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BUSLINE May/June 2012

MAy/JuNE 2012

Published byRankin Publishing, Inc.

www.buslinemag.comM A G A Z I N E

EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICES

Rankin Publishing Co., Inc.Don Rankin and Linda Rankin, Publishers

204 E. Main Street • P.O. Box 130Arcola, IL 61910-0130, USA

Email: [email protected]: www.rankinpublishing.com(800) 598-8083 (U.S.) • (217) 268-4959

Fax: (217) 268-4815

Editorial: Harrell Kerkhoff, EditorRick Mullen, Associate Editor

Design: David Opdyke

AdvertisingContact Kevin Kennedy @ 623-434-8959

Email: [email protected]

Don Rankin @ 800-598-8083Fax: 217-268-4815

Email: [email protected]

C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T SAUGUST 2012August 7-9

International Motor CoachGroup (IMG) Strategic

Alliance MeetingMinneapolis, MNInfo: 888-447-3466

August 14-16State Public TransportationPartnership Conference

Chicago, ILInfo: 202-496-4800

August 15-19National Association

Of Motorcoach Operators(NAMO)

Annual ConferenceNorfolk, VA

Info: 571-312-7117

August 27-28Midwest Bus & Motorcoach

AssociationAnnual Meeting and Driving

CompetitionGrand Rapids, MI Info: 608-354-7110

SEPTEMBER 2012September 11-12BusCon 2011Chicago, IL

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September 30 - October 3APTA Annual Meeting

Seattle, WAInfo: 202-496-4800

NOVEMBER 2012November 10-14

Canadian Urban TransitAssoc. (CUTA) Fall

Conference & Trans-ExpoQuebec City, QCInfo: 416-365-9800

JANUARY 2013January 5-9

American Bus Association Marketplace

Charlotte, NCInfo: 800-283-2877

January 19-23United Motorcoach

Association / NationalTour Association

Co-located ConventionsOrlando, FL

Info: 800-424-8262

Busline Magazine is published 6 times a year by Rankin Publishing, Inc., 204 E. Main, P.O. Box 130, Arcola, IL 61910-0130. Publisherassumes no liability whatsoever for content of any advertisement or editorial material contained herein. Copyright 2012 RankinPublishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written consentof Rankin Publishing, Inc. Subscription Rates in United States: 6 issues $25. Single Copy rate: $10 including postage/handling;Buyer’s Guide $15 including postage/handling. International rates: 6 issue annual Air Mail Subscription $60 U.S. dollars net

RAPID RESPONSE.....................................Page 6

INDUSTRY NEWS ...................................Page 45

ON THE COVER:Pictured are Sonoma Sterling Limousines owners Moira and Dan Bessette with the

company’s new 2012 Federal Coach Spirit 27. (Photo by George Wiltshire) See page 8.

IN THIS ISSUESonoma Sterling LimousinesServing California Wine Country ..........8

Public Transit Executives Continue To Attract Riders With Innovation & Improved Service ..........................20

Busline’s Buyers Guide To Software Systems............................40

Busline’s Buyers Guide To Chassis & Suspensions ...................42

CONTE

NTS

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MAy/JuNE 2012

Published byRankin Publishing, Inc.

www.buslinemag.comM A G A Z I N E

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ARBOC Specialty Vehicles www.arbocsv.com 44

Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison www.atlanticdda.com 25

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Freightliner www.freightlinerchassis.com 3

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Prevost Car www.prevostcar.com 7

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Read or Download Complete Issues Of Busline Magazine Online At: www.buslinemag.com

RBS, Inc. 36 • Paradigm Technology Consulting, LLC 37

Distinctive Systems 38 • Motorcoach Manager 39

Buyers Guide To Software Systems 40

MCI 34 ABC Companies 34 Proterra 35 GILLIG 35

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By Rick MullenBusline Magazine Associate Editor

Located in one of the most sought-after and beautiful tourist desti-nations on the planet, Sonoma

Sterling Limousines, of Santa Rosa, CA,has been delighting customers with toursof California Wine Country since 2006.Santa Rosa is located in Sonoma County,

about an hour’s drive north of SanFrancisco, which, along with the countiesof Napa, Mendocina and part of Lake, aregenerally thought of as California WineCountry. Today, there are more than 1,200wineries in Northern California, makingsome of the finest wines in the world.Tourists visiting the area for wine tours,weddings and corporate events comprisethe majority of Sonoma Sterling’s busi-ness.“The news came out several years ago

that wine is good for your health and therehas been more and more media attentiontoward the wine industry in recent times,”said Sonoma Sterling LimousinesPresident/owner Dan Bessette during a

recent interview withBusline Magazine. “This areais incredibly beautiful and it is a

desired location for tourism. Evenduring the downturn of 2008/2009, we stillhad the advantage of people who said, ‘Wewere going to go to Hawaii, but we don’twant to spend that much money — let’s goto Wine Country.”

A Part-time Job And An Idea Results In A Full-Fledged Business

While working full time as a lawenforcement officer in SonomaCounty in the early 2000s, an

acquaintance of Bessette asked him if hewould be interested in doing some part-time work as a chauffeur.“As I began to chauffeur, I found I real-

ly enjoyed the people, the interaction withfolks and being around Wine Country,”Bessette remembered. “I was workingweddings and wine tours, among otherevents. I liked the fact that everybody washaving a good time, and I was able tohelp.”

After about a year and a half, Bessettebegan thinking chauffeur work might besomething he would enjoy doing when heretired. He nurtured those thoughts in theback of his mind and, as he approachedretirement, he began making some in -quiries about getting into the transportationbusiness.“In 2006, we were on a family vacation

in Disneyland and I knew that one of themanufacturers of limousines was just ashort distance away,” Bessette said. “I vis-ited the company, looked at their cars andwas pretty excited seeing the new stretchesand other vehicles.”During the visit, Bessette mentioned he

was thinking about getting into the limobusiness. He was told the failure rate ofnew businesses in the field was 50 percent;therefore, in order to purchase a limo, hewould need credit references and otherrequired paperwork.“When they found out I was employed

and made a decent income, that was great,but as soon as I said I am going to be oper-ating in the Napa/Sonoma area, they said,‘Sign right here, you can have the car. You


Sonoma Sterling LimousinesServing California Wine Country

Santa Rosa, CA

Owners Dan & Moira Bessette

Driver David Gray


are in Wine Country, and you aren’t goingto have a problem.’”The limo manufacturer helped Bessette

submit the required paperwork, etc., to getstarted.“They said, ‘We will help you with all

that,’” Bessette said. “The whole thingkind of snowballed on me. The next thing I

knew — a month later — I owned a newlimousine.“I was still working full time, but I was

doing some runs on my days off and foundthat I enjoyed it as much as I did earlier. Igot some good advice and I decided toincorporate the company, and we set it upas a home-based business.”At first, while still working full-time in

law enforcement (he retired in 2007),Bessette picked up whatever work hecould, working with other companies. One

plus was his new limo, which was attrac-tive to many companies, as there weren’tvery many new limos available.“I kind of just stumbled along for a cou-

ple of years trying to put the businesstogether and learn the industry,” he said.“Another company offered to let me tostore my vehicle with its vehicle. I was

always very interested in Wine Countryand the wineries. I enjoyed the subject agreat deal and wanted to learn more. “After a couple of years of running my

company and doing the majority of thedriving, I was able to hire another driver tohelp me.”In 2008, just two short years after

Bessette embarked on his new businessventure, the worst economic downturnsince the Great Depression of the 1930sdevastated the U.S. economy — an event

that could have been a death knell for thefledgling company.“When the recession struck, even here in

our area where tourism is always good,people were taking some real substantialhits,” Bessette said. “Fortunately, I hadn’tgotten in over my head. I was watching thetrends and I noticed that as money began

to be tight, peoplewere leaning moretoward cheaper tran -sportation.”In observing the

trends during therecession, Bessettenoticed that othercompanies were

transporting people to wineries and hotelsin the area in vans, rather than in limou-sines — a cheaper option for customers. Asa result, Bessette purchased the company’ssecond vehicle — a van.“After purchasing the van, I found out

my observations were correct,” Bessettesaid. “Our limousine held 8 customers, andwe were receiving calls from people whohad 9 to 12 people in their groups. The vancould accommodate these groups for lesscost than a limousine.


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“Also, during the same time period,there were a number of distressed limou-sine companies trying to sell their cars. Wewere very fortunate to be able to pick upanother limousine at a very attractive price.The acquisition of these additional vehiclesactually made the company grow, becausewe had more vehicles to offer.”As Sonoma Sterling Limousines contin-

ued to grow and purchase vehicles,Bessette was busy driving, answering thephone and cleaning and servicing vehicles.His wife, Sonoma Sterling LimousinesSecretary of the Corporation and partowner Moira Bessette, who was workingfull-time as a freelance journalist and edi-tor, helped out as much as she could.During the recession, her income as a jour-nalist began to decline.“I brought her on to work in the office as

my reservation and marketing person andso forth,” Bessette said. “Then we startedto notice it was good business being able toput more attention into people’s itinerariesand communicating with customers bysending emails back and forth, etc.”The Bessettes realized right away that

the company really needed to make the

position Moira Bessette was filling a full-time job. In the end, the “negative” of hereroding income in journalism became acrucial “positive” for Sonoma Sterling,improving the company in several areas,including improving customer service in abig way.“The nice thing was that, as my print

journalism work began declining, therewas more of a need for my time and effortat Sonoma Sterling Limousines,” MoiraBessette said. “At one point, I was workingabout 25 hours per week at both jobs. Thisgradual shift happened over the course ofabout four years. I still continue to do occa-sional work as a freelance editor andwriter. My last assignment for The NewYork Times was earlier this year.”As the company grew and more vehicles

were added, Sonoma Sterling Limousinesmoved into a facility large enough toaccommodate an office and ample space tostore vehicles.“Today, we are up to 10 vehicles. We

have the facility to store them, providemaintenance and stock all of our supplies,”Dan Bessette said. “We also have facilitieshere for drivers. It has all kind of gradual-

ly come together. We are very fortunate tohave experienced consistent growth from2006 until today.”

Taking Pride In An Attractive Fleet

Most people have heard the say-ing, “The devil is in the details.”Whether it stems from his col-

lege job as a detail man in a car lot, or hiscareer as a law enforcement officer, wherepaying attention to details in dress, conductand investigations is critical, Bessette is adetail kind of guy when it comes to run-ning his business.He is detailed-minded in the appearance

of the company’s drivers — he’s beenknown to remind drivers that the shine ontheir shoes needs a little attention — andthe appearance of Sonoma Sterling’s vehi-cles.“Even though I have somebody cleaning

the majority of my vehicles, when I want torelax and get my mind off of things, I’ll goout and wash and wax a vehicle,” Bessettesaid. “Initially, with black vehicles, Iwould wash them with city water. Then, Iwould have to completely dry them or


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blow dry them, because the city water leftspots. Now I use deionized water, solvingthe water spots problem. “We had somebody in here recently

doing some maintenance on our vehiclesand he said, ‘I’ve done work on a lot ofvehicles around the county and yours areby far the nicest and best maintained.’“Early on, when I was working part time

with other companies, I was always sur-prised at the way people maintained theirvehicles. I think there is kind of a mindsetout there with some folks that if the car ormotorcoach is rolling, it is going to makemoney and they want to keep it rolling. “I’ve heard drivers tell about going

down the highway and the brakes on thevehicle they were operating failed. I’veheard stories about water leaking throughthe ceilings of vehicles. I’ve been told Ispend too much money on maintenance,but my nightmare is somebody calling andsaying one of our vehicles broke down onthe road.”Sonoma Sterling drivers are trained to

alert the company if something isn’t righton a vehicle they are operating. “A driver might come back and say, ‘I

noticed the car is pulling a little to theright.’ In these cases, we look right into itand get it fixed,” Bessette said. “It isexpensive, but with the number of milesthese vehicles travel a year, you have tostay on top of maintenance.”

Great Location And The ‘Boom-Boom’

In addition to serving Wine Country,Sonoma Sterling vehicles can be seenthroughout the entire Bay Area trans-

porting people to the region’s many andvaried sights and attractions, many ofwhich are known worldwide.“We are very fortunate to be located in

Wine Country, and servicing the regionaccounts for a majority of our business,”Bessette said. “People come here from allover the world. However, we also serve theentire Bay Area. We pick up people as farsouth as San Jose, about two hours away.We travel to the East Bay and we will pickup people in Sacramento (the state capital),which is a couple of hours east.“We are also fortunate to have several

professional sport teams in the Bay Area,including the Golden State Warriors and

Sacramento Kings of the NationalBasketball Association, the San Francisco49ers and Oakland Raiders of the NationalFootball League and the San FranciscoGiants and Oakland A’s of Major LeagueBaseball.“There is also a lot of entertainment

available in the Bay Area. We take a lot offolks down to San Francisco for shows,concerts, nights out on the town, etc.”In addition to looking great, Sonoma

Sterling vehicles also offer convenient andenjoyable amenities to enhance customers’tour experience and safety.While Sonoma Sterling primarily oper-

ates various types of limousines, vans, carsand SUVs, the company has recently addedtwo Federal Coach motorcoaches to itsfleet of vehicles.“We purchased a Federal Coach party

bus a couple of years ago, which is a verypopular vehicle with our customers,”Bessette said. “We use it on trips to SanFrancisco and for wine tours. People likethe convenience of being able to walk andstand in a vehicle — to have enough roomto move around. The Federal Coach partybus has a nice stereo system and is very


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comfortable, etc. We get a lot of bookingsfor this motorcoach.”This year, Sonoma Sterling also pur-

chased a new Federal Coach Spirit 27black coach after seeing one on display atthe International LCT Show in Las Vegas,NV. The LCT tradeshow focuses on limou-sine, charter and tour operators, accordingto www.lctshow.com.“Our older Federal is very dependable

and it fits our needs very well,” Bessettesaid. “I have been pleased with it from day1. Therefore, when I went to the LCT showand saw the new coach, I knew I wanted topurchase another Federal Coach. I talkedwith some salesmen who were very helpfuland informative. I liked the people whowere selling the bus, and I liked the bus.“People like the fact that the Federal

Spirit coach is equipped with seat belts.More and more people are asking us, ‘Doesyour bus have seat belts?’ Each seat in themotorcoach has a seat belt and people feelsecure riding in the bus.“They also like the Spirit’s stereo sys-

tem, in which customers can plug in theiriPods. Many people like to listen to theirown music while on a wine tour.Everybody carries their own music nowa-

days; therefore, the iPod connection is abig deal. The coach is also equipped withTVs and a public address system.”Bessette explained the PA system is not

only convenient to communicate with pas-sengers, but it is also a safety feature. ThePA allows the operator to communicatewith passengers without diverting hisattention from the road. “We have equipped the older Federal bus

with a nice stereo and sub-woofers — I callit the ‘boom-boom,’” Bessette said. “Thekids like the ‘boom-boom.’“People also like the full beverage bars

in some of our vehicles that offer cocktailglasses and champagne flutes and plenty ofstorage room. Sometimes passengers askus to fill the beverage containers full of iceand so they can bring on board theirfavorite beverages.”The Federal coaches also have available

storage areas that passengers take advan-tage of in storing wine they purchase dur-ing the wine tours.“People, especially in larger groups, will

buy cases of wine and we store them andkeep them somewhat cool,” Bessette said.“Just one afternoon in the trunk of a vehi-cle in 90-degree heat can ruin several hun-

dred dollars worth of wine. The wine willget warm and force the cork out of the bot-tle. People really appreciate that we cankeep their wine at a temperature that willnot cause any problems.”Sonoma Sterling purchased the new

Federal Coach from Creative Bus Sales ofChino, CA.“(Dan Bessette’s) vision of growth for his

company through these tough economictimes has been made possible through thelocal relationships he has with his clients,and his willingness to work to meet theirneeds,” said Jon Fink of Creative BusSales. “I look forward to a longstandingpartnership with Sonoma Sterling as it con-tinues to grow.”Federal Coach is a division of Forest

River, Inc., and a Berkshire HathawayCompany. Federal Coach manufactures afull line of shuttle and limousine buses rang-ing in capacity from 12 to 45 passengers.Forest River, Inc., acquired Federal

Coach’s bus division located in Fort Smith,AR, on Dec. 31, 2009. Forest River beganbuilding the Federal Coach product inJanuary 2010 in its 100,000 square-footstate-of-the-art production and paint facili-ties in Goshen, IN.

