Business is booming for many motorcoach operators.

Most motorcoach operators interviewed at Motorcoach Expo 2005 in Las Vegas late last month say they rebounded last year from the doldrums of the previous two years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"It was banner year for us," said Brian Scott of the tour and charter company Escot Bus Lines in Florida. "We turned things around and had our best year ever."

He said the difficulties the industry faced in 2002 and 2003 appear to have helped weed out some marginal businesses, leaving a little more work for the survivors. "Now we're in the best shape I have ever seen," he added.

Tony Fiorini of Silver State Coach, which operates mostly casino runs in Southern California, agreed: "We're doing exceptionally well," he said, adding that although he did not suffer as sharp a loss as many other operators, he did see a nice upturn in the business last year.

Michelle Petelicki of Panorama Tours in Wanaque, N.J., saw it too, noting that although students are taking shorter school charters-- not going the distances they did in the past, the number of student trips she has been booking has increased substantially. "Things really picked up last year and we're hoping it continues through this year, too" she said.

"We're finally at a point in our industry where we are going into good times," added Jeff Polzien of Red Carpet Charters in Oklahoma City.

Other operators offered similar comments, solidifying the belief that much of the industry has moved beyond the troubled years of the past and the tragic event that created most of the problems.

"I know one carrier that no longer allows 9/11 to be brought up anymore in their office," said Tour Group Magazine Publisher Carl Wassink.

Most operators now are looking for ways to keep the momentum going.

Steve Haddad of Carl R. Bieber Tourways in Kutztown, Pa., aware that a lot of people still have a negative view of motorcoaches, is getting people on-board his coaches by using them for charity work.

He parked a coach at a silent auction so people could take a look at it before bidding on a trip, and he left another at a charity event where people were invited to fill it with canned food. "First you got to get them on the coach so they can see what it's like," he said.

Another operator said he has come up with a near-perfect method of gauging the success of his television and newspaper advertising, allowing him the opportunity to spend the most marketing money where it brings in the most customers.

Dave Benedict of David Tours in Philadelphia said he has 65 toll-free telephone numbers for his company and he uses a different one for each of his advertisements. "We track every call that comes in," he said, adding that he knows immediately which advertisement brought in the most calls and which ones are not getting much response.

Others operators say they are looking at developing variable pricing schemes that allow them to reduce their rates during slow periods and increase them during peak times when demand for charters and tours is the greatest.