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Operator News
- 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…
- Vandalia Bus Lines gathers donations for tornado-ravaged town
  
  December 16, 2021 |
  
  A few months ago, driver Cindy Altenbaumer took a group of high school students to the Future Farmers of America…
- Bailey Coach gifts a bus to a local nonprofit
  
  December 4, 2021 |
  
  Bailey Coach put the “giving” in Thanksgiving this year when the Pennsylvania operator gave away a 47-passenger bus to a…
- VIP Tour & Charter Co. supplies food pantries with potatoes
  
  December 4, 2021 |
  
  Each November, the bus bay at VIP Tour & Charter Co. in Portland, Maine, fills up with potatoes, which are…
- How an operator helps school districts with driver shortages
  
  October 22, 2021 |
  
  As the bus driver shortages have left the Washington School District scrambling to find transportation for after-school activities, officials have…
- Operator shares pandemic story with gov to show need for funds
  
  October 16, 2021 |
  
  Michelle Petelicki had three minutes to grab the attention of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy with the industry’s pandemic story…
- Florida operator takes advocacy to next level, runs for office
  
  October 8, 2021 |
  
  Operator Brian Scott is running for a seat on the Pinellas County Commission. In many ways, his decades of advocacy…
- Best Tours rebounds from rockiest road in 43-year history
  
  September 30, 2021 |
  
  Best Tours & Travel’s recent reopening saw sellout tours and a continuing recovery in its private charter operations, thanks to…
- Alabama operator provides his buses to train bomb-sniffing K-9s
  
  September 26, 2021 |
  
  For more than a decade, the Birmingham Police Department’s K-9 explosive detection unit has been visiting the Thrasher Brothers Trailways…
- Georgia operator leads ‘Convoy of Care’ to help Hurricane Ida survivors
  
  September 25, 2021 |
  
  In response to the devastation wreck by Hurricane Ida, Georgia Coach Lines recently led a disaster relief convoy to bring…
- Canadian operator sets world record for longest electric-bus trip
  
  September 18, 2021 |
  
  A Canadian operator recently set the world record for the longest electric-bus trip with MCI’s J4500 Charge, 56-seat, zero-emission model.…
- Quick’s Bus honored with VMA’s Public Service Award
  
  September 16, 2021 |
  
  Friendly transactions, safe, clean vehicle interiors and reliable, trustworthy service have been cornerstones of Quick’s Bus’ success for the past…
- After tragic loss, woman-owned Huskey Trailways grows strong
  
  September 11, 2021 |
  
  For Huskey Trailways, 2019 was the family-owned business’ best year financially and their worst year personally. Co-owner Kent Huskey died…
- The pandemic: Operators share paths forward, lessons learned
  
  September 7, 2021 |
  
  After more than 18 months of the pandemic, operators are taking stock of what they’ve learned as they move forward.…
- Southwest Coaches honored by the Minnesota National Guard for ‘outstanding service’
  
  August 21, 2021 |
  
  Southwest Coaches, Inc. played a key support role for the Minnesota National Guard when 3,300 soldiers and airmen were activated…
- Maine grant program targets motorcoach businesses, thanks to powerful storytelling
  
  August 20, 2021 |
  
  Maine has only six motorcoach companies, but the state’s governor has recognized their essential and central role in supporting the…
- IMG companies collectively named 2021 Operator of the Year
  
  August 19, 2021 |
  
  Coming together for the first time since early 2019, the member companies of IMG met in Greenville, South Carolina, for…
- Industry veteran Dan Shoup a go-to for all things motorcoach
  
  August 17, 2021 |
  
  With more than a half-century working with motorcoaches, it’s not surprising that Dan Shoup has developed a reputation as a…
- Operator part of Title IX tour honoring Minnesota women athletes
  
  August 14, 2021 |
  
  There’s no question that Title IX has been a game-changer for women’s sports. But the motorcoach industry has also been…
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Sponsored Content
- Delivering the Ultimate Passenger Experience
  
  February 1, 2022 |
  
  Over the last two years, Icomera has been advising owners, operators and manufacturers on how to sharpen the focus on…
Industry News
- CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Week will focus on speeding
  
  May 10, 2022 |
  
  This year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 10-16. Law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.…
- FMCSA asking for comment on speed limiter proposal
  
  May 10, 2022 |
  
  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced on May 4 that it will proceed with a speed limiter rulemaking…
- Brian Hill joins MCI as private market regional vice president
  
  May 10, 2022 |
  
  Brian Hill, a familiar face in the motorcoach industry, is rejoining Motor Coach Industries. MCI announced that Hill has rejoined…
- Why the EPA needs to hear from the motorcoach industry about derate rule
  
  May 9, 2022 |
  
  If you have a story about an unpleasant experience related to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s derate rule, the federal…
- Mercedes-Benz Tourrider wins innovation award
  
  May 3, 2022 |
  
  The newly launched Mercedes-Benz Tourrider is picking up accolades. The motorcoach produced by Daimler Buses received the Innovation Award from…
- EPA cuts first-year funding for Clean School Bus Program
  
  May 2, 2022 |
  
  The anticipation of the Clean School Bus (CSB) Program rebate to acquire zero- and low-emissions school buses is almost over,…
- Why can’t you open the windows on a motorcoach?
  