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Customer Service — Reliability Is The Name Of The Game

One of the things that attractedBessette to the motorcoach andlimo business was that most peo-

ple he served were happy and in a festivemood. After all, these folks were antici-pating enjoying a tour of Wine Country,or attending a wedding, or traveling to anight on the town.While one of the challenges for a com-

pany like Sonoma Sterling is to leave cus-tomers with a smile on their face whenthe trip is completed, it is also importantto make sure they are well taken care ofbefore they ever board a vehicle.“The biggest aspect of customer serv-

ice is that people want reliability,”Bessette said. “Many people tell us theyhave repeatedly called companies thatpromise to get back to them, but don’t.Customers say to us, ‘We just can’t havethat. We want to deal with a company thatis on the ball.’ Sometimes people can’tbelieve it when they call us and a real per-son answers the phone. They will oftensay, ‘Is this an answering service?’ We

say, ‘No, this is Sonoma SterlingLimousines,’ a revelation that surprisesthem.”Bessette explained that when cus-

tomers outline what they want for a tour

or a wedding, events that most often havea large set of logistics to handle, SonomaSterling is quick to follow up.“Within a few minutes, the customer

will receive an email confirmation fortheir review, to make sure all of thedetails of what the customer required arein order,” Bessette said. “They like thatlevel of communication and attentivenessto detail. We want people to be confidentthat they can call us, give us the details ofwhat they want, and then forget about it. “Our drivers always show up early. We

have drivers contact customers as soon as

they are in the area. This high level ofcommunication is really important.We’ve had a lot of folks say, ‘I did bookwith one company, but I sent them emailsand called them a couple of times and

never heard anything back from them.This kind of service scares me, and I wantto deal with somebody else.’”To provide the best in personalized

service, Sonoma Sterling employs 11part-time drivers, and 3 people in theoffice who answer phones, handle emails,and stay on top of the logistics end of thebusiness.“We have an independent person who

comes in and washes the vehicles,”Bessette said. “I do a certain amount ofmaintenance and I also use local mechan-ics to help me. I also still jump behind the

“Many people tell us they have repeatedly called companies that promise to get back to them, but don’t. Customers say to us, ‘We just

can’t have that. We want to deal with a company that is on the ball.’”

May/June 2012 BUSLINE



wheel and drive.”As one might imagine, the company’s

drivers must be efficient at many cus-tomer service tasks other than just driv-ing a vehicle.“The service aspect of being a driver is

tremendous,” Bessette said. “They mustkeep track of the client’s itinerary. Theymust make sure the folks who are ridingin their motorcoach or limousine are get-ting everything they want, and they mustbe able to anticipate what the client mightwant next.”To illustrate the level of Sonoma

Sterling’s commitment to service andcustomer satisfaction, Bessette told thestory of a recent wine tour trip for whichhe was the driver.“The wine tour was planned to arrive

in the Napa Valley at 11 a.m. to visit awinery that was having a big event wherethere was a big crowd,” Bessette said.“The problem was, the group was alsoscheduled to travel to another winery toattend a wine tasting that was set up forthem at noon.”The tour group was concerned that

when they left the event at the first win-ery to attend the tasting, it would be a

hassle to return and get back into theevent.“Before we began the tour, I called the

second winery and asked if it was possi-ble to move up the tasting from noon to11 a.m. The winery folks agreed toreschedule the tasting and I told them, ‘Iwill have the group on your doorstep at11 o’clock.“The client who booked the tour for the

group turned to me and said, ‘I think weare going to have to cancel our appoint-ment for the tasting. The logistics are justnot going to work out.’ I said, ‘I called thewinery and moved your appointment upan hour. You can attend the wine tasting,and then I will take you to the wineryhaving the big event. You can spend therest of the day there.’ As a driver, youreally have to stay on top of meeting andanticipating customers’ needs.”When considering hiring a driver,

Bessette seeks people who are knowl-edgeable of the wine industry as peopletaking wine tours typically ask many

questions. “It is helpful to be knowledgeable

about the wine regions and why they pro-duce certain wines,” Bessette said. “Forexample, the Russian River Valley inSonoma County produces predominatelychardonnay and pinot noir wines. Theregion is near the ocean and, no matter

how warm it gets during the day, at nightthe cool air comes in off the ocean andcools everything down. This is exactlywhat the grapes grown there need.“In addition to having excellent driv-

ing skills, we are looking for drivers whoare confident, but not arrogant, and pos-sess ‘people’ skills. We want our clients

to immediately get the impression thattheir driver is friendly, but not overlyintrusive. We want warm, friendly,down-to-earth folks who can related tothe general public and give them a niceride. We want people who have the will-ingness to serve people — they are noteasy to find.”

Growing The Company Without Losing The Personal Touch

Sonoma Sterling Limousines hasgrown significantly during the pastseveral years from a one-car, one-

man operation. In managing growth,Bessette has been careful to maintainthe personal touch with customersthat he feels separates the companyfrom the competition.“We are getting pretty close to the

size that we want to be,” Bessettesaid. “We are dedicated to that personalservice and developing relationships. Weseek to develop as many relationships aspossible with our clients so they feelcomfortable calling us. Relationships arevery important to us, and we don’t wantto grow so big that we lose that aspect.“I started the company with a desire to

provide extraordinary service. I think thereason for our success is I try very hard toinstill the same philosophy of service inall my drivers and the people who answerthe phones. “The desire to serve and to communi-

cate seem to be kind of a lost skill inmodern times. Everything is done elec-

“Our drivers always show up early. We have driverscontact customers as soon as they are in the area.This high level of communication is really important.”

“The desire to serve and to communicate seem tobe kind of a lost skill in modern times. Everythingis done electronically and impersonally. We findthat a lot of people are very attracted to the personal end of our business.”

Sonoma Sterling Limousines takes great

pride in its attractive, well-maintained

fleet of vehicles.



tronically and impersonally. We find that a lot of people arevery attracted to the personal end of our business.”It is not unusual for people to request a certain driver they

have had a good experience with on a past trip. Clients feelthey a have personal relationship with a driver who they trustwill take care of them.“We put a lot of emphasis and focus on developing these

driver/client relationships,” Bessette said. “In addition, wemaintain our vehicles at the highest level so people who arepaying for our services will feel they are getting top value.“People ask me, ‘How did you ever go from law enforcement

to this business?’ I joke and tell them, ‘I’ve been driving peo-ple around my whole life. Now, the people I’m transporting arehaving so much more fun than the people who used to ride withme. I had some pretty disgruntled folks in my vehicle manytimes when I was in law enforcement, but now everybodyseems to be pretty happy at the end of the day.’”

Contact: Sonoma Sterling Limousines, Inc., P.O. Box 12206, Santa Rosa, CA 95406. Phone: 707-542-5444; Fax 707-542-5448.Email: [email protected]: www.sonomasterlinglimo.com.

Stertil ALM Honored AsBusiness Of The Year

Stertil-Koni USA, Inc. has announced that its U.S. manufacturingfacility, located in Streator, IL, has received the coveted“Manufacturing/Industrial Business of the Year” award from theStreator Area Chamber of Commerce.The honor, which was

recently presented at theChamber’s 100th YearAnnual Meeting in Stre -ator, IL, is designed to rec-ognize and applaud out-standing business org -anizations within thegreater Streator area. According to the

Chamber, this award is anopportunity to review thebest business practices ofsuccessful entrepreneursand to set a benchmarkfor others. Criteria for theaward, which was present-ed to Doug Grunnet, former President of Streator ALM, is based onoutstanding growth or growth potential, outstanding management,excellence in customer service, community involvement and entre-preneurial spirit.

Pictured are Doug Grunnet (left) and

Allan Pavlick at Stertil ALM.


Recognized two times in recent years(2000 and 2005) as the best public tran-sit system of its size by the American

Public Transportation Associa tion (APTA),Laketran serves the Lake County,OH, area, offering fixed-route,paratransit and commuter expressservices. Laketran’s home base isPainesville Township, just east ofCleveland on Lake Erie.“We are located half-way

between downtown Clevelandand Erie, PA,” said LaketranGeneral Manager Ray Jur -kowski. “Our most popular service isour complementary paratransit service, which iscommonly known as Dial-a-Ride, followed bylocal in-county fixed-route service. We alsooffer commuter express service into downtownCleveland from six park and ride lots located inthe suburban area.”Laketran provided 742,583 rides in 2011 and

ridership thus far this year is up 8.6 percent com-pared to 2011. Laketran operates 112 buses, 22motorcoaches, and 74 paratransit vans. It oper-ates six local in-county fixed routes and fivecommuter express routes to Cleveland. The tran-sit system provides 18 daily departures intoCleveland for commuters Monday throughFriday.

“As high gas prices have increased thetrend of ‘staycations,’ Laketran is expandingits commuter express service times to encour-age day trips into the Cleveland metropolitanarea to visit local attractions and Ohio’s firstcasino, which was scheduled to open May 14,”Jurkowski said. “We are encouraged by nine

consecutive months of ridership growth. This isvery positive. I think it’s a reflection that theeconomy is getting better and people are goingback to work.

“Our major market segments areseniors, people with disabilities,caregivers, college students andCleveland commuters. Laketran haspartnerships with local communitycolleges to provide free rides to col-lege students. It also partners withmany municipalities, human service

providers, and senior centers to provideDial-a-Ride transportation as a billable

service. “In 2011, Laketran also provided over 17,000

trips through a Medicaid Transportation programfor free transportation to medical appointments.” A true reflection of the economy, as well as

one major demographic shift — the aging ofAmerica’s Baby Boomers— has helped improve thepopularity of Laketran’sDial-a-Ride service. In -deed, Lake County, with anoverall population of230,000, is home to one ofOhio’s largest senior popu-lations.Laketran officials are

proud of what they say isthe transit company’s repu-tation, both locally andnationally, of providingsolid service to citizenswith disabilities above andbeyond what is required by

the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990(ADA).According to the company, when Laketran

merged with Special Transportation Services(STS) in 1986, it did not establish limitations onwhich citizens would have access to the service.This was a visionary decision long before theADA was enacted into law.Today, Laketran still maintains its proud tradi-

tion of providing complementary paratransitservice “above and beyond” the minimumrequirements of the ADA. Seniors and peoplewith disabilities can take Laketran’s Dial-a-Rideservice anywhere in Lake County and travel isnot restricted to within 3/4 mile of a local fixedroute. This distance is the federally mandatedstandard of measurement for transit systemsacross the United States to use to determine para-transit eligibility.In addition, Laketran provides Dial-a-Ride


By Harrell Kerkhoff & Rick Mullen Busline Magazine

While the sluggish American economy is showing some signs of improving, officials of four public transportation entitiesrecently interviewed by Busline Magazine share how their respective agencies are continually in proactive mode to enhance andimprove services to attract riders.The public transit executives spoke of being optimistic and excited about the future of public transportation as they seek new

and innovative ways to meet the needs of their customers, despite, in many cases, funding headaches.



customers with door-to-door versus curb-to-curbservice at a reduced fare below the allowablestandard of twice the regular fixed-route fare.Seniors can also begin using Dial-a-Ride at age60, not having to wait until they are 65. Dial-a-Ride is also available to the general public at apremium fare.As an extra and unique added service,

Laketran has a community outreach specialist onstaff. The transit system’s TravelTraining initiative provides one-on-one and group travel trainingto people with disabilities, sen-iors, students in transition andnew residents. The primary goalof the Travel Training program isto educate people on fixed-routetransportation.

“We have found many peo-ple are reluctant to try publictransportation because theyhave a natural fear of theunknown,” Jurkowski said.“In order to accommodatethat, our community outreachspecialist is available to visit people in theirhomes to provide instruction on how to useLaketran.”Although not limited to the elderly and people

with physical or mental challenges, along withcaretakers, the Travel Training is especially help-ful to people who fall into these categories.“Our outreach specialist works with both the

customer and the caretaker to plan how to use thetransit system, including Dial-a-Ride, when need-ed,” Jurkowski said. “The outreach specialist willoffer to take the caretaker, as well as the cus-tomer, on a free trip to familiarize them with howto use the service.”By opening the door for many people, particu-

larly the elderly and disabled, to ride the bus ontheir own, the Travel Training program also freesup time for caretakers.“It has worked out well for us because as peo-

ple become more aware, educated and comfort-able using Laketran, they oftentimes get to theplace where they don’t need the caretaker tocome along with them,” Jurkowski said. “Theend result is more independence and mobility formany customers.“Caretakers come from the entire economic

spectrum, from blue collar to white collar work-ers. Many times they don’t have the ability to takeoff work to take someone to medical appoint-ments. Through the Travel Training program, weare able to give caretakers a sense that there is analternative. We provide a high level of personal-ized customer service along these lines.”Not resting on its laurels, Laketran is constant-

ly seeking how to better meet the public trans-portation needs of its customers and the area itserves.“We have secured a federal grant to conduct a

comprehensive operational analysis and to devel-op a 10-year transportation plan,” Jurkowski said.

“We currently have a tax levy that provides about70 percent of our revenue. This tax levy will endin July 2014. In preparation for when the tax levyends, we are taking a look at all the services weprovide to see if we can fine-tune and streamlinethem to make Laketran as efficient as we possiblycan. We will be asking the community what itsexpectations of Laketran are over the next 10years. We will work with the community to

develop a transportation plan tomeet its expectations.”Jurkowski said the operational

analysis would include lookinginto transitioning Laketran fromoffering its traditional three coreservices — Dial-a-Ride, fixed-route and commuter express — tobecoming more of what he calls“a manager of mobility.”“What I mean by ‘a manager

of mobility’ is looking outsidejust these three products and serv-ices to how we can help peoplewith van pools or car pools, forexample,” Jurkowski said. “We

want to look at our system from an out-of-the-boxperspective to see whether or not things like routedeviation or flex routing work. In addition, wewant to explore other unique concepts so that wecan try to stay creative and innovative in order tomeet the various transportation demands that peo-ple have.“This is a big step for us, to move from just

providing traditional forms of transportation intolooking at how to be a mobility manager thatoffers and facilitates access to other kinds of serv-ices that we haven’t typically provided.”Technology also has a significant role to play

in planning for the future. Currently, Laketran’sDial-a-Ride system is equipped with GPS andAVL technology.“We are now doing the same thing with our

fixed-route and commuter express,” Jurkowskisaid. “This includes technological enhancementssuch as real-time arrival information and allow-ing customers to go online and book their ownDial-a-Ride trips. “While funding is tight on the operating side,

we are looking for advancements in all this newtechnology, trying to make it more convenient forcustomers to use public transportation.”One of the main thrusts of Laketran’s trans-

portation plan will be to always meet the needs ofriders.“In this transportation plan, about 40 percent of

the study is really geared toward trying to under-stand the community’s expectations of Laketran,”Jurkowski said. “There will be surveys, focusgroups and interviews conducted in order to try toleave no stone unturned as to what the transporta-tion needs are in our service area.”As Laketran plans for the future, financial

challenges are an ever-present part of the overallpicture.

“When you look at what makes public

transportation successful, it is really a part-nership between three levels of government —federal, state and local,” Jurkowski said. “From2000, all the way through 2011, the state has cut85 percent on its investment in public transporta-tion. We’ve also been waiting through nine con-tinuing resolutions for the federal government topass another multi-year transportation law. “Therefore, with two of our major partners,

the state and federal governments, there’s a lot ofuncertainty about what is going to be the trans-portation policy associated with our funding lev-els. “On the local level here, the good news is we

have been experiencing about 23 months of con-secutive growth in the sales tax (a source of localfunding for the system, in addition to fares).However, we are still 3 percent below where wewere in 2007.”One of the goals of creating the 10-year plan

is to move from a mode of crisis management toone of planning for the future.“In the crisis management stage, we were able

to put together a financial recovery plan, whichcut operating expenses across the board anddeveloped some outside revenues. This kept ourhead above water,” Jurkowski said. “Now ouremphasis is on looking into the future and formu-lating a transportation plan.”In looking down the road, Jurkowski sees

some trends that are going to make public trans-portation even more significant and attractive tothe public.“As we look to the future, we are seeing an

aging population. An aging population is goingto become more dependent on public transporta-tion as many people will not be able or will wantto drive anymore,” Jurkowski said. “There isalso the issue of the price of gasoline. In 2011Americans spent approximately 8.4 percent oftheir household income on gasoline, compared toabout 6.7 percent the year before. “I don’t think we are going to be looking at

significantly lower gasoline prices in the future.As the price of gas continues to consume a sig-nificant amount of people’s household income,the public is going to be looking for choices.”Other factors that will continue to make pub-

lic transportation a significant issue in the futureinclude the competition for caregivers’ time andthe issue of mobility and independence for theelderly, especially those with disabilities.“There is also competition among communi-

ties. Many communities are making themselvesmore livable and pedestrian friendly,” Jurkowskisaid. “Progressive communities are looking intotying in their land use planning to what they seeas demographic trends.“I think things are moving away from mini-

mansions on 10-acre lots. With household sizescoming down in the future and an aging popula-tion, there is a potential for rebirth of urbanareas. Some communities are putting in placesmart growth principles that encourage futureresidential, commercial, industrial and institu-

Laketran General Manager

Ray Jurkowski



tional development along major roadways. Theseare factors that bode well for public transporta-tion.

