MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Bus Association held its 12th annual Motorcoach Safety & Preparedness Workshop on Thursday at the Lower Swatara Fire Department and Premiere #1 Limousine. The event brought together safety and shop personnel for a full day of learning, networking, and hands-on competition.
The workshop featured classroom sessions, roundtable discussions, expert speakers and a maintenance skills competition. This year’s winners were:
- First place: Jon Burke, Wolf’s Bus
- Second place: Ethan Wetzel, Fullington Trailways
- Third place: Ryan Henry, Bailey Coach
“The competition was great,” said Doug Rydbom, owner of Premiere #1 Limousine in Middletown, Pennsylvania, who hosted the mechanic breakout sessions. “They booby-trapped this bus with different things, and then we had 12 mechanics that went around it in a competition to find not only all of the failures but to do so in a timely manner. It was both about accuracy and speed.”
Learning from peers
Rydbom said the event’s greatest value was in creating connections across the industry.
“It gives our mechanics a chance to meet with other mechanics. We all have the same challenges, and sometimes we need to hear that we’re not the only ones fighting those battles,” he said.
“It’s all about team building. We don’t think of ourselves as competitors in this industry — we think of each other as peers.”
Tammy Wolf-Baker, owner of Wolf’s Bus Lines in York Springs, Pennsylvania, who has helped organize the event for more than a decade, said this year’s program brought in a surprising number of newcomers.
“There were a lot of new faces, a lot of people who have only been in the industry six months to a year,” she said. “It makes me think we need to revisit some basics while still offering new topics each year. The goal is always to bring mechanics, drivers, dispatchers and office staff together to learn from each other.”
‘They lean on each other’
Wolf-Baker said one of the most valuable aspects has been the roundtable discussions introduced in recent years.
“It is just so amazing — whether it’s mechanics or office staff — to hear them hash out their problems or questions and how they handle things,” she said. “Now, when a mechanic has a problem, they lean on each other. They’re calling, they’re texting, they’re building those relationships. You can’t put a price on that.”
The day also featured presentations from industry experts, including representatives from the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, Martz Group, National Interstate Insurance, Perkiomen Tours, Prevost and Saucon Technologies.
Other highlights included a 50/50 raffle, with Tammy Skelly of Bailey Coach winning $250.
Rydbom sponsored lunch and provided transportation.
“Being part of PBA is about helping each other,” Rydbom said. “If there’s a stranded bus on the road, you can call a PBA member and know they’ll be there to help. That teamwork is what makes this organization special.”
For more information, check out at the PBA website, or contact Executive Director Patricia Cowley at Director@pabus.org.
