HERSHEY, Pa. -- The Museum of Bus Transportation is entertaining the idea of turning its annual Spring Fling into a significant industry event.

Currently, the Spring Fling is a combination bus show, flea market and social event. The 2007 Fling will be Saturday, June 2.

"The word in the motorcoach industry is that our Hershey museum has actually become a major part of our industry, and is considered by many an institution worthy of praise and notice," says museum board member Robert Beard.

"Surprisingly, it was not I who suggested that we make our little event, the Spring Fling, into an industry event, but (it was industry leaders) to whom I talked," said Beard. "Each of them has promised to either attend the event themselves or send representatives.

"Their hope is to learn what the Fling is all about, along with the museum and (its) memorial annex, and discuss what needs to be done to offer a new, annual industry event to their customers and members.

"After all the Expos, Marketplaces, BusCons, etc., we'll now have the Spring Fling. It is my suggestion that after this years Fling ends officially at 4 p.m., we all meet in the museum conference room and have a round-table discussion about the future."

The Museum of Bus Transportation is North Americas only complete museum dedicated to displaying and preserving antique transit, intercity and school buses. It displays at least 12 restored buses on the museum floor at all times and has 23 more in its nearby annex.

This years Fling will focus attention on the new annex where those buses not at the museum will be on display outside the facility and available for photographing. Inside will be a bus memorabilia flea market where hot food and cold drinks will be sold to benefit the museum. A free shuttle will travel between the annex and the museum.

The Spring Fling is open to museum members and nonmembers alike.

The museum is at 161 Museum Drive (off Hershey Road, Rte 39, one mile west of Hersheypark) in Hershey.

For information, go to www.busmuseum.org, or call (717) 566-7100, ext 119.