“When I started in the industry in 1973, itreally looked rosy. It was like three partnersgoing to happy hour — me (at the local level),the feds, and the state — all saying to oneanother, ‘We have this great opportunity tobuild public transit in the United States.’ So,we all agreed to help one another in our fund-ing. In the late 1970s and early ’80s, the feder-al government provided 50 percent of ouroperating expenses. Somehow it is time to getthese partners (the state and federal govern-ments) back together again and say, ‘Wait aminute guys, your contribution to the part-nership is not being sustained.’ “It is time to get those partners involved again.

I think the way you do that is to work with thecommunity in a grass roots-on-up effort. It isimportant to tell the story that people are expect-ing public transit to play a bigger role, and bemuch more attractive as an alternative to theautomobile.”It goes without saying that Laketran’s past and

future success is a direct result of the profession-alism and commitment of its employees.“Our employees are the front-line people who

are the face of the organization in dealing withthe customers. This is where your reputationactually gets made,” Jurkowski said. “We tell our

employees, ‘It really comes down to one basicrule. Follow this rule and you don’t have toworry about labor contracts, policies, proceduresand operations manuals — treat people like youlike to be treated. If you follow this one rule, youare going to be golden, no matter what you do.

“If you treat the customer like you wantsomeone to treat a member of your family,then you are providing the kind of customerservice that we expect for you to provide.’”

Contact: Laketran, 555 Lakeshore Blvd.,Painesville Township, OH 44077.

Phone: 888-LAKETRAN.Website: www.laketran.com.

Serving the transportation needs of theSalem-Keizer, OR,area, as well as Marion

and Polk counties, is Salem-Keizer Transit. The publictransit system’s home base isin the city of Salem, the statecapital. Keizer is a suburbof Salem. The transit system is also

known as Cherriots. Cherr -iots provides fixed-route bus service withinSalem and Keizer with connections toWilsonville and Grand Ronde.“Cherriots is the name of our fixed-route

service that we operate in the urban growth

boundary,” said Salem-Keizer TransitDirector of Transportation DevelopmentStephen Dickey. “(Urban growth boundary) isthe term that is utilized to designate the urban-ized areas for metropolitan planning and landuse development and is an Oregon requirement.Our main service boundaries are within thisarea.”At one time, Salem was known as the Cherry

City. When the fixed-route transit system beganin the mid-1960s, it was run by the city ofSalem.“There were many cherry orchards in and

around Salem at one time,” Dickey explained.“Now, much of what used to be cherry orchardsare housing developments. When the city of

Salem operated the transit system,there was a contest to name the bussystem. The winning name com-bined the theme of a cherry and theconcept of a Roman chariot. Thus,the name ‘Cherriots’ was chosen.“We operate in both urban and

rural areas, but the largest portion isin the urbanized area. Our serviceregion, inside the urban growth

boundary, has about 206,000 people. If you pickup the additional areas, we are closer to 300,000in our service area. We also have connectingservice that goes north with connections direct-ly to Tri-Met (Tri-County Metropolitan



Transportation District) in Portland, OR. We areonly about an hour south of Portland. There’s apretty significant commuter exchange betweenthe two areas. Overall, we operate 24 routes,most of which are in town.”Salem-Keizer Transit’s para-transit system

is called “CherryLift” and is an origin-to-des-tination transportation service for peoplewhose disability prevents them from using theCherriots buses occasionally or not at all. Inaddition, Cherriots’ Rideshare helps peoplefind easy and cost-effective ways to getaround town by working with individuals andemployers.“We oversee the Rideshare programs that tie

individuals to car and van pools and programsthat encourage walking, bicycling, tele-com-muting, etc.,” Dickey said. “We don’t actuallyoperate these services, but we have staff mem-bers who work to facilitate connecting busi-nesses, agencies and employees to theseoptions.“We also oversee a Medicaid brokerage pro-

gram. We have contracts with 30-plusproviders that do non-emergency transport aswell, and we operate the call center for this inconjunction with our other services.”Salem-Keizer Transit promotes an in-house

culture among employees that emphasizes“people” skills, both in the customer servicedepartment and among operators.

“When hiring operators, we really look atpeople skills,” Dickey said. “With rareexceptions, we can teach pretty much any-body how to drive a bus; however, it is peo-ple skills that we are looking for, becauseoperators are the face of our organization.”Salem-Keizer Transit strives to instill an atti-

tude of pride, reinforcing thateach employee represents thecompany, on or off duty, in theirdaily lives. Salem-Keizeremploys about 186 people, ofwhich 98 are operators.About one-half of Salem-

Keizer’s fleet uses CNG (com-pressed natural gas), while theother half is fueled by cleanburn diesel. The transit systemoperates 53 buses during peakservice times.“We have been using CNG

since the late 1990s,” Dickeysaid. “Our board is in theprocess of considering a for-mal fuel path. It looks likethey are going to be leaning toward a splitfuel path policy so that we don’t have to bedependent on one type of fuel or the other. Ifthat is their decision, then we will maintain try-ing to balance the fleet with half using CNGand the other half using clean burn diesel.“The strategy of using both types of fuel is to

give us an option when there is volatility in fuelpricing, either on the natural gas side or on the

diesel side. There are also infrastructureaspects to consider. For example, by using twotypes of fuel, if we lose the ability to provideone type, we will still have the ability to oper-ate using the other type of fuel.”When it comes to marketing, Salem-Keizer

utilizes several resources, including traditionaladvertising options. “We are also using social media quite exten-

sively, such as Face -book and Twit ter,”Dickey said. “In addi-tion, we are also uti-lizing our website,trying to focus on ourprint material. Wehave our brochuresand our reports, etc.,online. We are cur-rently in the processof selecting a contrac-tor to do a completeremake of our web-site. When the remake is completed, we willhave an interactive, functional and up-to-datesite. “We also take advantage of being part of

as many local community events, businessexpos, etc. Salem-Keizer Transit is active invarious community organizations and activ-ities such as chambers of commerce, Rotaryclubs and economical development groups.Being active in these groups helps spread themessage that Salem-Keizer Transit is a partof the communities it serves and is a viablepart of what makes a community healthy.We look for opportunities to spread theword about Salem-Keizer Transit.”

A dilemma that many transitorganizations around the coun-try face is as the down econo-my, high gas prices, traffic con-gestion, environmental sustain-ability, an aging population andother issues have brought thebenefits of public transit tolight, lack of funding is makingit difficult to expand and/orimprove services. Indeed, the down economy is

a two-edged sword. As house-hold expenses, such as forgasoline, rise and familyincomes are under stress, morepeople tend to look at trans-portation options, such as rid-

ing the bus. However, the down economy hasleft many people unemployed and unable toride that bus at all. In addition, the down econ-omy has negatively impacted funding for trans-portation from cash-strapped local, state andfederal government sources.“Right now our biggest challenge is opera-

tional funding. Unfortunately, during the pastcouple of years, we have taken a step back-

wards,” Dickey said. “Currently, we are onlyoperating Monday through Friday. We had toeliminate Saturday service, and also some ofour hours during the week, due to the challengeof maintaining service within our budget.Currently, our primary focus is to make the bestuse of the resources that we have available.“We are looking at refining routes and for

opportunities to make better connections, but

the opportunity for expansion in the immediatefuture is very limited.“Unfortunately, Salem-Keizer Transit has

experienced a decline in ridership, which weattribute, in large part, to the decline in the econ-omy. When you look at the people who lost theirjobs, many likely were dependent on publictransit. We have a pretty diverse mix of peoplein our service area and we are working onencouraging the choice rider to use our services. “We had a program for a couple of years that

was subsidized through funding from the stateDepartment of Energy to provide transit tripsfor students in middle and high school at nocharge to the student. When we had that pro-gram up and running, we had a huge increase inridership. Student rides accounted for about 25percent of our ridership. When the fundingdropped off, we saw a huge drop initially onridership. “We have made some adjustments in our fare

structure in order to entice some of the riders tocome back. There are families that have multi-ple children and it can be tough to pay the fullyouth fare fee that we had before. By reducingthese fares, we are hoping to drive a number ofthem back to riding on a regular basis.”In contrast, ridership on routes that serve com-

muters have experience significant increases. “For example, routes that serve commuters

to and from Portland, including to (SpiritMountain Casino, which employs nearly 3,000people) at Grand Ronde, continue to grow.Where we see ridership growth is among peo-ple who are trying to save money.”Looking down the road, Dickey said it is

important not to become discouraged by thedown economy, and to realize there remains thereal possibility of great things happening in therealm of public transportation in the nation.“Locally, our goal is to help public trans-

portation to be something that is desirable,”

Salem-Keizer Transit Director

of Transportation Development

Stephen Dickey



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Dickey said. “We have a mantra here that wewant transit to be something where peoplewill say, ‘Why wouldn’t you take the bus?’rather than, ‘Why would you take the bus?’I think nationally, we are going to see this,too. “There are going to be challenges for growth

to happen because of the economy, but I alsothink the economy is also going to have animpact on people’s decisions in seeking moreaffordable transportation options. The burdenthen comes to the public transportation indus-try to help people understand that it costs anawful lot of money to add lanes to the freeway.This amount of money can buy a great deal oftransit service, reducing congestion and help-ing people have a more enjoyable ride to andfrom work.

“It is critical to keep our chins up andcontinue to plan for growth. Public transitagencies that are proactive in planning andinvesting for growth are the ones that aregoing to grow when opportunities arise asthe economy improves.”

Contact: Salem-Keizer Transit, 925 Commercial St. SE, Suite 100, Salem, OR

97302-4173. Phone: 503-588-2424; Fax: 503-566-3933.

Email: [email protected]: www.cherriots.org.

Long before Nashville, TN, became theMecca for country music, the cityblazed some trails in public transporta-

tion, beginning in the 1860s. Today the trans-portation needs of “Music City” and DavidsonCou nty, the state cap ital,are served by theNashville Metro pol -itan Transit Aut -hority (MTA) andthe Regional Trans -portation Authority (RTA) of MiddleTennessee.Nashville’s tradition of pub-

lic transportation began in 1860when the McGavock and Mt.Vernon Horse Railroad Com -pany and the South NashvilleStreet Railroad Company werechartered and used steam andmules to power rail cars. OnApril 30, 1889, the McGavockand Mt. Vernon Horse RailroadCompany operated the firstelectric streetcar in Nashville,and the city became one of thefirst in the nation to have such“modern” transportation.“In December 2008, the

MTA board, responsible for

Nashville/Davidson County (which operates asa unified government entity) and the RegionalTransportation board signed a contract thatallows the MTA team to manage all of theRTA’s activities,” said MTA/RTA CEO Paul

Ballard. “At thattime, MTA took overthe commuter rail

service, as well asregional bus services coming

from the surrounding counties intoNashville.“MTA operates 202 revenue vehicles. RTA

contracts its regional bus servic-es to Gray Line and we also havea contract operator that runs thetrains.”The combined operation bud -

get for both MTA and RTA is$60 million — $53 million forMTA and $7 million for RTA.Ballard points with pride thatMTA and RTA are approaching aridership milestone this summer.“This will be the first year in

several decades that we will pass10 million in our annual passen-ger count when the fiscal yearcomes to close on June 30,”

Ballard said. “This is adding MTA and RTA

MTA/RTA CEO

Paul Ballard


together. MTA will be at 9.5 million and RTAwill be at 500,000. We will break the 10 millionmark sometime during that last week in June.We are very proud of this accomplishment.”Ballard outlined some reasons MTA/RTA rid-

ership figures are up, despite the sluggish econ-omy. “No. 1, we have significantly improved our

product here in Nashville in middleTennessee,” Ballard said. “We have replacedalmost all the buses in the fleet with newones. We have also upgraded our hiring andtraining programs for our bus operators.“Another principle reason is what we call our

Easy Ride program,where employers payfor their employees toride buses. I think EasyRide has been our sin-gle most successfulprogram to increaseridership. “We have signifi-

cant local playersinvolved in the EasyRide program. Westarted with VanderbiltUniversity, which isthe largest localemployer. All faculty,staff and graduate stu-

dents can take their Vanderbilt-issued ID cards,swipe them in the fare box, and we send the uni-versity one invoice at the end of the month. Wehave rolled out the program to other major areaschools, Belmont University, followed byLipscomb University. Then the state ofTennessee got on board and now state employ-ees can take advantage of this service. We havemore than 30 partners that pay for their employ-ees to ride the bus, including private sectorcompanies, and the program continues to grow.We have a sales representative whose job is justto promote and set up the Easy Ride program.

“Years ago, Nashville was a typical south-

ern city where many people bought cars andmoved away from public transit. As a resultof our Easy Ride program, we now have awonderful mix of all kinds of folks with dif-ferent backgrounds riding our bus services.We are not a bus system solely for peoplewho don’t have an alternative. We still valueand respect that clientele, but we have signifi-cantly moved beyond that, so on an averagebus, you will find folks from all walks of lifeand all economic backgrounds. It is a reallywonderful diverse environment on our buses,and it is a very friendly environment. Even ourmayor rides the bus.”Ballard also contributes the stellar ridership

numbers to the opening of a new downtowntransfer station in October 2008.“The downtown central transfer is a 24-

bay facility that is heated and air-condi-tioned. There is a Dunkin’ Donuts on site, aswell as restrooms and ticket windows,”Ballard said. “We have been working veryhard on passenger amenities, and I think thishas paid dividends.“Another factor in increased ridership is the

great local support we have enjoyed. We havebeen receiving double-digit increases of ouroperating subsidy every year for several years,and we have been expanding our services andadding routes every year.”As expanding routes is an ongoing goal of


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(40) 1995-2000New Flyer35’ and 40’Low Floor50 Series

Allison Trans.Thermo KingFr. Dr. Ramp


MTA/RTA, Ballard reported, during a recentinterview with Busline Magazine, that two newroutes were scheduled to be added. The routesoriginate from the transit system’s new officeand heavy equipment maintenance facilitylocated about 10 miles north of downtownNashville.“One is an express route and one is a local

route,” Ballard said. “We are also going toexpand our second heaviest bus route, which isthe Murfreesboro Road route, going to a BRT(bus rapid transit)-lite type service with busesevery 15 minutes. We are going to establishabout 15 or 16 upgraded bus stops and makeservice move much, much faster. “We did the same thing on our heaviest bus

route, which is the Gallatin Road corridor. Weincreased ridership on that corridor that wentfrom 80,000 trips a month to 115,000, just byimproving the speed and the passenger ameni-ties at the stops. “These projects are in progress, but the real

big thing we have going on is the completion ofan alternative analysis for our Broadway WestEnd corridor, which is really the business centerof Nashville. We have an eight-mile corridorand we are applying for a Small Start grant fromthe Federal Transit Administration to open afull-service BRT dedicated lane right down themiddle of Broadway and West End avenues.This route goes through some of the highestpriced real estate in Nashville that includesVanderbilt University, a number of businessheadquarters, campuses, hospitals, residentialareas and hotels.“The BRT dedicated lane will also serve a

new $700 million convention center scheduledto open next summer. We are really excitedabout this project and, assuming we are suc-cessful with our federal application, we plan tohave the BRT dedicated lane in service in thesummer of 2015.”Regarding its fleet, MTA/RTA’s current poli-

cy is that all new vehicles purchased arehybrids. The transit system runs both diesel anddiesel hybrids on its fixed-routes. The para-transit service uses gasoline hybrid vehicles. “There are multiple reasons why we use

hybrid vehicles,” Ballard said. “We began ourhybrid vehicle program because of environ-mental concerns and we wanted to use lessfuel. However, using hybrid vehicles is alsogood financially. The initial capital cost isconsiderably higher than straight diesel orgasoline, but our operating costs are lessbecause our miles per gallon are significantlyhigher for hybrid than for straight diesel orgasoline. We are seeing as much as 35 per-cent improved productivity on miles per gal-lon for our hybrids.”Another important factor in MTA/RTA’s suc-

cess is its commitment to customer service,which, according to company officials, beginswith the drivers.“The bus operator is the key. The driver is the

face of MTA/RTA to the public,” Ballard said.“It is so critical that we get the right person tooperate the bus.”In the not-too-distance past, MTA/RTA

sought drivers whose main qualification wasthat they held a commercial driver’s license. “We threw that approach out the window

completely. What we have done now for sever-al years is conduct an interview process withseveral members of our operations and cus-tomer care staffs,” Ballard said. “We hire peo-ple who like people. I know it is not rocketscience, but we have our best results withpeople who come out of the customer serviceindustry. For example, we have a couple of

former chefs. These are people with person-ality-plus.“We can train 9 people out of 10 to operate a

bus — we have a very good training program —but we now only hire people who like peopleand who want to work with people. I talk toevery bus driver training class and I say to themup front, ‘If there is anybody here who doesn’tlike working with people, I advise you to leaveright now, because you will have a miserabletime here.’”Ballard said that in the 10 years he has been

with MTA/RTA, the transit system’s buses andfacilities have become well known for fosteringone of the friendliest environments in Nashville.



