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The Motorcoach Minute
Operator News
- 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…
- 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.…
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Opinion
- Top 10 things coach bus drivers pack in their travel bags
  
  July 25, 2022 |
  
  I asked a bunch of coach bus drivers what are the most important things they pack when they leave on…
- How to pronounce Prevost: Pree-voh or Pray-voh?
  
  June 24, 2022 |
  
  When it comes to the very popular bus brand Prevost, the way you pronounce the name is somewhat of a…
Industry News
- Mayo Tours sees outpouring of industry support after fire
  
  August 7, 2022 |
  
  When Mayo Tours experienced a devastating fire that destroyed its shop and the two coaches inside, the motorcoach industry was quick…
- Flix North America launched to oversee FlixBus and Greyhound
  
  August 7, 2022 |
  
  Flix SE, the German global transportation giant, has unveiled Flix North America, which will oversee operations for both Greyhound Lines…
- The habits that build successful businesses in the motorcoach industry
  
  August 7, 2022 |
  
  Eight out of 10 businesses fail in the first 18 months of operations, and only 4% make it to the…
- Southern operators celebrate pandemic survival with zombie fun
  
  August 7, 2022 |
  
  When 70 motorcoach operators and industry vendors gathered from six Southern states in July in Atlanta, they were treated to…
- Biden’s infrastructure law boosts investment in CDL programs
  
  August 6, 2022 |
  
  Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, more than $44 million in state grants will be awarded to enhance road safety and…
- Trailways to co-locate 2023 conference with UMA in Orlando
  
  August 6, 2022 |
  
  Trailways will co-locate its 2023 annual conference with the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) next year in Orlando, Florida. Trailways’ meetings…
- Market disruptors: How change drives innovation in bus industry
  
  July 31, 2022 |
  
  There’s a saying that the only constant is change. The key to adapting to change is to be open-minded about…
- PBA honors 2021 Drivers and Employees of Distinction
  
  July 31, 2022 |
  
  The Pennsylvania Bus Association (PBA) recognized employees of seven PBA members as the 2021 Drivers and Employees of Distinction. The…
- GNJMA unveils new technology to improve member experience
  
  July 31, 2022 |
  
  The Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association (GNJMA) is improving the member experience with an investment in technology that will make…
- MBMCA gives members inside look at new CMV inspection criteria
  
  July 31, 2022 |
  
  When the Midwest Bus and Motorcoach Association (MBMCA) convened in Springfield, Illinois, in mid-July for its annual meeting, the two-day…
- Operators share how market disruptions led to better operations
  
  July 25, 2022 |
  
  Market disruptions are an unavoidable part of the business landscape. How a business reacts can determine the difference between collapse,…
- UMA weighs in on national speed limit
  
  July 23, 2022 |
  
  More than 16,000 commenters weighed in on a proposed rule requiring speed limiters on commercial motor vehicles, which is favored…
- MCI announces the first female Service Center General Manager
  
  July 18, 2022 |
  
  Josephine “Josie” Arrington’s recent promotion to Service Center General Manager in MCI’s facility in Blackwood, New Jersey, is making history…
- FMCSA extends waiver of ‘under the hood’ test for peak hiring season
  
  July 18, 2022 |
  
  What started in January as a three-month waiver of a test for prospective school bus drivers has at least tripled. …
- NTSB investigator explains role of tires in fatal minibus crash
  
  July 18, 2022 |
  
  Most crashes never have just one cause, but in the case of the fatal 2020 Southern California bus crash, the…
- Uber Charter’s national rollout begins in Texas. Here’s how it works
  
  July 18, 2022 |
  
  Uber is extending its ride-hailing capabilities to include group travel through a partnership with US Coachways. The company will let…
- Motorcoach industry drives World Games in Alabama
  
  July 18, 2022 |
  
  The World Games have been three years in the planning. And Alan Thrasher has volunteered his considerable logistics skills to…
- Pennsylvania Bus Association elects first chairwoman
  
  July 11, 2022 |
  
  The Pennsylvania Bus Association made history in its recent elections. The Board of Director elections on June 20 resulted in…
- DATTCO announces acquisition of Flagship Trailways
  
  July 11, 2022 |
  
  Two well-known New England motorcoach companies are becoming one. DATTCO Motor Coach, a Connecticut-based motorcoach and charter bus company, has…
- PBA helps Olympian Johnny Quinn drive a bus for the first time
  
  July 11, 2022 |
  
  If you can drive a bobsled, you can drive a bus. At least that appears to be the case with…
- Post-flood bus access to Yellowstone shows success of collaboration
  
  July 11, 2022 |
  
  Historic flooding, mudslides and road collapses in Yellowstone completely closed the popular national park during high visitor season in mid-June. …
- A tour through the BYD electric bus plant in California
  
  June 27, 2022 |
  
  In less than a decade, Chinese manufacturer BYD has grown to become the largest battery-electric bus manufacturer in North America.…
- South Carolina operators warn schools about bus brokers after complaints
  
  June 26, 2022 |
  
  Recently, Elizabeth Kamalakis was awakened by a desperate 2 a.m. call from a South Carolina school district official scrambling to…
- Claude Payne remembered for commitment to industry
  
  June 26, 2022 |
  
  Claude Elbert Payne is being remembered for his commitment to the bus and motorcoach industry. Payne, 78, of Englewood, Florida,…
- The California Highway Patrol responds to concerns about bus inspections
  
  June 23, 2022 |
  
  The California Highway Patrol recently responded to a letter sent by the leaders of the trade groups representing the motorcoach…
Opinion
- Top 10 things coach bus drivers pack in their travel bags
  
  July 25, 2022 |
  
  I asked a bunch of coach bus drivers what are the most important things they pack when they leave on…
- How to pronounce Prevost: Pree-voh or Pray-voh?
  
  June 24, 2022 |
  
  When it comes to the very popular bus brand Prevost, the way you pronounce the name is somewhat of a…
- It’s not all fun and games driving line runs during construction season
  
  June 19, 2022 |
  
  Driving a charter bus is not always fun and games. On a busy summer day, as our line runs get…
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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