Malta buses face the end of the road

Before my recent visit to the small Mediterranean island of Malta, my colleagues advised me in advance to pay close attention to the iconic Maltese buses. Although they are being phased out of the public transportation system, they will certainly not be forgotten. Bus enthusiasts on a shopping spree in Valletta, the capital city and a UNESCO Heritage site itself, will be the first to spot the recurring motif of the bygone bus on postcards, key chains, refrigerator magnets and mouse pads, just to name a few of the souvenirs.

A vintage tour bus comes home

Restoring a vintage 1920s tour bus has become a labor of love for Herman Jones, owner of Mount Rushmore Tours in Rapid City, South Dakota. Jones first had the idea to restore an old bus back in 1970. Through the years Jones had refurbished a 1932 Ford five-window vehicle with a rumble seat that had been given to him in the 1960s, but he really wanted to restore a bus. He had seen a number of photos of original 1920s rag-top, 15-seat passenger tour buses that hauled passengers in the nearby Black Hills region.

Public image is important to BRT success

Without a doubt, image is important to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Sleek looking vehicles, rail-like stations, advanced technologies and a strong brand identity are just a few of the features that help communicate the message: This is not just a regular bus service.

Be cool with A/C maintenance

Summer is fast approaching, that time of year when a great number of bus and coach operators throughout the country must deal with air conditioning (HVAC) systems working their hardest.

Less is more

The proposal Destination Shuttle Services (DSS), Los Angeles, CA, first presented in 2000 was strong enough to convince 13 competing hotels within a 1-1/2-mile radius of Los Angeles International Airport to buy into its idea for a singular consolidated and fully integrated shuttle bus service.

Five percent of all passengers traveling by air utilize hotel shuttle services for convenient transport to and from the serving airports. Based on the economic report prepared for 2008 by the Air Transport Association, 769.2 million travelers flew nationwide, meaning that more than 38,460,000 people used hotel shuttle bus service. LAX represents only 6.8 percent of the total number of people who rely on this service.

Vendor-managed inventory: Just in time, not just in case

he current belt-tightened economic climate has created the need for public and private sector enterprises alike to explore new areas within their operations for cost-savings and improved efficiencies. At Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA), Rochester, NY, we are known for managing our mid-sized transit organization like a private business.

Gale Ellsworth looks to the future

Trailways president and CEO discusses the driving forces that have seen the transportation company through 75 hard-fought and successful years.

Historic Union Station still a gathering place for travelers

Standing stoically in Louisville, KY is historic Union Station, which has been the gathering place for bus and rail travelers for 120 years.

Motorcoaches stretch the limousine business

An emerging trend in the limousine industry has to do with companies investing in one or more full-size motorcoaches to accommodate clients requesting transportation for larger groups.

Turn about is fair trade for NABI

North American Bus Industries (NABI), Anniston, AL, recently unveiled the Sirius, a new NABI transit bus specially designed for the Hungarian bus market. While NABI is a major supplier of transit buses in the USA, in recent years its Hungarian operations have been limited to partially finished buses exported to the U.S. for final assembly. Hungarian dignitaries and NABI officials staged ceremonies in Kaposvár, Hungary, in September to commemorate the launch.