“Our buses and facilities are safe places. Ifa child or an individual becomes fearfulbecause of a situation that might arise, he orshe can come to our bus driver. Our driverwill know how to make an appropriate phonecall and get help for that person. Our drivershave personality and they care about theircustomers.When I talk to a training class, I tellthem there are three things they need to do to besuccessful here. If they do these three things,they will stay here until they choose to retire.“No. 1, everything you do must be done safe-

ly. If you can’t do it safely, don’t do it.“No. 2, take care of your customer. This is

right up there in importance with safety.“No. 3, come to work when you are sup-

posed to.

“Our drivers are absolutely the key to cus-tomer service and that is where we have focusedour time and effort, in addition to improvingfacilities, new buses, a central transfer station,good schedules and expanding service.”MTA/RTA has a total of 530 employees,

about 325 of which are operators.In addition to an emphasis on customer serv-

ice, marketing efforts in recent years have alsobeen ramped up. MTA/RTA Director ofCommunications Patricia Harris-Moreheadreported one of the first projects she wasinvolved in when she came to MTA/RTA wasmaking the system’s printed materials offered tothe public more user-friendly.“We put all our publications online and we

also improved the Nashville MTA website,”

Harris-Moreheadsaid. “When webecame managersof RTA services,we also revampedall their marketingmaterials and thewebsite.”MTA/RTA uses

“enews blasts” aswell to providecustomers with in -formation aboutspecial detours orspecial events thatare going on in thecity. Social mediasites, such as Twitter, are also used to dissemi-nate information. “We also send out releases to the local media

concerning new services, informational meet-ings or public hearings,” Harris-Morehead said.“We plan a number of campaigns throughoutthe year around special events. For example,recently we worked with Nashville Mayor KarlDean’s staff, on a free ride day for customers. “Our free ride day was on a Friday, and it was

called ‘Fareless Friday.’ On that day, ridershipwas up 62 percent compared to the regularFriday weekday ridership.”Another example in involving the communi-

ty took place while the transit system was build-ing Music City Central, MTA/RTA’s downtowntransit center.

“We worked with our marketing firm anddecided to conduct a jingle contest, since thisis Music City,” Harris-Morehead said. “Weput out information soliciting 30-second jin-gles that we could turn into public serviceannouncements or commercials. We reachedout to local musicians, professional musi-cians and universities and involved somecelebrity judges who helped us judge theentries.”The jingle contest created quite a buzz and

about 125 entries were received, which werescaled down to the top 30.“We selected a winner and the winning jingle

was played on several radio stations as well ason our website. Plus, on Grand Opening Day,we had free entertainment with the musicianperforming the jingle. We try to come up withclever ways to generate attention about ourservices,” Harris-Morehead said.As MTA/RTA continues aggressively work-

ing to improve and expand services, Ballard isoptimistic about the future.“We are members of APTA, and we see the

numbers it is putting out indicating that nation-wide public transit is seeing dramatic increasesin ridership, Ballard said. “Here in Nashville,MTA/RTA is not only meeting those same num-bers, but exceeding them. There was an articlein the New York Times recently that cited U.S.cities having significant increases in ridership.


MTA/RTA Director of

Communications

Patricia Harris-Morehead


The article mentioned Dallas, Miami, SanFrancisco and Nashville. We got mentionedwith the big boys. “The timing was really something. The

mayor and I were meeting with Peter Rogoff,administrator of the Federal Transit Ad -ministration in the U.S. Department ofTransportation, the morning the Times articleappeared. As we walked in to meet with him, hesaid to Mayor Dean, ‘I was just reading aboutyour bus ridership in this morning’s New YorkTimes.’ I thought, ‘Talk about timing — what anawesome introduction.’”

Contact: Metropolitan Transit Authority, 430 Myatt Drive., Nashville, TN 37115.

Phone: 615-862-5969.Website: www.nashvillemta.org.

The Denton County Trans -portation Authority (DCTA),located in Denton, TX, just

north of Dallas, was estab-lished in 2001 to acceleratetransportation solutionscritical to reducing trafficcongestion and enhancing airquality. DCTA’s mission alsoinvolves contributing to orderly growth anddevelopment, and to improve the quality oflife for current and future residents of Denton

County, according to DCTAVice President of Comm -unications and Plan ning DeeLeggett.“DCTA provides numerous

transit services within DentonCounty, a northern collar countyof Dallas County, and directlysupports 150 jobs,” Leggettsaid. “Transit services includefixed-route, demand response,vanpools, campus shuttles (tothe University of North Texas,Texas Woman’s University andNorth Central Texas College)and a regional commuter railservice.”According to Leggett, Denton County is one

of the fastest growing areas in the United Stateswith a current population of

662,000. DCTA’s service area isfocused along the Interstate35E corridor in DentonCounty, which has a popula-tion of approximately370,000. Denton County is

part of the North Central TexasMetropolitan Planning area.“DCTA was authorized by more than

70 percent of the county to form the

authority,” Leggett said. “Wereceive over 80 percent of theavailable sales tax from threemember cities — Denton,Lewisville and HighlandVillage.“We operate just over 20

fixed-routes. Ten are through acontract with local universitiesto operate campus shuttle sys-tems that are open to the gener-al public, but are really focusedon the university community.We have more than 50,000 uni-versity students in our servicearea. As a result, about 75 per-cent of our ridership is some-

how affiliated with local universities.”In 2005, DCTA initiated a service plan.

According to Leggett, the transit system’saggressive approach in implementing the plan,coupled with taking over transit operationsfrom the cities of Denton and Lewisville, hasgarnered an increase of 85 percent in ridership.

“DCTA’s ridership gains were recognizedin 2008 by the Federal Transit Ad -ministration with the ‘Success in EnhancingRidership Award,’” Leggett said. “As aresult of recent bus service improvementsand the launch of the A-train, a commuter


DCTA Vice President of

Communications and

Planning Dee Leggett



rail system, DCTA achieved record rider-ship, surpassing 2.5 million passenger tripsin 2011, and is currently experiencing 15percent growth on most fixed-routes.“We launched the A-train commuter rail

service last summer that ties in with DallasArea Rapid Transit (DART), and, not only didwe see people starting to ride commuter railfor the first time, but DCTA’s local bus systemalso grew. Some of our routes grew about 25percent as soon as we started running the A-train. This has really allowed us to start tellingthe story of the importance of, not only invest-ing in commuter rail, but also making sure thatyou invest in those first and last stop connec-tions.“One of things we talk with our board about

is there are a lot of opportunities for DCTA tocontinue to expand commuter rail in NorthTexas, specifically in Denton County. Wehave to continue to make sure we are lookingat the full picture in terms of completing thetrip. It has to include those feeder bus routes,those local city routes, because that is whatcurrently makes the backbone of our systemsuccessful. We carried 2.4 million passengerslast year on our bus service. Combine thatwith our rail passengers, we transported wellover 2.5 million riders. Since DCTA took overthe local city services in 2005, ridership hasincreased 85 percent. This is largely becausewe invested and made smart decisions withour local bus system.”DCTA operates 70 buses, including para-

transit vehicles, and 8 rail vehicles. The city ofDenton accounts for about 75 percent of thetransit system’s ridership. The two larger uni-versities DCTA serves are in Denton.“The capacity needs in Denton are greater,

therefore, we use 35-foot buses,” Leggett said.“For para-transit service, we use wheelchairaccessible mini-vans and 25-foot cutaways. Inthe city of Lewisville, which is a newer fixed-route system, we use 25-foot cutaways.”DCTA uses bio-diesel to fuel its fleet via a

partnership with the city of Denton.“We are in the process of building a bus

operations and mainte-nance facility. We con-sidered whether or notit makes sense to con-vert to some other typeof alternative fuel,”Leggett said. “Our cal-culations indicated thatit might make sense forus to convert if we hada fleet of more than 100vehicles, because of thecost of the infrastruc-ture that would berequired.“While, right now, it

doesn’t make financialsense for DCTA to con-

vert to alternative fuels, it is an issue that wewill continue to monitor.”In December 2011, DCTA adopted a 25-

year long-range transportation plan with bothshort-term and long-term recommendations.“The short-term recommendations talk

about future service expansion in our existingmember cities,” Leggett said. “We have a cou-ple of high growth employment centers thatwe are looking to serve both in Denton and inLewisville. We are also studying on imple-menting some high capacity transit corridorsbetween the Downtown Denton Transit Centerand the universities — maybe some type ofbus rapid transit or similar type operation.“Denton County is one of the fastest grow-

ing counties in the United States and much ofthat is occurring in what used to be consid-ered rural areas. These areas are quicklybecoming more urbanized. As a result, weneed to start working with these growingcities to assess what their transit needs are,and look to providing some additional transitservices. “Right now, our service is largely focused

on the I-35E corridor. There are some oppor-tunities to provide transit service east of the I-35E corridor. There are also some opportuni-ties west of that corridor where the communi-ties are experiencing tremendous growth.”DCTA’s primary approach to customer

service is to consider its “front-line staff” the“face” of the transit agency, and to empoweremployees to resolve customer issues whenpossible to avoid the escalation of problems.“Every year our employees receive at

least a 90 percent satisfaction rating in cus-tomer surveys,” Leggett said. “The highratings are largely because front-lineemployees are empowered to interact andengage with the customer in a positive wayto seek the resolution of issues.“We also work regionally with DART and

The T (Fort Worth Transportation Authority),because so much or our systems are intercon-nected. The bottom line is the customer does-n’t care whether he or she is riding DCTA or

DART. The customer just wants to get towork or get to school; therefore, we collabo-rate with our regional partners to make surethe customer’s needs are being met.”To further enhance customer service,

DCTA recently launched a program calledGoRequest, which allows customers to pro-vide comments, concerns and commendationsonline or with mobile phones.“Internally, GoRequest is used to enter and

track customer calls or interactions withDCTA staff,” Leggett said. “Our customerservice protocol requires that issues beresolved within seven days. The communi-cations department is committed to fre-quent communication and interaction withcustomers through social media. Posts onFacebook or emails are answered within 48hours.”On the bus side of its operation, DCTA has

about 90 operational employees. The DCTAadministrative offices are manned by 17employees, and 30 people are employed in therail division. “The 90 operational people are our bus

operators, who are our bus front line. Theyare our best marketing tool, because theyinteract with the customer on a daily basis,”Leggett said. “Hiring good employees andempowering them to make good decisionsto serve the customer, in addition to safety,are paramount to our mission. Carryingpeople in a safe and efficient manner is atthe core of DCTA.“I frequently speak to our bus operations

staff and tell them, ‘You really make my jobeasy because you are out their marketing ouragency just by the positive way in which youdeliver our service.”While there are many positives associated

with Denton County’s significant growthspurt, there are also challenges to overcome.One of the major challenges in a rapidlygrowing area for any transit agency is keepingup financially to meet the needs of an expand-ing customer base.“Sometimes it seems like everybody is

moving to North Texas right now,” Leggettsaid. “Our customers want more transit serv-ices. They want more bus routes. While theneeds are growing, the resources with whichwe use to meet those needs, whether it is fleetor funding, are not readily available. “We are in the process of replacing about

20 buses that have met or exceeded their use-ful life. Fortunately, we have partnered withthe University of North Texas to replace someof the buses that are used in service on theirsystem. We are in a transition period of tryingto purchase new buses and getting rid of olderbuses. As a result, we are having fleet reliabil-ity issues — vehicles are breaking down andthat means we have a lot of service calls todeal with, which causes delays and customerconcerns.



“At the end of the day, it all goes back to funding.We are fortunate enough to have a dedicated sales taxfrom three member cities, but so much of the needs ofDenton County are going beyond these three cities.We are trying to identify additional funding partners,including at the state and federal levels, to maintainthe momentum for growing our system.”Looking ahead, Leggett sees the potential of public

transit resonating more and more with the generalpublic as a viable alternative to the automobile.“Highways are getting very expensive to build. I

think the more we can invest in our transit system,the more the public will view public transportationas a truly sustainable alternative,” Leggett said.“People are demanding transit solutions. They want tolive in more land-use responsible housing or in moredensely developed areas to minimize housing andtransportation costs.“People are becoming sophisticated in terms of

transportation’s impact on their bottom line as ahousehold, which is going to become yet anotherselling point for transit use. Transit has a tremen-dous amount of potential and everyday we see morerequests for service. DCTA is excited to be a part ofthe solution.”

Contact: Denton County Transportation Authority, 604 E. Hickory St., Denton TX 76205.

Phone: 940-243-0077.Website: www.dcta.net.

Email: [email protected].

Call for specifications. Easily added to seatingrequirements within vehicle bid packages.

Think FMVSS 302 Protects Passengers and Equipment?

Think FMVSS 302 Protects Passengers and Equipment?

SAFGUARD™ XL Fire-Resistant Cushioning…• Complies with advanced F.T.A. fire safety criteria.• Minimize risk and liability related to vehicle

fire safety.• O.E.M. and maintenance seat retrofit applications.

Telephone: 800-234-2734Fax: 724-537-9003e-mail: [email protected]

F.R. Cushioning(meets FMVSS 302)

CR SAFGUARD™ XL Fire-Resistant Cushioning

Both seats above were subjected to BS 5852 Source 2 Ignition.

Starcraft Bus Named Ford’s Top Volume Pool Account For 6th Consecutive YearFor 2011, and for the sixth consecutive year, Ford has announced

that Starcraft Bus is the top volume pool account for shuttle buses.Starcraft Bus has purchased and sold more Ford E350/E450 bus chas-sis than any other bus manufacturer in the United States. Starcraft says the reason for the ongoing success is continued diversifi-

cation of its product line and a higher demand for shuttle bases based onthe economic recovery taking place throughout the United States. David Wright, president of Starcraft Bus, says, “We are proud to

receive this award from Ford for the sixth year in a row and believe thisis a reflection of the high quality product that we deliver utilizing theFord chassis. We continue to raise the bar in quality, safety and customersatisfaction and are proud to partner with Ford and their tough, time-test-ed, E-Series chassis. Our customers have come to expect the high quali-ty and reliability that a Ford chassis delivers.”

Starcraft Bus’ commercial product line includes the following: • Starquest — the perfect solution for those in the market for a highly-

maneuverable, low-profile shuttle bus; • Starlite — a great option forthose in the market for a smaller shuttle bus or an alternative to a raised-roof van; •Allstar — value-packed performance and durability in a per-formance-tested shuttle bus; • Ultrastar — distinctive styling and luxuri-ous features for a variety of uses; • XLT — designed to provide maxi-mum space and comfort at an affordable price; • Xpress — simple andspacious alternative to a 15-passenger van at a nearly unbeatable price;and, • Allstar XL — Starcraft’s newest mid-size shuttle bus built onInternational’s UC chassis.

For more information about Starcraft Bus, contact Craig Koble at 1-800-348-7440 or e-mail [email protected].

Visit www.starcraftbus.com.

