennessee Motor Coach Association (TMCA). This…
- The Bus Network to unveil tools compatible with ELDs
  
  November 15, 2022 |
  
  The Bus Network (TBN) says a new partnership with Initek Consulting to develop a plug-and-play “integration marketplace” will extend the…
- UMA adds staff to focus on member services
  
  November 10, 2022 |
  
  The United Motorcoach Association team is expanding with the addition of Charlotte Simmons to the staff. Simmons is working at…
- UMA Safety Management Seminar returns in December
  
  November 10, 2022 |
  
  The United Motorcoach Association Safety Management Seminar will mark its 18th year when the annual event returns on Dec. 6-8. …
- Bus operator Brian Scott wins Pinellas County Commission seat
  
  November 9, 2022 |
  
  Former UMA Board Member Brian Scott won his spot on the Pinellas County Commission on Tuesday. It was a clear…
- Starr Tours President Pete Borowsky joins GNJMA board
  
  November 9, 2022 |
  
  Pete Borowsky, President at Starr Bus Charter & Tours, has joined the Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association (GNJMA) Board of…
- YouTuber Jeb Brooks reviews air travel by luxury bus
  
  November 6, 2022 |
  
  There’s a lot of curiosity about airlines using luxury motorcoaches for the last leg of some destinations, judging by YouTuber…
- Tour Tennessee’s Pamela Huey celebrated for serving the bus industry
  
  November 6, 2022 |
  
  After three decades of working with tour bus operators, Pamela Huey will be retiring early next year from Tour Tennessee,…
- NTSB repeats call for school bus seat belts after investigation into fatal Tennessee crash
  
  November 3, 2022 |
  
  The investigation into a Tennessee school bus crash last year resulted in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reminding student…
- Putting the numbers on your side. What’s your driver hiring policy?
  
  November 2, 2022 |
  
  “Warm and lateral” was a phrase Lancer Insurance Company’s now-retired Jack Burkert would mutter when he thought a motor carrier…
- Bus community remembers industry leader Troy D. Voigt
  
  November 1, 2022 |
  
  Troy D. Voigt worked for, owned and operated Voigt Bus Companies for close to 40 years. He was an industry…
- Team Trailways brings on industry advocate to oversee member services
  
  October 28, 2022 |
  
  Patricia Cowley and her firm PC Management Services have joined Team Trailways to assist with the organization’s activities, including social…
- NCM Associates acquires Spader Business Management
  
  October 26, 2022 |
  
  Spader Business Management is under new ownership. The United Motorcoach Association partner was recently acquired by Kansas City, Missouri-based NCM…
- ABC Companies announces new VP of technical solutions
  
  October 25, 2022 |
  
  ABC Companies has promoted Brian Nelson to Vice President of Technical Solutions. He will oversee a team of engineers, technicians…
- Bus companies assist in Florida’s hurricane recovery effort
  
  October 21, 2022 |
  
  After Hurricane Ian, Paige Balsinger was back in the office of All Around Charters & Tours in Nokomis, Florida, even…
- Salt Lake Express acquires Northwestern Stage Lines
  
  October 18, 2022 |
  
  Salt Lake Express has acquired Northwestern Stage Lines, a transportation company based in Spokane, Washington, and Boise-Winnemucca Stages in Boise,…
Opinion
- James Wang: What essential gear to get before driving a coach bus
  
  October 12, 2022 |
  
  If I could go back and tell my younger self 4 essential gear to get before driving a coach bus,…
- James Wang: 4 things that are killing the bus industry
  
  October 3, 2022 |
  
  There are four things that are killing the motorcoach industry. Things that are literally still causing privately owned bus companies…
- James Wang explains buses and seat belts
  
  September 15, 2022 |
  
  Sir George Cayley, who was born on Dec. 27, 1773, and lived until 1857, when he died at the ripe…
Feature
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Martin Martinez Jr.
  
  April 4, 2022 |
  
  Martin Martinez Jr. is marking his 18th year with Pacific Coachways in Garden Grove, California. He was motivated to apply…
- From under the bus: Meet mechanic Doug Thomas
  
  March 21, 2022 |
  
  Doug Thomas began at Amador Stage Lines in 1991 washing buses. Three decades later, he’s running the company’s shop in…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Vicki Hughes
  
  February 21, 2022 |
  
  After a series of jobs ranging from professional softball player to plumber, Vicki Hughes says she couldn’t be happier driving…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Darren Reever
  
  January 9, 2022 |
  
  After being furloughed for much of the pandemic, driver Darren Reever has been back on the road since fall 2021,…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Lynette Bittner
  
  December 16, 2021 |
  
  Lynette Bittner has been in the driver’s seat for eight years. Bus & Motorcoach News caught up with Bittner over…
- From under the bus: Meet the Alaska Posse
  
  October 1, 2021 |
  
  You might have spotted the Alaska Posse at a United Motorcoach Association EXPO, where they trek in to take part…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Maria M. Silva
  
  September 15, 2021 |
  
  Maria M. Silva has been in the driver’s seat for more than 28 years and has never had a crash.…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Mandy Zimmerman
  
  September 9, 2021 |
  
  Mandy Zimmerman has been in the driver’s seat for nearly 23 years. Much of that time, she has driven school…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Andy Anderson
  
  August 30, 2021 |
  
  Andy Anderson has been in the driver’s seat for more than 55 years, most of it driving tractor-trailers. His only…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Omar Gomez-Mulero
  
  August 26, 2021 |
  
  Omar Gomez-Mulero has been in the driver’s seat for the past 14 years. Originally from Puerto Rico, Gomez-Mulero was raised…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Portia Kemenczei
  
  August 16, 2021 |
  
  Piroska “Portia” Kemenczei has been in the driver’s seat for 12 years. All of those years she has been working…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet driver Charles Moerland
  
  August 5, 2021 |
  
  Charles Moerland, 54, has been in the driver’s seat for more than 25 years. He began in transit and driving…
- From under the bus: Meet mechanic Sol Miller
  
  July 22, 2021 |
  
  Mechanic Sol Miller has been working on motorcoaches for more than 30 years. After earning his diploma from Lincoln Tech…
- From under the bus: Meet mechanic Michael ‘Cowboy’ Bynum
  
  July 8, 2021 |
  
  Mechanic Michael “Cowboy” Bynum has worked on buses for more than 30 years, many of them for Busforsale.com in Goodlettsville,…
- From the driver’s seat: Meet Eric Fletcher
  
  June 19, 2021 |
  
  Eric Fletcher, 53, has been in the driver’s seat since he finished college. Born in London, he spent a portion…
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