  May 2, 2022 |
  
  Before I started driving motorcoaches, I spent a lot of time looking out the windows of buses during my elementary…
- CBA’s Earth Day Eco-Expo focuses on sustainable transport
  
  May 2, 2022 |
  
  As part of its ongoing education and professional advocacy programming, the California Bus Association (CBA) hosted its second annual virtual…
- NFI expects 40% of 2025 production to be zero-emissions buses
  
  May 2, 2022 |
  
  For decades, NFI Group Inc. has taken pride in leading the evolution to zero-emission transportation, the ZEvolution. The parent company…
- Motorcoach maintenance departments struggle with 3 big issues
  
  April 25, 2022 |
  
  The struggle is real for those responsible for motorcoach maintenance when it comes to three issues: working out the bugs…
- Sunshine Flyer launches with $300K donation to Make-A-Wish
  
  April 25, 2022 |
  
  Sunshine Flyer credits high demand for helping the organization donate more than $300,000 to Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida. “Our…
- NTSB highlights 3 factors in deadly 2020 California bus crash
  
  April 25, 2022 |
  
  Worn tires and excess speed contributed to a California bus crash two years ago that killed three people and injured…
- Prevost to end New York manufacturing operation
  
  April 24, 2022 |
  
  Prevost will end manufacturing commuter coaches at its upstate New York plant by the end of the year. The decision…
- Remembering Our Pioneers: Franklin Bus Service
  
  April 24, 2022 |
  
  April 15, 1947 marked the day that Jackie Robinson, age 28, became the first African American to play in Major…
- Vandalia Coach’s Phil Streif advocates for industry with EPA
  
  April 24, 2022 |
  
  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently acknowledged hearing from charter bus companies detailing difficulties experienced with emission regulations. Operators say…
- TEMSA signs U.N. Global Compact in commitment to zero-emissions buses
  
  April 18, 2022 |
  
  TEMSA announced it has become a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Global Compact. By joining this voluntary initiative, the…
- Transportation key part of Biden plan for clean school infrastructure
  
  April 18, 2022 |
  
  A Biden administration plan for building better school infrastructure includes upgrading districts with modern, clean, energy-efficient facilities and transportation. The…
- FMCSA warns CDL drivers to be alert to phishing scam
  
  April 18, 2022 |
  
  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is warning commercial drivers to be careful of a phishing scam targeted at…
- FlixBus enters deregulated Ontario intercity bus market
  
  April 16, 2022 |
  
  FlixBus is expanding into Canada with domestic service routes with Toronto and Ottawa connections, benefitting from Ontario’s deregulation in 2021…
- Are electric buses working out in the U.S.?
  
  April 16, 2022 |
  
  With fossil fuel prices soaring all over the world, more and more people are turning to all-electric vehicles. Even in…
- Colorado Senate approves $5.5M to improve school bus safety
  
  April 16, 2022 |
  
  A new Colorado safe-student protection program that has been years in the making moved closer to reality when that state’s…
- Why are wheelchair lifts so challenging on motorcoaches?
  
  April 11, 2022 |
  
  Making motorcoaches accessible to passengers using wheelchairs is important, but wheelchair lifts are challenging for many reasons beyond the cost.…
- Boston targets 100% electrification of school buses by 2030
  
  April 10, 2022 |
  
  Newly elected Boston Mayor Michelle Wu wants school buses — which represent 11% of city emissions — to be electric…
- American Airlines to use Landline buses on regional routes
  
  April 8, 2022 |
  
  The Landline Company has signed a deal with American Airlines to expand the carrier’s route network and create a more…
- Legislation would eliminate federal taxes on CERTS grants
  
  April 8, 2022 |
  
  To support tax relief to the motorcoach, school bus, and passenger vessel industries devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Rep. Jimmy…
Sponsored Content
- Delivering the Ultimate Passenger Experience
  
  February 1, 2022 |
  
  Over the last two years, Icomera has been advising owners, operators and manufacturers on how to sharpen the focus on…
- Bus maintenance: Now isn’t the time to delay
  
  November 13, 2020 |
  
  Your business slowed down – or even shut down – during the COVID-19 pandemic, which means your buses sat aimlessly…
- When it comes to online content, don’t forget video
  
  September 18, 2020 |
  
  If you think that video isn’t an important tool for marketing your business, think again. Online video content is one…
- 10 easy ways to update your website during COVID-19
  
  August 14, 2020 |
  
  Spending extra money is something many small businesses are trying to avoid. But did you know when you update your…
- Are you utilizing DBEs? Here’s another way to prepare for government contracts and grants
  
  July 24, 2020 |
  
  You’ve been doing a great job getting your affairs in order to prepare to apply for federal money from the…
- 4 simple steps to show your customers you’re open for business
  
  July 17, 2020 |
  
  As businesses begin to reopen across the country, one thing seems clear in this time of uncertainty: Life as we…
- Do you have what you need to receive federal grant money?
  
  July 10, 2020 |
  
  If you are one of the many businesses hoping to receive federal money from the Coronavirus Economic Relief Transportation Act,…
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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