National Interstate’s Affiliate, Safety,Claims And Litigation Services, LLC,

Provides School Bus Driver Training Course

National Interstate Insurance Company announced that its affiliate,Safety, Claims and Litigation Services, LLC (SCLS) will be providingthe Driver Training Course, created by The School Bus Safety Company(SBSC), to insured school bus contractors as part of their loss controlservices package. SBSC has more than 20 years of experience in trainingschool bus drivers to keep school children safe.“School bus accidents can be tragic, and we continually look for proac-

tive ways to help our clients prevent such tragedies,” said Jim Parks, vicepresident of National Interstate. “We have analyzed the Driver TrainingCourse, and are confident that its use will make children safer whilereducing the cost of risk to our customers.”“We are delighted that SCLS and National Interstate are taking this

step to bring this course to all their insured contractors,” said Jeff Cassell,president of SBSC. “Six of the eight largest student transportation con-tractors and more than 2,200 school districts are currently using SBSCtraining programs. SCLS and National Interstate are providing assistancewell beyond traditional loss control as they help to change the unsafebehaviors performed by drivers and reduce the cost of risk.”“Insurance premiums are derived from expected losses,” added Jim

Parks. “By helping our clients reduce their loss costs and enhance theirrisk management programs, we are providing our customers the besttools to help control their insurance costs. At the same time, we maketransportation safer for the children, which is a win/win for everyone. Weintend to provide the course to all school bus clients insured by NationalInterstate.”

Visit www.natl.com or www.schoolbussafetyco.com.


Motor Coach Industries

MCI® Commuter Coach Hybrid / CNG

MCI helps transform fleets into a model of green reliability. TheBuy America-compliant and Altoona-tested MCI Commuter Coachis available in CNG, Electric Hybrid and clean-diesel configura-tions. Engineered to provide a comfortable, safe ride combinedwith ease of maintenance and low total cost of operation overmany years, the MCI Commuter Coach is available in 45-foot and40-foot versions.

Electronic Stability Control (n/a on the hybrid model) is stan-dard, along with tire monitoring and a fire suppression system.Options include three-point passenger seatbelts, a wheelchair liftwith up to two wheelchair positions, digital wireless WiFi, and 110-volt outlets. To learn more, email: [email protected] orvisit www.mcicoach.com.

Motor Coach Industries; 1700 E. Golf Road, Suite 300,Schaumburg, IL 60173; Ph: 847-285-2000; 800-428-7626;

Fax: 847-285-2013 Email: [email protected]; Web site: www.mcicoach.com

Model .................................................MCI® Commuter Coach Hybrid/CNGPassenger Capacity ................................................................................57, 49Length.......................................................................................................45’40”Height ............................................................................................................11’5”Interior Height.........................................................................................78.25”Engine Options ..................................................Cummins ISL, ISX or ISL GTransmission Options .................................Allison B500, Allison B500R,

Allison EP 50 Hybrid DriveFuel Tank Capacity...............................164 gal. – CNG 114.6 Diesel Gallon

Equivalent (DGE)Fuel Options.........................................................Clean-diesel, hybrid, CNGGVWR .........................................................................50,000 lbs., 46,000 lbs.

ABC Companies

Van Hool A300L FC - Fuel Cell

The Van Hool Company was honored with the BusWorld Kortrijk2009 Grand Environment Award, citing the company’s A330 Fuel Cellmodel. The hybrid-diesel electric bus offers a uniquely environmen-tally-friendly alternative for public transport providers. In theUnited States, the Van Hool A330 Fuel Cell has been well-received bythe American public where partners ABC, Van Hool, and AC Transitpioneered a “green” transit initiative in 2005. Along with AC Transit,Connecticut Transit also has this model in current service.

This next generation of Van Hool’s fuel cell bus — the Van HoolA300L FC — retains its place as one of the most technicallyadvanced transit buses available today, according to ABCCompanies. This clean, quiet, energy efficient 40-foot transitemits only water vapor from the tailpipe. The new model busesare lighter than the earlier generation fuel cell bus. Advancedlithium-ion battery systems and a more durable fuel cell powerplant are key features of the new buses.

Virtually noiseless, yet powerful enough to climb grades inexcess of 18 percent and reach speeds of 50 mph, the A300L FC ispowered by a zero-emission hydrogen-fueled, hybrid-electricengine, utilizing a 120 kW fuel cell system, onboard battery power,and regenerative braking. Its clean operation can have an imme-diate positive impact on street-level emissions.

ABC Companies; 1506 30th Street, NW; Faribault, MN55021 USA; Ph: 507-334-1871; Fax: 507-334-0246

Email: [email protected]: www.abc-companies.com

Model .....................................................................Van Hool A300L Fuel CellSeating Capacity.................................28 Seated + 4 Fold-down + DriverLength..............................................................................................................40’Width ..............................................................................................................102”Height ............................................................................................................11’5”Engine..............................Hybrid Electric/UTC Power Pure Motion™ 120Type of Fuel......................................................................Gaseous HydrogenChassis...........ZF Rear Axle W/Offset Differential & Double ReductionAir Conditioning ....................................Sutrak Heating/Air ConditioningWheelchair Lift Option................Fold Out Wheelchair Ramp at Door 2Steering ..............................................................ZF Variable Ratio SteeringSuspension...................................................Air Suspension w/Air Springs

& Telescopic Shock Absorbers



Proterra

Proterra EcoRide™ BE35

Proterra’s EcoRide™ is a full-size (35 foot, 64 passenger) fast-charge battery electric bus capable of fully charging in under 10minutes. Leveraging advanced lithium-titanate battery technolo-gy, it is up to 600 percent more efficient than a typical Diesel orCNG bus, according to the company, resulting in operating-costsavings.

The EcoRide™ achieves 21-plus miles MPGe, resulting in $750Kin fuel savings versus diesel over a 16 year life cycle; and 44 per-cent less carbon annually versus CNG. Its composite body is crashand element resistant and is approximately 20 to 40 percentlighter than conventional steel or aluminum buses.

With the ability to run 300-plus miles per day and 300-plusmiles per charge, the EcoRide™ can replace existing buses on aone-to-one basis with no loss in performance or service limita-tions. It empowers transit agencies by creating a predictableoperating environment utilizing electricity – offering more price-stability than fossil fuels.

Proterra sets the bar for U.S. made content in transit vehicles,according to the company. With over 80 percent of its compo-nents made in America, 33 states source materials for Proterra’sEco Ride™ bus. With it, transit agencies can deliver clean, quietrunning, rider and neighborhood friendly vehicles that also meetgovernment regulations and local mandates.

Proterra Inc.; 1 Whitlee Ct.; Greenville, SC 29607 USAPh: 864-438-0000; Fax: 864-281-1894

Email: [email protected]; Website: www.proterra.com

Model .......................................................................Proterra EcoRide™ BE35Seating Capacity............................................64 (35 seated, 29 standing)Length ..............................................................................................................35’Width ..............................................................................................................102”Height ............................................................................................................11’2”Engine............................................................................Battery Electric OnlyType of Fuel ..................................................N/A - Zero Emissions BatteryChassis................................................................N/A - Composite StructureAir Conditioning ......................................................Thermo King (electric)Wheelchair Lift Option..........................................................Ricon or Lift-USteering.........................................................................................................TRWSuspension .....................................................................................................Air

GILLIG

GILLIG Low Floor CNG/Low Floor Hybrid

GILLIG’s past alternate fuel experience has led to the latestaddition of its line of green alternatives — a CNG fueling option.

GILLIG’s CNG bus design includes a walkway that runs thelength of the roof tank mounting cradle, where the tank enclo-sures can be safely opened to inspect and maintain the CNG tanks,valving and piping. The GILLIG tank enclosure design providesmaintenance personnel with a safe, secure place from which towork on the CNG fueling system. And best yet, Altoona testreports document GILLIG’s 6-plus MPG equivalent average on theAltoona test cycle.

GILLIG has also been building diesel hybrid buses for morethan a decade, and its years of experience have resulted in thebest and most complete hybrid product line, according to thecompany. Altoona test results show that the GILLIG Hybrid isquiet, reliable and fuel efficient. Customers attest to its smoothacceleration and the ease of assimilating these hybrids into theirfleets. With rising fuel prices and increased environmental aware-ness, GILLIG Hybrids can be a great addition to a fleet.

GILLIG LLC; 25800 Clawiter Rd.; Hayward, CA 94545 USAPh: 510-785-1500; Fax: 510-785-6819

Email: [email protected]; Website: www.gillig.com

Model .....................................................Low Floor CNG / Low Floor HybridSeating Capacity...............................................................................26, 32, 40Length.......................................................................................30’, 35’ and 40’ Width...............................................................................................................102”Height .............................................................................................................136”Engine ...........................................................Cummins ISL-G / Cummins ISBType of Fuel ...................................................................................CNG / DieselChassis .......................................................................................................GILLIGAir Conditioning..........................................................................Thermo KingWheelchair Lift Option............................................................................Lift-USteering..........................................................................................................TRWSuspension ...........................................................GILLIG Front, Neway Rear



RBS, Inc., is a major provider of Tourand Charter Management Systemsspecifically designed for the motor-

coach industry. For 19 years, RBS has beendesigning, implementing and supporting its pre-mier products: GoChart and GoTour. The com-pany serves over 500 North American cus-tomers.GoChart Charter Management System

features customer and contract management,scheduling, dispatching, accounts receivable

and numerous accounting/operations reports.Modules allow companies to customize theRBS system to fit their needs. The securitymodule is now more powerful with stricter con-trols, and requires each employee to accessRBS using a unique login and password. User-defined permissions allow access to specificareas of the program depending on job typessuch as administrator, salesperson, dispatcherand driver.GoTour is a browser-based tour management

system. It manages reservations, itineraries,payables, receivables, and produces manage-ment reports and customer documents for groupand retail tours. GoTour is accessible from anycomputer that has an Internet connection.GoTour is hosted at a secure RBS’ manageddata facility. RBS’ professional staff managesserver hardware, software and network, includ-ing all updates and daily backups.Web Manager provides reliable credit card

authorization, online quote generation and noti-fication, driver access to schedules and docu-ment storage and retrieval. This includes:• Credit Card Processing — Integrated into

the RBS GoChart and GoTour applications;• Quote Request — Customers request

quotes online by providing basic informationwhich is used to open a quote in GoChart.Email is forwarded to the customer and salesstaff notifying receipt of online quote;• Special Requests For GoChart Data

Access Via The Web— Provides web access todrivers’ schedules allowing drivers to accessschedules from home, office or anywhere withan Internet connection; and,

• Document Storage And Retrieval —GoChart offers secure storage and retrieval ofpaper and electronic documents. Letters, con-tracts, maps, itineraries, emails, memos, notesand receipts/checks can be scanned using a desk-top scanner and quickly assigned to chartersand/or customers. Users can access stored docu-ments by clicking buttons on customer and char-ter screens. Stored documents can be accessedanywhere there is an Internet connection.

GoTran provides transit data capturing,reporting and customer invoicing. Users can eas-ily create and duplicate transit routes, runs andstops for dispatching. The system can capturemanually entered or bus-generated actual rider-ship and cash fare data. Captured data can bereported in summary or detail form by route, runor stop; includes flexible customer invoicing.Offsite Backup and Recovery software and

services are designed with disaster recovery inmind. A backup client on your server connectsremotely and backs up your critical RBS datadaily. Only you and RBS have access to thisdata. Notification emails are sent each time thedata is backed up. RBS insures that backup datais properly available for restoration and main-tains terminal services/remote desktop environ-ment to which your data can be moved. You willhave access for two users, for one month, whileyou re-establish your network infrastructure.

Call RBS at 800-448-7001 or visitwww.rbs2000.com to request an evaluation

copy of GoChart. Visit www.gotouronline.com to request a user name and password to access

our GoTour demo site.


RBS, Inc. (Relational Bus Systems)ADVERTORIAL


Over the past several years, EnghouseTransportation has become knownprincipally as a provider of software

to public transit operators. While Enghouse isproud of the work its done in public transit, itscommitment to the motorcoach industryremains steadfast and is illustrated by the sig-nificant investment Enghouse has made in itsproducts serving that industry.Enghouse Transportation has already

made a $4.5 million investment inCoachWorks, and according to the compa-ny is now offering the most up-to-date andfeature-rich solution available for themotorcoach industry. And further improve-ments are planned — such as a link withProphesy, so that customers will benefitfrom the use of a true commercial routingcapability.While CoachWorks is a top-of-the-line

application, Enghouse also recognizes that itwon’t find a broad user base without beingcompetitively priced. Toward that end,Enghouse recently reevaluated its pricingmodel for CoachWorks and have devised newpricing, which puts CoachWorks on an evenfooting with all of its major competitors,

according to the company. Given the modernarchitecture and the breadth and depth of func-tionality offered by the product, Enghouse isconfident it’s offering extraordinary value tocustomers.For those who may be reluctant to make the

capital investment associated with implement-ing a new solution, Enghouse is also planningto offer both a leased software option as wellas a hosted solution that will be made availableon a subscription basis. Details on both ofthese options will be made available in thecoming months.The Tour Manager product, which has been

in use for a number of years, is the next focusfor the Enghouse development team. The cur-rent product was developed using a proprietarytool and utilizes a proprietary database. So, thefirst step in updating the product will be tomigrate to a .Net platform and to a MicrosoftSQL Server database. From there, Enghousewill proceed with additional enhancementsincluding improvements to the client facingweb portal.To better serve the particular needs of the

motorcoach industry, Enghouse is partner-ing with Paradigm Technology Consulting,

LLC (PTC). Where Enghouse is a leadingpublisher of software for the transportationindustry first and foremost, PTC has histor-ically been a professional services organiza-tion and system integrator. As such, PTCbrings best of breed solutions to its cus-tomers.PTC has long had a focus on the transporta-

tion industry in general, and on the motorcoachindustry in particular. PTC began workingwith customers in trucking and intermodalsome 20 years ago, became involved in the busindustry nearly 10 years ago, and has sincefocused sharply on the needs of bus operators.PTC has performed dozens of successfulimplementations of both operational and finan-cial software for bus operators throughout theUnited States and Canada.In addition to selling, implementing and

supporting operational systems likeCoachWorks, Paradigm also sells and imple-ments financial systems such as MicrosoftDynamics GP, customer relationship man-agement systems such as MicrosoftDynamics CRM, vehicle maintenance sys-tems from Collective Data, and Computer-

DRIVING YOUR BUSINESSTM

PTSPTSPayroll-Labor ManagementHR-Driver ManagementMileage ReportingFuel ManagementExecutive Dashboards collectiveFleet

Maintenance System

Microsoft Dynamics GPFinancial/Accounting System

CoachWorksTransportation Management SolutionCharter, Line Run, School Bus Operations

Microsoft Dynamics CRMCustomer Relationship Management

eFleetMDT/GPS/WiFi/eTicketing/Driver LogsParatransit, Shuttle, Limousine Operations

Tour ManagerTravel/Tour Management Solution

WWW.PTCLLC.COM | [email protected] | 866-PTC-INFO


Paradigm Technology Consulting, LLC (PTC)ADVERTORIAL

Continued On Page 44



Distinctive Systems is a leading suppli-er of software to the motorcoachindustry. Established for nearly 30

years, Distinctive Systems has supplied hun-dreds of systems to operators throughout theworld. Its main systems are Coach ManagerCharter and Contract Booking System, TourBooking System, and Vehicle MaintenanceSystem. All three of these applications are available in

Express and Full versions, and in differentcapacities, to suit the requirements of a widevariety of operators. For additional flexibility,the software can either be purchased outright orrented via an annual contract. Full details and aprice calculator are available on the pricingpage on the company website for each product.Coach Manager is a start-to-finish solution

for the management of charter and contractwork specially designed for coach, minibus andlimousine operators. The software offers securehandling of bookings, easy and efficient alloca-tion of vehicles and drivers, client confirma-tions, driver work tickets, invoicing and built-inaccounts receivable with extensive financialreporting facilities. In May 2012, Distinctive Systems announced

the release of a major new version of Coach

Manager incorporating the most significantenhancements to be added to the system sincelaunch. Topping the enhancement list is theintroduction of the new optional GrossPayroll module. The module provides opera-tors with the most powerful specialized pay-roll solution ever to be made available to theNorth American motorcoach industry, accord-ing to Distinctive Systems. Unlike other solu-tions, the entire payroll process has beenincorporated directly into the core CoachManager product — from original bookingdetails, right through to final payroll produc-tion and export. As a result, payroll adminis-tration is entirely seamless, with the level ofoperator input required to finalize pay makeupbeing kept to an absolute minimum. Oncecomplete, payroll production is accomplishedin just a few seconds for even the largest ofcompanies. The Tour Booking System (TBS) is a com-

plete management solution for individual pas-senger reservations on extended tours, day trips,casino transportation and sightseeing trips. Inaddition to being a powerful back office system,TBS incorporates a fully automatic data drivenwebsite for handling online reservations fromtravel agents and direct clients, with real-time

payment processing and automatic emailing ofinvoices. The Vehicle Maintenance System (VMS) is

a workshop management system speciallydesigned for coach, bus and truck operators.The software provides defect reporting, inspec-tion planning, scheduled and unscheduledmaintenance activities, job card printing andhistory recording. VMS streamlines the wholeprocess and will help ensure records alwaysmeet the required standard. At Distinctive Systems, company officials

understand that proper training and support willhelp customers get the most out of their soft-ware. Initial training and setup is offered in var-ious formats, tailored to meet the individualneeds of clients. Distinctive Systems has dedi-cated itself to offering world class support for itsproducts, and the results of this dedication havebeen very well received. In fact, if potential cus-tomers were to speak with the company’s cur-rent clients, these clients would tell them justhow great an experience it has been to work withDistinctive Systems. A vibrant North AmericanUser Group has been established with AnnualUser Group Meetings conducted and attendedby the majority of the User Community.

