Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation marked the 100th anniversary of intercity bus travel last month at an outdoor ceremony in Washington, D.C. Following the event, Anne Ferro, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a regulatory division of the USDOT, posted the following on the department blog, called Fast Lane.

By Anne Ferro

Today, we commemorate motorcoach travels prominent place in our nations transportation network for the past century.

One hundred years ago, Carl Eric Wickman, a Swedish immigrant and drill operator laid-off from Minnesota's iron ore mines, began a modest bus service to take miners from Hibbing to nearby Alice, a town known for its saloons. He charged 15 cents a ride in a Hupmobile.

A year later, Wickman joined forces with a similar service running between Hibbing and Duluth. In its first year, the Mesaba Transportation Company earned an $8,000 profit, and American intercity bus travel was born.

During the 1920s, Wickman's buses --with their sleek lines and grey paint-- become known as "greyhounds," and in 1929 the company officially became Greyhound Lines.

The American passenger carrier industry has grown considerably since then. Today, motorcoach travel provides mobility and connectivity for millions of Americans and helps us meet our enormous energy and environmental challenges.

The drivers operating these vehicles help ensure that motorcoach travel is a safe way for Americans to get where they need to go.

These buses and drivers do more than take people from Point A to Point B; they give Americans access to jobs and economic opportunity. They connect families. And in towns without air or rail service, they connect entire communities with the rest of the nation.

Bus rides have also become a significant part of our nations history. More than 50 years ago, motorcoaches carried Freedom Riders into the Deep South to challenge segregation. During World War II, motorcoaches carried soldiers from coast-to-coast. At one time or another, most of us have traveled on a motorcoach.

At the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, we work to ensure that every motorcoach trip is a safe one. With a team of trained inspectors and investigators nationwide, the FMCSA has significantly stepped-up its safety enforcement of buses and other commercial passenger carriers.

In 2012, we conducted 33,684 inspections and put 880 drivers and 1,831 vehicles out of service due to safety violations. And since the release of our original Motorcoach Safety Action Plan, we have increased imminent hazard out-of-service orders, requiring a passenger carrier to immediately cease all transportation services, from 0 in 2009 to 28 in 2012.

We"ve also given consumers the ability to make good safety decisions when planning their travel with our SaferBus app. SaferBus is a free tool that allows you to "Look Before You Book" by putting carrier safety information in the palm of your hand.

A century after an enterprising young immigrant gave folks a 15-cent ride to Alice, Minnesota, intercity bus transportation is firmly embedded in our nations transportation system. Over the past three years, the number of passenger trips has increased by nearly 6 percent, and in 2012 carriers provided nearly 640 million passenger trips totaling more than 75 billion passenger miles.

Thats a long way from what Carl Eric Wickman had in mind when he fired up his Hupmobile in 1914, and I know the industry will continue to play a vital role in keeping Americans moving forward.

Industry view

Note: Also speaking at the USDOT event was Victor Parra, president and CEO of the United Motorcoach Association. His remarks:

The story of the bus and motorcoach industry is a uniquely American story. In many respects, it represents the very basic manifestation of the American Dream.

It is a story thats not been told much, but definitely experienced thousands of times since our industry was economically de-regulated in 1984. That one single event cleared the way for men and women to pursue the American Dream of owning and operating their own business.

It also created opportunities for Americans in every walk of life and at every income level to see this great Nation in ways theyd never experienced.

Making this happen was UMAs dream when we were established back in 1971, long before those doors of opportunity were opened. You see, our founders knew there was potential for a larger and more diverse industry out there. One that could help people travel to all parts of our nation without cumbersome regulations and barriers that prevent buses from moving freely between states and Canadian jurisdictions.

But, the real winners of increased motorcoach travel are the cities and towns across America where we take visitors who spend not only dollars in the places they visit, but yen, euros, pounds, and every other currency in the world.

You see, the United States is still one of most attractive places to visit and vacation for people from every nation on earth. And, do you know how they get around to see our beautiful beaches, our majestic mountains, our enchanting forests, as well as places that honor our countrys great history like right here, Washington, D.C.? Thats right, by motorcoach.

But I would be remiss if I didnt address one more important element, safety.

Since UMA was established 43 years ago, weve fought tirelessly to build a strong and safe industry. I put emphasis on the word "safe" because safety isnt just a function within our business; it IS our business.

You see, people have options. They can fly to where theyre going. They can take the train. Or, they can simply hop in their car and drive to their destination.

We think, however, that we offer the best option, go by motorcoach!

Its not only a comfortable and hassle-free way to travel, but most of our buses today are equipped with Wi-Fi and 110-volt outlets on board so you can work and entertain yourself during your trip. But most importantly, we are the safest way to travel on Americas highways, bar none!

Today, more than 3,500 companies in the United States provide interstate bus and motorcoach transportation. Most are small businesses. In fact, 80-90 percent of the companies in our industry fall under the SBAs definition of a small business. They have fewer than 10 buses in their fleet.

The owner may have his or her name on the side of the bus. He or she may be driving, or at least be hands on with everything going on in the business, including involving family members with answering the phone, taking orders, maintaining the equipment and even washing the buses.

This is a great industry, and one that Im proud to say that Ive been part of it for more than 16 years.

Id like to thank Acting Deputy Transportation Secretary (Victor) Mendez and Administrator (Anne) Ferro for hosting this event today and for giving our industry the attention it deserves.