Asked how he fared through the worst of the recession, Ray Land says his customers have been struggling. Asked what he has done to keep his company solvent through tough times of late, he says he diversified to offer an alternative that would neither devalue his top-tier brand nor demean a certain cross section of his clientele.
Motorcoach financers remind operators to take time to reflect the hard times they have just been through and understand the game has changed. They say money is available, but the path ahead demands sound basic business with accountability like they have never seen. Credit processes are much more stringent than before.
Peter Pan operates a fleet of 250 coaches averaging six and a half years in age. Over the next few years the company plans to continue updating the entire fleet with the new graphics and update to the interior cabins.
The County Connection operates fixed-route and paratransit bus service throughout geographically and demographically diverse communities in California
As pastor of the Terrestrial Temple Church of God In Christ, Muncie, IN, and an active member of the Martin Luther King Dream Team, James Lawson has a keen sense of history and how it can inspire and motivate young people.
As the economic downturn continues, motorcoach companies of every size are experiencing its impact, doing what they can to weather the conditions. The more pro-active operators are exploring new markets and ways to retain existing customers. Added value is one such strategy.
Three years ago when the economy was beginning to show some promise, Daimler Buses North America, Greensboro, NC, could not have stated luxury any bolder than at the 2006 UMA Expo with its one word campaign. The dominant theme in the marketing and promotion of the Setra S 417, the word luxury leaps off the side of the floor model.
A little after the fact, but still a relevant case study on the logistics involved in troop movements. Lamers Bus Lines made history this past winter in Wisconsin when it moved a total of 3,500 National Guard troops over the course of eight hours.
The soldiers of the 32nd Brigade were headed to Camp Blanding, FL, to receive training prior to their eventual 11-month assignment in Iraq.
As 2010 approaches bus and motorcoach operators will read more and more about Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and the fluid that makes it work — diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). Contrary to the popular belief that DEF will be in short supply, Cummins, a manufacturer of diesel engines based in Columbus, IN, says this is not the case.
The Twin Cities campus is the oldest and largest in the University of Minnesota system serving more than 51,000 students. Its two separate campuses are five miles apart on either side of the Mississippi River, in Minneapolis on the west bank and St. Paul on the east bank.
I was looking at photos on Trailways Bus Driver Web site and came across the photo of the Super Golden Eagle. The picture was taken in December 2008. Does anyone know where the bus is located or have any info on who owns it?
It was owned and restored by Pete Wilson of Wilson’s Bus Co. in East Templeton, MA. Its mate (only four were built) sits unrestored at the Green Tortoise yard in southern Oregon.