Distinctive SystemsADVERTORIAL

Continued On Page 44


Motorcoach Manager

Transportation Software Systems

Call or email today for your FREE information pack with demonstration CD.

800.780.6880 or [email protected]

Motorcoach CHARTER Manager

Motorcoach TOUR Manager

Motorcoach MAINTENANCE Manager

Motorcoach SHUTTLE Manager

Modules may be purchased individually or combined. Single or multi-user licensing. Prompt technical support.

• Tracks all aspects of your operation• Simplifies creating charters and tours with templates• Multiple dispatch management options• Extensive financial reporting

Flexible enterprise level managementsoftware provides a complete trackingsolution with personal, committedcustomer service.

Software Systems That Work

Saves time, money and mistakes.


Motorcoach Manager Provides OrderIn A Complex Industry

Successful operators in the charter andtour industry must develop systems forhandling all the logistical components of

the service they provide. They must be ready torespond quickly to the changing needs of cus-tomers, employees and government entities.Motorcoach Manager provides an orderlyway for tracking all the changing informationso operators can be ready for any situation. Motorcoach Manager is easy-to-use soft-

ware which provides a powerful blend of inno-vative features designed to reduce costs bymaking record-keeping easier and more accu-rate. Training and support ensure success. Thesoftware’s flexible reporting system is built ondata entered one-time on a color-coded formand organized to provide in-depth managementtools.As the industry changes, Motorcoach

Manager refines its features and functionalityin collaboration with its clients. This year thefocus is on refining the fully integrated modu-lar products to optimal form.The four modules can be tailored to the

needs of each motorcoach company. The char-ter, tour, maintenance, and shuttle modules can

be combined to match each operation. Detailscan be personalized.

Motorcoach Charter Manager provides asystematic process for handling all the detailsof a trip order — from the initial customer callthrough the final reconciliation of the finances,IFTA mileage and fuel reporting, and driverpayroll calculations. It includes visual tools toincrease income through effective utilization ofthe fleet. It provides control of scheduling anddispatching, whether an order calls for onecoach or for several coaches and drivers run-ning at different dates and times. When a trip is repeated, the data can be

entered once and then duplicated. Line runsand shuttles not requiring reservations can behandled with this feature in the charter module.School bus companies use the charter moduleeffectively for sports and field trips as well asroutes.

Motorcoach Maintenance Manager com-plements the charter module by keeping a his-tory of equipment maintenance. Parts aretracked from the purchase to the use on a vehi-cle and a parts inventory is maintained. Thesoftware can be used to invoice maintenancework done for outside companies. It tracksscheduled preventive maintenance and remem-bers what work needs to be done on each piece

of equipment. The parts inventory can handlemultiple garages.

Motorcoach Tour Manager, also availableas Tour Optimizer for companies that don’town motorcoaches, simplifies the creation ofgroup or retail tours by developing and costingitineraries, taking reservations, selling ticketsto groups or individuals, creating rooming lists,name and luggage tags, etc. It tracks paymentsto hotels and attractions. Once a tour packagehas been developed, it can be used again on anew date. Companies running regular shuttles with

reservations can use Motorcoach ShuttleManager. Daily shuttles can be pre-entered inbatches and passengers can be quickly bookedonto the correct shuttle. Round-trip tickets areissued and various reports on the number ofriders, cash receipts, etc., are produced. Onlinereservations are an option.The software is appropriate for all sizes of

charter, tour, scheduled service or maintenanceoperations, including companies with divi-sions. Multiple offices can be handled usingstate-of-the-art networking.

For additional information, call Motorcoach Manager at 800-780-6880 or visit www.motorcoachmanager.com.

Motorcoach Manager

ADVERTORIAL



American Trans-Data Corp.3100 S. Harbor Blvd., Suite 140Santa Ana, CA 92704 USAPhone: 714-751-3000Web Site: www.americantransdata.comProducts: Software and database integration.Eliminate manual data entry with the compa-ny’s automated software and website integra-tion. Charter, tour reservation, POS, shuttle,online ticketing and quoting, credit card pro-cessing, and customized solutions are allavailable. Also offered are professional web-site design and programming. 10

Chevin Fleet Solutions43 Orchard Hill DriveSharon, MA 02067 USAPhone: 781-793-0788 Fax: 781-784-6894Web Site: www.chevinfleet.comProducts: Chevin Fleet Solutions, an industry-provider of enterprise fleet management infor-mation systems, provides fleet management soft-ware that enables transit, demand response andcharter organizations to enhance equipment avail-ability, safety and reliability. Included is the abili-ty to manage preventive maintenance, mainte-nance management, inventory, fuel, driver, acci-dent and risk management as well as comprehen-sive and infinitely flexible reporting. Chevin’ssoftware becomes a central repository for all fleetrelated data, allowing organizations to managecomplex fleet and operations data with a singleenterprise-wide system. 11

Distinctive Systems Inc.See Ad On Page 38928 Broadway, Suite 1000New York, NY 10010 USAPhone: 646-448-9981E-Mail:[email protected] Site: www.distinctive-systems.comCompany Officers: Don Greenglass, BobHopwoodProducts: Distinctive Systems is an independ-ent software vendor specializing in the devel-

opment of products for motorcoach and tourcompanies. Established for over 30 years, thecompany has supplied more than 2,000 systemsto operators throughout the world. Its range ofsoftware is comprehensive and includes sys-tems for managing motorcoach based charters,contract/line run work, extended tours, sight-seeing trips, express services and vehicle main-tenance. All systems are Windows based andhave been developed using Microsoft VisualStudio and the Microsoft SQL Server databaseengine. Products are Coach Manager (CM),Vehicle Maintenance System (VMS) and TourBooking System (TBS).The success Distinctive Systems has

achieved over the years comes about as a directresult of its experience of both the IT andmotorcoach/tour industries. The company’sknowledge of both fields has been combined tocreate a range of products that gets right to thevery heart of what clients want and uses thevery latest computing techniques and tools todo it. A dedicated support desk is manned by ateam of highly trained specialists who provideimmediate assistance on absolutely anything todo with the systems Distinctive Systems sup-plies. 12

Enghouse Transportation2150 Islington Avenue, Suite 205Toronto, ON M9P 3V4 CANADAPhone: 416-915-9593 Fax: 416-915-9594E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.enghousetransportation.comProducts: With over 25 years experience,Enghouse Transportation, formerly TranSchedSystems, offers a comprehensive and robustsuite of products that serve the transportationmarket. CoachWorks is its state-of-the-artmotorcoach management software packagedesigned to enhance all aspects of a charterbusiness. CoachWorks encompasses tools forthe charter industry, including sales, dispatch,and accounts receivable. By combining multi-ple functions into one universal program,

CoachWorks can increase productivity andstreamline the input and maintenance of esti-mates, trip orders and financial records.Enghouse applications can be deployed indi-vidually, combined with other Enghouse solu-tions, or integrated with third party transporta-tion technology vendors. 12

Mentor Engineering Inc.#10 - 2175 29th St. NECalgary, AB T1Y 7H8 CANADAPhone: 403-777-3760 Fax: 403-777-3769E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.mentoreng.comProducts: Mentor Streets® Transit is a fullyintegrated transit ITS solution that includesCAD/AVL, event management, schedule androute adherence, mobile computing, reporting,and more. Streets Transit can helpagenciesstreamline operations to increase on-time serv-ice, improve driver/dispatcher communication,simplify scheduling and provide better cus-tomer service.Mentor MyRide™ is a passenger information

system that makes real-time bus location andstatus information available to riders any time,from anywhere. From real-time maps and busdeparture information to trip planning andSMS, MyRide enhances customer service. WithMyRide, passengers can access real-time busdepartures and get instant map updates.Additionally, riders can text message the agencyfrom any bus stop to receive the departure timesof the next few buses leaving that stop. MyRideintegrates with Google™ Maps for easy tripplanning, and passengers can create rideraccounts to receive automatic alerts for specificroutes and stops, when they want them. 11

Motorcoach Manager, Inc.See Ad On Page 393517 Marconi Ave., Suite 207 Sacramento, CA 95821 USAPhone: 916-972-1800 Fax: 916-972-1875E-Mail: [email protected]



Web Site: www.motorcoachmanager.comCompany Officers: Shirley Campbell,President; Scott Hale, Vice PresidentProducts: Motorcoach Manager is innovative,flexible software which provides a complete,cost-effective system for managing charterorders, scheduling and dispatching, group,retail, and sightseeing tours, shuttles, scheduledline runs, school buses, and vehicle mainte-nance. The four modules, which may be pur-chased in any combination, are Charters, Tours,Maintenance, and Shuttles.The application is the result of years of col-

laboration between the Motorcoach Manager’sstaff and hundreds of clients and prospects.Ideas for features are incorporated throughoutto make managing charters and tours as easy aspossible. The software can be tailored to eachmotorcoach operation.Add-on features such as online reservations,

bar coding, optimized pricing, a built-in emailsystem, utilization charts, availability charts,financial analysis tools, tight security, etc., areeither included or available. MotorcoachManager runs on standard computers with anycurrent version of Microsoft Windows. Single-user or multi-user (networked) versions areavailable. Responsive, timely customer serviceis the company’s priority. 12

Norse Systems, Inc.245 Sage Hollow RoadGuilford, CT 06437Toll Free: 800-769-8468 Fax: 203-457-8033E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.norsesys.comProducts: Providing integrated software to thebus industry for more than 26 years. NorseSystems offers “Virtual Server” deployments.No capital investment is required, just a fee peruser. The most recent innovation from Norse is“Screen Driver,” a complete application devel-opment environment provided with the applica-tion software.In addition to one source for system infra-

structure, application software and professionalsupport, Norse offers a set of integrated soft-ware available to the industry. A single fee peruser provides a managed hardware and softwaresolution. Applications are offered for chartersales, line run, tour reservations, school busrouting, dispatch, driver qualification, accidentmanagement, IFTA taxes, fuel management,work flow control, maintenance, inventory, pur-chasing and multi-site logistics, driver andemployee time and pay, integrated financialsystems, individual seat reservations for toursand shuttles, and more. 11

Paradigm Technology Consulting, LLCSee Ad On Page 3722 S. Main StreetAllentown, NJ 08501 USAPhone: 609-890-4150 Fax: 609-890-4154

E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.ptcllc.comCompany Officers: Bridgette Hobart-Janeczko, President; Robert Janeczko, VPOperations; Michael Gummel, Manager -Transportation Products: The Paradigm Transportation Suite(PTS) is a work force management focusedsuite of applications for the transportationindustry. It’s designed so that organizationscan utilize what they need in order to replaceor supplement existing applications includingoperations, fleet maintenance, financial,GPS/WiFi, customer relationship manage-ment, driver and labor management as well ashuman resources. PTS consists of the follow-ing: PTS - payroll labor management, HR driv-er management, mileage reporting, fuel man-agement and executive dashboards; eFleet -MDT, GPS, WiFi, eTicketing, driver logs forparatransit, shuttle and limousine operations;CoachWorks - transportation managementsolution for charter, line run and school busoperations; Tour Manager - travel tour man-agement solution; Microsoft Dynamics CRM -customer relationship management; andMicrosoft Dynamics GP - financial accountingsystem. 12

RBS - Relational Bus Systems, Inc.See Ad On Page 3610 Lancaster Street - Box 215Cherry Valley, NY 13320 USAToll Free: 800-448-7001 Fax: 607-264-8070E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.rbs2000.comCompany Officers: Bob Schecter, President;Walter Buist, VPProducts: RBS, Inc. designs, implements andsupports Tour and Charter Management sys-tems with more than 400 customers in NorthAmerica. Products include:GoChart Charter Management Sys tem

features customer and contract management,schedule and dispatch, and accounts receiv-able. Modules allow system customization tofit a company’s needs and size. Powerful,user definable security requiring uniquelogin and password is available. GoTour Management System, a browser-

based system, manages tour reservations, itin-eraries, receivables and payables, producescustomer documents and management reportsfor group and retail tours. The RBS cloud-based system is hosted at RBS’ secure datafacility. GoTour is entering the beta testingphase for its third release, “GoTour v3,”including a “type-to-find” feature and helpthat includes videos. Offsite Backup and Recovery provides

daily offsite data backup and features limitedonline access to a customer’s data in the eventof a disaster.Web Manager modules include simple, reli-

able, real time credit card authorization forGoChart and GoTour; online quote generationand notification, integrated document storageand retrieval, and web access to drivers’ ordersfor GoChart. Free Demos available by appoint-ment. Look for a new website and logo atwww.rbs2000.com. 12

RouteMatch Software, Inc.Atlantic Center Plaza1180 W. Peachtree St., Suite 1130Atlanta, GA 30309 USAPhone: 888-840-8791E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.routematch.comProducts: RouteMatch is a provider of transit ITSsoftware and solutions. Founded in 1999, the com-pany is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, and its soft-ware is in use at more than 275 sites in 45 statesacross the United States.Targeting private and public sector passenger

transportation providers, the company’s productsaddress routing, scheduling, dispatching, billing,reporting, fixed-route CAD/AVL, paratransit andfixed-route integration, business intelligence,transportation coordination and more. 10

Schedule Masters, Inc.300-1B Conestoga DriveBrampton, ON L6Z 4N5 CANADAPhone: 905-495-5402 Fax: 905-495-5404Web Site: www.schedule-masters.orgProducts: “The Master Scheduler” is a fixed-route scheduling software tool that includes:scheduling, blocking, run-cutting, rostering,daily operations/dispatch, Web-based trip plan-ning, customer complaint tracking, perform-ance tracking, reporting and mapping. 07

ViaTour Software200 South Main Street, Suite BTempleton, CA 93465 USAPhone: 505-466-6300 Fax: 866-587-9350E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.viatoursoftware.comProducts: ViaTour Software is a reservationand tour management system that automates acompany’s back-end workflow by integratingreservations, operations and accounting. Bornas a niche market solution for travel planners inthe educational travel market, ViaTour tourmanagement software also answers the require-ments of coach tour operators.This all-in-one system supports users

throughout the entire tour lifecycle from propos-al, costing, and marketing, through reservationprocessing and communications, to tour opera-tions and, finally, business analysis. ViaTourbundles thesev feature sets into four applicationlevels: Basic, Standard, Pro and Enterprise. It’suser-friendly and integrates with MicrosoftOffice. Enterprise, with data in SQL server,allows for Web integration, publishing andremote online access. 10



Accuride Corp.7140 Office Cir.Evansville, IN 47715 USAPhone: 812-962-5000 Fax: 812-962-5430E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.accuridecorp.comProducts: Accuride Corporation is a supplierof components to the commercial vehicle,municipal and school bus, and military indus-tries. Products include commercial vehiclewheels, wheel-end components and assem-blies, truck body and chassis parts, and othercommercial vehicle components. 12

Barry Controls82 South St.Hopkinton, MA 01748 USAPhone: 508-417-7000E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.barrycontrols.comProducts: For over 60 years, Barry Controls,a division of Hutchinson Worldwide, hasserved the public transportation industry withshock, noise, vibration, and acoustic controlsystems. The company’s products can befound in buses; light rail vehicles; metrotransport systems; intercity, regional, andhigh speed trains; helping carry passengers incomfort and safety. Barry Controls makes pri-mary and secondary suspensions, bushings,isolators, gangways, couplings, intercar bear-ings, and wall, ceiling and flooring materials.12

Energy SuspensionSee Ad On Page 281131 Via CallejonSan Clemente, CA 92673 USAPhone: 949-369-4831 Fax: 949-361-3940E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.energysuspensionXD.comProducts: Manufacturer of polyurethanereplacement components. Radius arm bush-ings, motor and transmission mounts, bumpstops radiator mounts and many otherreplacement parts are available. Supplier to

municipalities, government and the aftermar-ket. Custom molding to specifications alsoavailable. 12

