Each year during United Motorcoach Association (UMA) Motorcoach EXPO, held this year in San Antonio, TX, BUSRide has the privilege to present the BUSRide Motorcoach Industry Achievement Award, which honors a UMA operator for exemplary vision, excellent work and significant accomplishment. This year, BUSRide Magazine was proud to honor San Antonio’s own June Bratcher, founder and CEO of Daisy Charters and Shuttles, for her praiseworthy achievements.
“Achievement” seems to be Bratcher’s middle name, having succeeded in careers like nursing and tour planning – and even found time to become an accomplished aviator – before diving headfirst into the motorcoach industry.
Her lifelong mantra has been, “assume nothing, deal with what’s in the way, and make it happen.”
Establishing and operating a successful motorcoach operation is no easy feat. But Bratcher made it happen, as her growing sightseeing and charter activities eventually drove her out of her home office and into her first bona-fide business with office space in downtown San Antonio.
Her 37-page “text-book quality” loan application to acquire her first motorcoaches stunned her banker, and thus began her next life as an operator in our industry.
Several years later she summoned her sons and daughters, who each stepped away from their respective careers, to grow the family business to include operations in multiple locations.
Always giving their very best to every customer, from sightseers to soldiers, they have continually demonstrated their ability to identify growth opportunities and expand.
She recently wrote her first book, which is filled with cautionary tales and inspiring best practices for all of us to heed.
Other awards presented at the luncheon included the UMA Safety Leader of the Year and the METRO Magazine Motorcoach Operator of the Year Award.