I recently visited Japan to meet operators and manufacturers. It was a fascinating experience, with many surprises. Until recently, with a very strong motor industry that features household names like Toyota, Honda, Isuzu and Mitsubishi, Japan was the second largest economy in the world. But now China has overtaken Japan, and it is clear the country is concerned about its much larger neighbor.
Technology is improving the ride for passengers and simplifying management tasks for transit operators at a very rapid pace. Wireless communication and embedded systems such as monitoring diagnostics and advanced GPS services are the new keys to improved bus capabilities.
It’s been a little over a year since I took over as president and CEO of VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio. In that time we have made good progress toward making this transit agency a multimodal system.
My passengers have been talking nearly every day about the Megabus accident a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know any more about the accident than what I read in the papers and online, so I’m not in a position to make any judgments about what the driver did or didn’t do. But accidents like this serve as a reminder to all of us drivers that we have to be vigilant at all times when we’re behind the wheel.
Retaining capable bus and coach drivers has always been a major challenge for motorcoach operators. In today’s travel market, however, retaining safe and qualified drivers is no longer enough. The most competent drivers also serve efficiently and effectively as safety experts, schedulers, technicians, ticket-takers, baggage handlers and customer service representatives.