Freightliner Custom Chassis CorporationSee Ad On Page 3552 Hyatt St.Gaffney, SC 29341 USAPhone: 864-487-1700 Fax: 864-487-6400E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.freightlinerchassis.comCompany Officers: Bob Harbin, President andCEO; Tony Sippel, Product Manager; BryanHenke, Manager of Product MarketingProducts: S2C Cutaway: Built on a provenshuttle bus chassis, the front-engine diesel-powered S2C Cutaway provides coach design-ers with options to craft the coach to fit theircustomers’ specific business needs, while alsosatisfying OEMs’ specific production needs forsimplicity and ease of build. Coach manufac-turers can add or remove certain cab amenities,including the rear wall, seating, passenger doorand roof top door, allowing for a customizedproduct. Manufacturers working with the FCCS2C Cutaway benefit from the all-inclusivechassis design because they only need toaddress the vehicle’s body, seating and wheel-chair capabilities.MB-65: The heavy-duty front-engine MB-65

is designed with a lowered engine for a flat-floor cockpit that offers convenience and flexi-bility to bus body builders. It offers a smoothride and superior handling, as well as 55-degree wheel cut for maneuverability.XB series: FCCC’s comprehensive lineup of

pusher and front-engine commercial bus mar-ket chassis offers several rail design configura-tions and meets a wide range of demands forcarrying capacity, power and maneuverability.12

Hadley Products Corporation2503 Marina Dr.Elkhart, IN 46514

Phone: 574-266-3700 Fax: 574-266-3747E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.hadley-products.comProducts: Hadley is a component supplier tothe heavy truck, trailer, transit, military andrecreational vehicle market; and manufacturesair horns, mirror systems, electronic levelingsystems for air and hydraulic suspensions,mechanical height control valves and interiorsystems for the transit market. 12

IC Bus, A Navistar CompanySee Ad On Page2701 Navistar Drive Lisle, IL 60532 USAPhone: 331-332-5000Web Site: www.icbus.comCompany Officers: John McKinney, IC BusPresidentProducts: IC Bus, LLC, of Lisle, IL, is an affil-iate of Navistar International Corporation(NYSE:NAV). An integrated manufacturer ofschool buses, IC Bus offers passenger protec-tion, chassis design, engines and ergonomics.The company is also a producer of commercialbuses. All IC Bus™ buses are sold, serviced andsupported through a dealer network that offersan integrated customer program encompassingparts, training and service. 12

Kelderman Air Suspensions2696 Hwy 92Oskaloosa, IA 52577 USAPhone: 712-754-4383 Fax: 712-754-4384E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.kelderman.comCompany Officers: Jeff Kelderman, VicePresidentProducts: Kelderman has been building frontand rear air suspensions for 40 years.Suspensions are available for Ford F and Eseries; Ram 2500/3500/4500/5500 series; GM4500/5500 & 3500 HD; and IH TERRASTAR.Kelderman has been in the ambulance marketfor several years. 12



S T E R T I L S U P E R I O R S O L U T I O N S B Y Q U A L I T Y P E O P L E STERTIL KONI, 200 LOG CANOE CIRCLE, STEVENSVILLE MD 21666, UNITED STATES, WWW.STERTIL-KONI.COM

As number 1 in heavy-duty vehicle lifts in the world, Stertil-Koni is synonymous for superior solutions and expert service. Our customized systems are entirely made in the USA by specialists with unique expertise. Thanks to their quality, our superior solutions and in-house production, Stertil-Koni continues leading by example in heavy-duty lifting.

Leading inheavy-dutylifting

SKYLIFT

IN-GROUND ECOLIFT

MOBILE COLUMN LIFTS

Mohawk Mfg. and Supply Co.7200 N. Oak Park Ave.Niles, IL 60714 USAPhone: 847-647-9350 Fax: 847-647-1592E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.mohawkmfg.comProducts: Mohawk Mfg. and Supply Co. is aNorth American bus parts supplier, furnishingmore than 80,000 parts for the transit andmotor coach industries. Mohawk stressesquality, service and value. Mohawk’s parts aresubjected to stringent inspections and arebacked by a one-year warranty against alldefects. Mohawk’s customer service staffworks with its customers to ensure that 98 per-cent of all orders are filled within 24 hours. 12

MOR/Ryde International, Inc.1966 Moyer Ave.Elkhart, IN 46516 USAPhone: 574-293-1581 Fax: 574-294-4936E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.morryde.comProducts:MOR/Ryde Suspension Systems uti-lize rubber shear springs that work with theexisting leaf springs on the chassis. 12

Ridewell SuspensionsP.O. Box 4586, Springfield, MO 65808 USAPhone: 417-833-4565 Fax: 417-833-4560E-Mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.ridewellcorp.comCompany Officers: John E. Raidel II, CEO;John E. Millsap, President; Rick Rickman,Vice President SalesProducts: Ridewell engineers and manufacturespremium air-ride suspensions for buses, motor-coaches and recreational vehicles. Typicallydesigned with four air springs per axle, the 100percent air-ride design provides excellent han-dling and ride quality. Ridewell designs front axleair-rides in conventional axle and independentfront suspension designs. Rear air-rides aredesigned for single axle and tandem axle applica-tions in fixed and self-steer configurations. Thecompany has served the transportation industrysince 1967, and holds more than 74 active patentsfor exclusive features that provide low mainte-nance and superior ride quality. 12

Spartan Motors1541 Reynolds Rd.Charlotte, MI 48813 USAPhone: 517-543-6400E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.spartanmotors.comProducts: Spartan Motors, Inc., designs, engi-neers and manufactures specialty chassis, spe-cialty vehicles, truck bodies and aftermarketparts for the recreational vehicle (RV), emer-gency response, government services, defense,and delivery and service markets. 12

Trelleborg Industrial AVS, Inc.200 Veterans Blvd., Ste 3South Haven, MI 49090 USAPhone: 585-242-2016 Fax: 585-242-0925E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.trelleborg.com/industrialavsProducts: Trelleborg Industrial Anti-VibrationSystems is a global designer and manufacturerof vibration isolators and mounting systems.Products include rubber/metal bonded primarysprings (Chevrons, Metacones®), secondarysprings (air springs, Hourglass® springs) andall rubber/metal bonded components, as well aspowertrain mounts and suspension componentsfor buses and coaches. 12

ZF Industries, Inc.777 Hickory Hill Dr.Vernon Hills, IL 60061-3182 USAPhone: 847-478-6840 Fax: 847-478-6843E-Mail: [email protected] Site: www.zf.comProducts/Services: ZF develops and producestransmissions, steering systems, axles, andchassis components as well as complete sys-tems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles,and off-road machinery. ZF is also a transmis-sion specialist for special and rail vehicles,marine craft, and helicopters. 12



Aided Wireless Dispatch and Fleet Man -agement solutions from eFleet.PTC is also a publisher in its own right,

offering the Paradigm Transportation Suite(PTS). PTS is a robust suite of payroll andlabor management applications designed foroperators with more complex payroll and workforce management needs, including thoseinvolving union contracts.It has long been PTC’s approach to assem-

ble best-of-breed solutions for the motorcoachindustry, and to offer an end-to-end turnkeysolution that makes it possible for operators inthe industry to leverage the best technologyavailable. By bringing together the solutionsoffered by Microsoft, Enghouse, CollectiveData and eFleet, as well as its ownTransportation Suite, PTC has accomplishedthis goal.In the coming months, Enghouse and PTC

will be jointly hosting user group meetings tointroduce not only the updated CoachWorksproduct and PTC’s Transportation Suite, but todemonstrate their joint commitment to theirnew partnership and to the motorcoach indus-try as a whole.PTC is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.

Founded in 1999, PTC has been working suc-

cessfully with companies of all sizes to define,develop and implement exceptional businessprocesses and technology solutions. PTCemploys a dedicated team of highly accom-plished, experienced experts with strong back-grounds in business, finance and technology.PTC is headquartered in New Jersey.For more information, call 1-866-782-4636

(866-PTC INFO), send an email [email protected]

or visit www.ptcllc.com.

Paradigm Technology Consulting:Continued From Page 37

Recently, Distinctive Systems has initiated aWebinar Series that is targeted toward enhanc-ing the knowledge of the end-user of the com-pany’s products and explores targeted aspectsof the software. This has been exceptionallywell received, and many have expressed thatthis ongoing commitment to education will leadto their employees’ better usage of their mis-sion critical business software systems. Thisprogram is a great example of the added valuethat Distinctive Systems offers to clients, longafter the initial purchase of its software.

For further information, contact Distinctive Systems’ sales department

at [email protected] or call 646-448-9981.

UMA, NTAAnnounce ScheduleFor 2013 Travel

ExchangeThe United Motorcoach Association

(UMA) and the National Tour Association(NTA) have released the tentative sched-ule for their joint 2013 event in Orlando,FL, called Travel Exchange. The event isthe combination of the UMA MotorcoachEXPO and the NTA Annual Convention.The schedule was recently confirmed at

the NTA/UMA 2013 Task Force meetingand will give members a better idea ofhow UMA's and NTA's events will beintegrated.UMA and NTA have set Travel

Exchange dates and locations for the nextthree years. They are: January 20-24,2013 in Orlando; February 16-20, 2014in Los Angeles, CA; and, January 17-21,2015 in New Orleans, LA. More information can be obtained by

visiting www.uma.org.

Distinctive Systems:Continued From Page 38


In a news release from MCI, it wasannounced that Motor Coach IndustriesInternational Inc. has signed a letter of intentwith Daimler AG to acquire the Setra businessin the United States and Canada and establish astrategic partnership with Daimler. The companies have agreed upon the mate-

rial terms and conditions of the transactionand are working to finalize definitive agree-ments, which they expect to enter and con-summate not later than May 31, 2012. Uponconsummation of the transaction, DaimlerBuses would receive a minority ownershipstake in MCI, and MCI would become theexclusive North American (U.S. and Canada)distributor of the Setra S407 and S417 motorcoaches.Rick Heller, MCI CEO, said, “The pro-

posed transaction would allow MCI to expandits luxury motor coach offerings in the NorthAmerica marketplace, while establishing astrategic partnership with one of the world’sleading manufacturers of buses and motorcoaches. If consummated, we would intend tofully leverage the capabilities of MCI’s mar-keting and distribution networks on behalf of

the world-renowned Setra brand. We expectthe partnership would also allow MCI accessto Daimler’s world-class engineering andmanufacturing capabilities. In addition to ourplanned consolidation of operations to realizeefficiencies and other benefits, the strategicintent of the proposed transaction is to main-tain the integrity of the MCI and Setra brands,parts and services.” “We look forward to welcoming the Setra

brand to the MCI lineage of best selling mod-els,” said Patricia Ziska, MCI vice presidentof new coach private sector sales. “Our dedi-cation at exceeding customer expectationswith the strongest, most reliable service andsupport infrastructure in the industry willapply to Setra customers who would benefitfrom this new venture.”“MCI is excited by the prospects of part-

nering with Daimler and the long term stabil-ity we expect Daimler’s ownership position toprovide,” Rick Heller added. “The potentialpartnership will only strengthen MCI’s pur-suit of unsurpassed reliability, quality andsupport in the years to come.”For more than 25 years, Setra has been part

of the North American motorcoach industryproviding upscale operators with Germanengineering and European styling. MCI, which turns 80 next year, builds the

industry’s leading models in its Winnipeg,Manitoba, and Pembina, ND, manufacturingfacilities. Its MCI J4500 model ranked as theindustry’s best-selling coach in 2011, a posi-tion it has held for seven consecutive years.MCI also operates six sales and service cen-ters in the United States and Canada, a majorrepair facility in Loudonville, OH, and a360,000-square-foot parts distribution facilityin Louisville, KY.Motor Coach Industries (MCI), owned by

KPS Capital Partners, LP and headquarteredin Schaumburg, IL, is a manufacturer of inter-city coaches in the United States and Canada.MCI builds models for the tour, charter, line-haul, commuter, and transit segments. MCIalso offers 24-hour technical support, indus-try-leading technician training and an exten-sive aftermarket parts and repair service net-work.In 2011, Daimler Buses sold 39,740 buses

and coaches worldwide and achieved rev-enue of 4,418 million euros. 17,495 employ-ees worldwide contributed to an EBIT of 162million euros. Daimler Buses is a leader inthe sales of buses and coaches over 8 tonsGVW.

Visit www.mcicoach.com

MCI Announces Signing Of Letter Of Intent To Acquire The Setra Business In The United States And Canada



New Marketing ManagerABC Companies has announced

the appointment of Sarah Ahlers asmarketing manager. In this posi-tion, Ahlers will be responsible forABC’s participation in industryevents, its online and social mediapresence, customer communica-tions, and industry press relations. Ahlers brings nearly 10 years of

marketing experience workingacross a variety of industries,including financial services, technology, andassociation management. Ahlers will be based in Faribault, MN. Brian Pinckney Rejoins ABC Sales ForceBrian Pinckney has returned to ABC’s

Southeast Region as senior account executivefor Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South

Carolina, and West Virginia. Previously a veteran of ABC

Companies for 13 years, Pinckneyis back in his original territory inthe Southeast region. Pinckney will be located at the

ABC Companies’ facility in WinterGarden, FL.

Pat Kelly Transitions To ABC Parts Sales

ABC Companies has alsoannounced the appointment of Pat

Kelly as parts territory sales manager for theSoutheast Region. Kelly’s territory includesAlabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina,South Carolina, and Tennessee. Kelly has been with ABC Companies for

more than five years, serving as the customerservice manager for ABC Parts before assuming

the territory sales manager role for theSoutheast Region. Kelly will be located at the ABC Companies’

facility in Winter Garden, FL. Contact ABC Companies at 800-222-2875 or

visit www.abc-companies.com.

APTA Selects New Chief Financial Officer

Mary Childress hasjoined the AmericanPublic TransportationAssociation (APTA)as Chief FinancialOfficer. Childresshas more than 25years experience.Prev iously, Childressserved as COO at theAssociation of Stateand Territorial HealthOfficials. She has held senior-level financepositions at the American Wind EnergyAssociation, Optical Society of America,National Association for Home Care, andPartnership for Democracy.A graduate of the University of Maryland,

Childress holds designations as a CertifiedPublic Accountant (CPA) and a CertifiedAssociation Executive (CAE).She succeeds L. Samuel Kerns.


www.budgettruckandauto.com

Painting Ricon Lifts

Fabrication Vinyl Graphics

Collision Repair Certified Welding

Frame Straightening

Rotary Lift introduces theEFX90, the latest addition to its lineof heavy-duty inground scissor liftsthat, according to the company, usepatented design features to lift tech-nician productivity and lower vehi-cle downtime.The EFX90 modular inground lift

incorporates three heavy-duty scis-sor sections to lift vehicles weighingup to 90,000 lbs., including articulat-ed buses and vehicles with tandemaxles, such as fire trucks, dumptrucks, semi trucks, and other voca-tional and over-the-road vehicles.The EFX90 includes the company’s patented

universal style lifting saddle with flip-upadapters. As a result, the EFX90 is compatiblewith industry lightweight adapters. It has an

infinite adjustment range, so technicians canposition adapters where needed for proper lift-ing. The adapters swivel, making it possible topick up vehicles by either the frame or the axle. Rotary Lift says its heavier pivot pins are 37

percent stronger and offer 12.5 percent morebearing surface area for extended service life.The pins are also protected by Rotary Lift’sSmartguard® corrosion protection. With technician safety in mind, the EFX90

features Rotary Lift’s patented heavy-duty lock-ing system. The EFX90 has been third-partytested by ETL and is ALI certified to meet ANSIsafety and performance standards. It is made inthe U.S.A.For more information about the EFX90 or

EFX60 modular inground scissor lifts, visitwww.rotarylift.com, or call 800-640-5438.

New Rotary Lift EFX90

Personnel News From ABC Companies

Rotary Lift’s new EFX90 modular inground scissor lift.

Brian Pinckney

Sarah Ahlers

Mary Childress

Pat Kelly



Safety Steps full line of transportation steps are designed specifically for the transportation industry

Anti-tip design makes it impossible to tip over with normal use

Transportation models provide a 6”, 8”, 10” or 12” boost

The 10" and 12" steps have brackets for extra durability

Rugged all-aluminum welded construction

All models are lab tested to hold over 1,000 pounds, but weigh a mere 7 pounds

Non-slip angled rubber leg tips and gripper strips keep your passengers and your Safety Step securely in place

Durable powder coat finish available black, silver or safety yellow

To view all our transportation steps or to order online,

visit our website:www.safetystep.netor call (888) 448-4237

SAFE, STURDY & DURABLESafety Step will meet all your transportation needs…

The relationship between Greyhound andPrevost which began in 2007, continues withthe signing of a new order for 60 Prevost X3-45motorcoaches. The coaches have been designedto meet the demanding needs ofGreyhound and its customers.Gaetan Bolduc, Prevost CEO, com-

ments, “Greyhound and Prevost sharea commitment to providing safe, effi-cient transportation to passengersacross North America. The combinedefforts of these two industry leadingorganizations will be a significant ben-efit to the transportation industry forthe foreseeable future.”The 60 X3-45 coaches are equipped

with features which advance Prevost’scommitment to safety. Prevost AWAREis an innovative safety feature whichincludes Adaptive Cruise Braking, FollowingDistance Alert and Stationary Object Alert, pro-viding timely information to the driver andencouraging good driving habits. Other Prevost safety features include the

Prevost Electronic Stability Program, the BeruTire Pressure Monitoring System and theAutomatic Fire Suppression System. Thecoaches also boast dual 1800 watt inverterspowering 110 volt outlets and Wi-Fi Internet

access throughout the coach cabin for eachpassenger. Other highlights include an Aesys electronic

destination sign and Prevost’s exclusive Swap

& Plug wheelchair lift. In addition, the coacheswill provide a clean, fuel-efficient drive train,showcasing the Volvo D13 EPA 2010 enginewhich surpasses EPA emissions standards.“The motorcoach order is an affirmation of

Greyhound’s confidence in Prevost’s ability todeliver a high quality and reliable coach to ourfleet,” said Dave Leach, president and CEO,Greyhound Lines, Inc. “We are pleased to con-tinue our relationship with Prevost in a shared

vision to pursue further reductions in the totalcost of ownership of the coach.”Delivery of the X3-45 coaches is scheduled

to begin in June 2012 and be completed inOctober 2012.Founded in 1914, Greyhound Lines,

Inc. is the largest provider of intercitybus transportation, serving more than3,800 destinations across NorthAmerica. It has become an Americanicon, providing safe, enjoyable andaffordable travel to nearly 25 millionpassengers each year. The Greyhoundrunning dog is one of the most-recog-nized brands in the world.Prevost is a leading manufacturer of

premium intercity touring coaches anda world leader in the production ofconversion coaches for high-end

motorhome and specialty conversion. As part ofthe Volvo Group, it has access to the financialstrength, research capability, and manufacturingexpertise of the group.The Volvo Group is one of the world’s lead-

ing manufacturers of heavy-duty diesel engines.Prevost has its main manufacturing facilities inSainte-Claire, Quebec, Canada and has eightParts and Service Centers located in the UnitedStates and Canada. Visit www.prevostcar.com.

Prevost Signs Agreement With Greyhound For 60 X3-45 Motorcoaches


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1 5 2:25 PM

Texas’ OK Tours Takes Delivery Of 3 New MCI® J4500 Coaches

OK Tours, San Antonio, TX, founded in 1993 by husband-and-wifeteam Manuel and Ana Sarmiento, has taken delivery of three 2012 MCIJ4500 coaches. OK Tours spokespeople say the company owes its success to the

Sarmiento’s commit-ment to building a fami-ly business with a repu-tation for professional,friendly service. “My husband had exp -

erience in motorcoachoperations since he was ateenager,” said Ana Sar -miento. “I had otherplans, but he needed myhelp in the office.” In those early years, as

a mother with a three-year-old, Ana kept her son Marcos near her desk. Now 22, son Marcos Sarmiento is also involved with the business in

sales, helping to further a customer base that ranges from group toursto popular destinations in Orlando, FL, and Canada; scheduled serviceto casinos; and charters for local colleges. Ana’s oldest son MarcusGriffin is the company's operation manager. OK Tours has grown to a staff of 30 employees, including drivers,

and operates out of its own building on two acres that includes officesand a service shop. To learn more, visit www.oktours.com.

Wade Tours Purchases New MCI J4500

In business for more than 80 years, Wade Tours of Schenectady, NY,has taken delivery of a new MCI J4500.The new MCI J4500 joins an all-MCI coach fleet, most of them

recent J4500s, including one bought last year. In all, the company has27 vehicles. “We like to keep a fleet that’s on average five years old or less, but

we’ve been buying J4500s since the beginning,” says Greg DeLorenzo,representing the company’s fifth generation of family leadership.“We’ve been very satisfied with the MCI product as well as with theMCI organization. The support MCI gives is fantastic.” DeLorenzo, who says the company has been experiencing positive

growth with more in the forecast, attributes Wade Tours’ success to itsgreat customer service and pricing. The company is also known forbeing aggressive in wooing a more youthful demographic, offeringshorter tours and events geared to younger adults as well as offeringequipment and amenities that appeal to school groups. The companyalso offers charters andhas a full-service travelagency that allows forinternational trips as wellas a wide array of local,regional and cross-coun-try options.Wade Tours began with

a 1926 Studebaker mak-ing a 120-mile round-trip run from Schenectady to Middleburg. Thecompany prospered, providing transportation to historic eventsincluding the World’s Fair in New York City and the Winter Olympicsin Lake Placid. Today, Wade Tours continues to serve the CapitalDistrict. For more information on Wade Tours and its history, visitwww.wadetours.com.

MCI Delivers New J4500s

OK Tours’ team from left: Marcus Griffin, oper-

ation manager; Ana Sarmiento, president;

Manuel Sarmiento, vice president; and Marcos

Sarmiento, public relations and marketing.


For More Information Visit www.BusConExpo.com/mc or Call (800) 576-8788

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SESSION HIGHLIGHTS(subject to change)

2:25 PM



Fast Deer Bus Charter PurchasesNew Temsa TS35 Coach

Fast Deer Bus Charter, Inc., recently pur-chased a new Temsa TS35 coach from CH BusSales. Fast Deer Bus Charter was started in 1979and maintains a state-of-the-art facility a fewmiles south of Los Angeles in Montebello, CA.

Currently, it has a mixed fleet of 22 buseswith seating capacity ranging from 25 to 58 pas-sengers. Included in the fleet are six mini busesused for local trips, and the balance, includingthe new Temsa TS35, are over the road. Eddie Wong is president of Fast Deer Bus

Charter. He said, “We love this new 35 footTemsa. Our European groups are shrinking insize and this recent addition is a perfect solution.With the monocoque body and a powerful 345HP Cummins engine, combined with Allisontransmission and the three point seat belts asstandard equipment, Temsa is a good choice.”

TUI Bus Services Announces Purchase Of New Temsa TS35 CoachTUI Bus Services, Inc., recently purchased a

new 2012 Temsa TS35 coach from CH BusSales. TUI Bus Services has been in businessfor 20 years and operates a modern fleet ofmotorcoaches in Dallas, TX. The companytransports passengers within the Dallas/FortWorth area and state to state. Mel Jackson of TUI Bus Services says, “I

feel Temsa offers a great after sales support sys-

tem. The reason I purchased a Temsa is becauseof this support. I was looking for a mid-sizecoach with plenty of luggage space and TimVaught sold me on this coach.”

Vandalia Bus Lines Announces PurchaseOf New Temsa TS35 Coach

Vandalia Bus Lines, Inc., recently added athird new Temsa TS35 coach to its fleet.Vandalia Bus Lines has been a privately ownedbusiness for 75 years and owns and operates alarge fleet of motor coaches in the St. Louis,MO, area. Dale Streif is president of Vandalia Bus

Lines. CH Bus Sales is the exclusive distributor of

Temsa motorcoaches in the United States. CHBus Sales is a privately owned corporation withan industry experienced ownership and man-agement team. Temsa is a fully owned sub-sidiary of Sabanci Holding, located in Turkey.

Visit www.chbussales.com or www.temsaglobal.com for more information.

Temsa New Coach Purchases

Pictured from left are Mel Jackson of TUI, and

Laurie Lynne and Jack Farrell of CH Bus Sales’

service department.

Mohawk Lift FeaturesModel TP-18 2 Post Lift

Mohawk’s TP-18 is a clear floor aboveground lift capable of raising medium-dutyvehicles up to 18,000 lbs. This is a 2 post medi-um to heavy-duty lift that handles a wide vari-ety of vehicles. The TP-18 can be used for any-thing from light-duty passenger cars to 1 tonutility, work and service trucks. All Mohawk Lifts are designed and manufac-

tured in the USA. Mohawk’s TP-18 lift comeswith a 25-year structural and 10-year mechani-cal warranty. For more information visit www.mohawk-

lifts.com, call 1-800-833-2006, fax 518-842-1289, or write to P.O. Box 110, Amsterdam, NY12010.

Specialty Vehicles Receives AwardSpecialty Vehicles Founder and CEO Nancy Munoz says that SVI, Inc. has been awarded

the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 2012 Nevada State Small Business Person ofthe Year Award. As award winners, the SVI Executive Management Team celebrated alongwith other award recipients inWashington, D.C. during National SmallBusiness Week at The Mandarin OrientalHotel in May. Since relocating to Nevada from

Southern California in 2003, SpecialtyVehicles has grown from expanding itsoverall repair and warranty services forcustomers to building its vehicle portfo-lio to include more product lines such asStar Shuttle and Metro Tram™. TMC Financing, a Certified Dev -

elopment Company for small businessesin California and Nevada was responsiblefor nominating Specialty Vehicles for thePerson of the Year Award. It workedclosely with Specialty Vehicles to helpthe company receive an SBA 504 loan topurchase a new 6,800 square foot build-ing on a 1.15 square acre parcel to add tocurrent operations. For 30 years,Specialty Vehicles spokespeople say the company has been helping clients meet their peoplemoving needs across the United States and abroad including the Classic American Trolley,trams, electric vehicles, buses and now the much anticipated Metro Tram™.

Pictured from left are Leah Munoz,

Nancy Munoz, and Rachel Drenk.


BOWMANSDALE

2112 Bumble Bee Hollow Rd.Off Rt. 15 Mechanicsburg, PA

717-697-5383CAMP HILL

4230 Trindle Road 717-737-3896CARLISLE

60 Noble Blvd. in Super Walmart717-960-9400

608 E. High St. 717-249-77211176 Harrisburg Pike 717-243-7774

905 Walnut Bottom Rd. 717-249-0694CEDAR CLIFF

Exit 19 off I-83 Camp Hill, PA717-737-6404

CHAMBERSBURG

1075 Lincoln Way East 717-263-4601NORTH CHAMBERSBURG

2891 Philadelphia Avenue (US 11 N.)717-263-2970

CLEONA

493 W. Penn Avenue 717-272-5677COLUMBIA

1788 Columbia Ave., off Rt. 30717-684-7048DILLSBURG

898 North US Rt. 15 717-432-9500EAST MANCHESTER

4245 North George St. 717-266-3170ELIZABETHTOWN

1284 S. Market St. 717-367-6471ENOLA

Enola Rd., Exit Rt. 1115 S. off Rt. 81 717-732-4228

EPHRATA

140 N. Reading Rd. 717-733-1660GETTYSBURG

517 S. Steinwehr Ave., Bus. Rt. 15717-334-5920

1090 York Rd. 717-337-1030GREENCASTLE

Rt. 16 and I-81 717-597-2589HALIFAX

3761 Peter’s Moutain Rd. 717-896-2535

HANOVER

991 Carlisle St., Rt. 94 717-632-7531350 Eisenhower Dr. 717-632-00051448 Baltimore St. 717-630-0337

HARRISBURG

2929 Paxton St. 717-561-80504605 Jonestown Rd. 717-652-70357845 Linglestown Rd. 717-545-8580

Rt. 83 and Union Deposit Rd.717-564-9320

4403 N. Front St. 717-238-1048Harrisburg East Mall/Rt. 83 and Paxton St.

717-561-0703Eisenhower Blvd. I-283, Exit 1

717-939-69725590 Allentown Blvd., Rt. 22

Exit 26 off I-81 717-652-9123Kline Plaza, 101 S. 25th St.

717-232-0008Uptown Shopping Center

720 Division St. 717-236-6226Harrisburg Airport 717-948-3900

6535 Grayson Rd. in Wal-Mart717-561-0445

HERSHEY

Rts. 39 and 322 611 E. Main St.,Hummelstown 717-566-6041

JONESTOWN

Rt 72 & I-81 610-562-8462LANCASTER

1880 Hempstead Rd. 717-509-6988Willow Valley Square 717-464-5119

1829 Oregon Pike 717-569-78981434 Manheim Pike 717-394-3417

Rt. 30 and Centerville Rd.Lancaster, PA 717-393-952368 East Town Mall, Rt. 30E

Lancaster, PA 717-394-89571755 Columbia Ave.

Millersville Exit off Rt. 30, Rt. 462717-397-5112

575 N. Franklin St., next to McCuskeyHigh School 717-394-7938

2034 Lincoln Hwy East in Wal-Mart717-390-1099

King & Water Streets 717-299-6699Manor Shopping Center

1296 Millersville Pk. 717-293-5706LEMOYNE

Rts. 11 and 15 North across from Radisson Hotel 717-761-7992

LEBANON

1202 W. Maple St. 717-273-8691757 E. Cumberland St. 717-273-9023

1725 Quentin Rd., Lebanon, PA717-306-6565

LITITZ

990 Lititz Pike, Rt. 501 N.717-627-4666

LITTLESTOWN

430 North Queen St. 717-359-8946LYKENS VALLEY

4660 Rt. 209 717-362-8416MANHEIM

711 Lancaster Rd., Rt. 72 717-664-4944MECHANICSBURG

Wesley Dr. Exit, Rt. 15717-761-7525

KMart Plaza, 5600 Carlisle Pike717-766-9675

6250 Carlisle Pike in Wal-Mart717-591-9864

MERCERSBURG

11924 Buchanan Trial West717-328-0111

MIDDLETOWN

2270 W. Harrisburg Pike 717-944-9535MIFFLINTOWN

Rt. 322 and Rt. 35, Mifflintown Exit717-436-9779MYERSTOWN

295 West Lincoln Avenue (Rt. 422)717-866-2278

NEW CUMBERLAND

101 Limekiln Rd. 717-774-1027NEW HOLLAND

828 W. Main St. 717-354-9300NEW OXFORD

6040 York Rd., Rts. 30 and 94717-624-4266

NEWPORT

Rt. 322 and Rt. 34, Newport Exit717-567-9344

PALMYRA

901 E. Main St. 717-838-6815PINE GROVE

I-81, Exit 31 717-345-6400RED LION

897 West Broadway 717-246-1802655 Lombard St., Cape Horn Plaza

717-246-7801SCOTLAND

3347 Black Gap Rd. 717-263-7507SHIPPENSBURG

333 East King St. 717-532-7945SHREWSBURY

Exit 1 off I-83 717-235-4663SILVER SPRING

Rt. 114 and Shadow Oak Dr.Mechanicsburg, PA 717-697-3460

SPRINGETTSBURY

Hallam Exit off Rt. 30, Rt. 462717-757-9655

WAYNESBORO

302 East Main St. 717-762-9201YOCUMTOWN

Exit 14A off I-83 717-938-5705YORK

2125 York Crossing Dr & Rt 74 717-767-1381

Exit 4, I-83, 133 Leader Heights Road 717-747-9191

York Galleria Mall 717-757-302660 Arsenal Rd. 717-699-4600

Exit 6W off I-83 717-845-93603141 Carlisle Road, Dover

717-767-2594144-158 S. George St. 717-846-1021

Rts. 30 & 74 in Wal-Mart 717-764-8923380 Memory Lane 717-757-2912

Tell us you saw this ad in Busline Magazine, and 1 driver and 1 tour guide will receive a

FREE MEAL!Please call ahead to the phone number listed by

the McDonald’s of your choice.


The exceptional efficiency of an integrated powertrain

The Volvo 9700 consistently delivers a profitable combination of performance, efficiency and passenger-

pleasing comfort. With its dependable Volvo D13 SCR engine, you get a proven platform that saves fuel and

minimizes maintenance. The integrated I-Shift transmission takes fuel economy to the next level by keeping engine

speed in the sweet spot. Advanced safety features add bumper-to-bumper protection. And wherever you go, you’re

backed by our extensive network of Prevost professional service providers. The Volvo 9700 is known around the globe

for its high productivity and low operating cost. Here in North America, it’s the best way to accelerate your bottom line.

Learn more at www.prevostcar.com.

35 Gagnon Blvd., Ste-Claire QC, G0R 2V0, Canada | USA 1-877-773-8678 | Canada 418-883-3391

2:28 PM


0512 busline magazine

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