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CONTENTS
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IN THIS ISSUE
Community Transit Serves Diverse Snohomish County In Washington State .........................8
Feature photos courtesy of Community Transit
How These Motorcoach Companies Succeed By Taking Care Of Customers ..........................................22
Busline’s Buyers Guide To
Bus Shelters & Street Furniture.............39
Busline’s Buyers Guide To
Engines & Transmissions......................42
Busline Vehicle Showcase
RAPID RESPONSE.....................................Page 6 INDUSTRY NEWS ...................................Page 33
TRANSIT BUSES 47 – 50
ON THE COVER: Washington’s Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor is shown with one of the agency’s Enviro 500 double-decker buses produced by Alexander Dennis. See page 8.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2012 September 13-16 Virginia Motorcoach Assn./ North Carolina Motorcoach Assn. Joint Convention Winston-Salem, NC Info: 434-376-1150 / 336-495-5970 September 22-25 South Central Motorcoach Assn. Annual Meeting Lafayette, LA Info: 877-501-1878 September 30 October 3 APTA Annual Meeting Seattle, WA Info: 202-496-4800
OCTOBER 2012 October 14-17 National Conference On Rural Public And Intercity Bus Transportation Salt Lake City, UT Info: 800-422-5228 October 26-30 Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association Annual Convention & Trade Show Las Vegas, NV Info: 301-984-5700 NOVEMBER 2012 November 10-14 Canadian Urban Transit Assoc. (CUTA) Fall Conference & Trans-Expo Quebec City, QC Info: 416-365-9800
JANUARY 2013 January 5-9 American Bus Association Marketplace Charlotte, NC Info: 800-283-2877 January 19-23 United Motorcoach Association / National Tour Association Co-located Conventions Orlando, FL Info: 800-424-8262 MAY 2013 May 5-8 APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference Indianapolis, IN Info: 202-496-4800
Busline Magazine is published 6 times a year by Rankin Publishing, Inc., 204 E. Main, P.O. Box 130, Arcola, IL 61910-0130. Publisher assumes no liability whatsoever for content of any advertisement or editorial material contained herein. Copyright 2012 Rankin Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written consent of 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
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September/October 2012
EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICES
Rankin Publishing Co., Inc. Don Rankin and Linda Rankin, Publishers 204 E. Main Street • P.O. Box 130 Arcola, IL 61910-0130, USA Email: drankin@consolidated.net Website: www.rankinpublishing.com (800) 598-8083 (U.S.) • (217) 268-4959 Fax: (217) 268-4815 Editorial: Harrell Kerkhoff, Editor Rick Mullen, Associate Editor Design: David Opdyke Reception: Sandy Pierce Advertising Contact Kevin Kennedy @ 623-434-8959 Email: kevloraz@cox.net Or Don Rankin @ 800-598-8083 Fax: 217-268-4815 Email: drankin@consolidated.net
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Alexander Dennis .................................47 Motor Coach Industries .......................48 ABC Companies ...................................49
Company
Website
ABC Companies Alexander Dennis Inc. Altro Transflor Amaya-Astron Seating American Cooling Technology, Inc. ARBOC Specialty Vehicles Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison Bauer Compressors Bitzer Budget Truck & Autobody C.E. Niehoff Chestnut Ridge Foam Classic Trolley Clean Energy Columbia Equipment CUTA Diamond Manufacturing DRIVEWARE EMP Enseicom Inc. Euramtec/Prima America Freightliner Handi-Hut, Inc.
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www.abc-companies.com www.alexander-dennis.com www.altrotransfloor.com www.amaya-astron.com.mx www.actusa.us.com www.arbocsv.com www.atlanticdda.com www.bauercng.com www.bitzerus.com www.budgettruckandauto.com www.ceniehoff.com www.chestnutridgefoam.com www.classictrolley.com www.cleanenergyfuels.com www.columbiaequipment.com www.cutaactu.com www.diamondmfg.com www.driveware.com www.emp-corp.com www.ensei.com www.euramtec.com www.freightlinerchassis.com www.handi-hut.com
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Setra ......................................................50 New Flyer ..............................................50
Company
Hometown Trolley Imeco, Inc. MAHA Lifts MCI (Motor Coach Industries) Midwest Bus Corporation Mile-X Penntex Industries Prevost Car Protective Insurance Company Relational Bus Systems Safety Step SEFAC Service Insurance Stertil-Koni Sutrak TEMSA Transit Sales International Turtle Top UMA Vanner Power Volvo WEH Technologies Inc. Willingham Inc.
Website
www.hometowntrolley.com www.groupeimeco.com www.maha-usa.com www.mcicoach.com www.midwestbus.com www.mile-x.com www.penntexusa.com www.prevostcar.com www.protective insurance.com www.rbs2000.com www.safetystep.net www.sefac.com www.serviceins.com www.stertil-koni.com www.sutrakusa.com www.temsa.com www.transitsales.com www.turtletop.com www.uma.org www.vanner.com www.prevostcar.com www.weh.us www.willinghaminc.com
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Read or Download Complete Issues Of Busline Magazine Online At: www.buslinemag.com Page 6
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September/October 2012
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Community Transit Serves Diverse Snohomish County In Washington State By Harrell Kerkhoff Busline Magazine Editor
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nohomish County, Washington — like The Evergreen State itself — is sparsely populated throughout much of its eastern and center regions, with a much larger urban-base concentrated in the west. Providing key public transportation services for most of this diverse county is the responsibility of Community Transit, an agency that takes pride in innovative programs and transportation services. Through the use of modern technology and a fleet that includes 23 Enviro 500 double-decker buses from Alexander Dennis Limited, Community Transit has enjoyed steady ridership numbers in the face of budget cutbacks and a sluggish area economy. “Our agency was the first in the state of Washington to feature an all low-floor bus fleet, and the first to launch a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service which we call, ‘Swift,’” Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor said. “We were the second transit agency in the nation, meanwhile, to put a fleet of doubledecker buses into regular service.” Page 8
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The western part of Community Transit’s service region includes a portion of Seattle’s metropolitan area and Puget Sound, the latter of which serves as the agency’s western boundary. Its eastern boundary is part of the Cascade Range. Topography of Snohomish County includes saltwater beaches, rolling hills
our commuter service that operates on Interstate 5, which is a major north-south corridor through the heart of the Seattle metropolitan area. It’s an area that has become quite congested. Fortunately, I-5 features HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes that make it nice for those people who use our bus service on this corridor.”
It’s been necessary to cut our service by 37 percent over the past 2 years due to recessionary times. What is interesting is that our ridership has only declined about 4 percent over this time period. ” — Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor
and rich river bottom farmlands in the west to dense forest and alpine wilderness in the mountainous east. “Due to our county’s unique geography, we couldn’t possibly operate on a grid transportation system. Instead, we have several different transfer points for our buses in place. Our county’s geography is an interesting challenge, but people who live and work here are used to this and have adjusted very well,” Eleanor said. “We are fortunate that people here support and use public transportation, particularly
September/October 2012
By The Numbers
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ommunity Transit began in 1976 in the wake of new state legislation that established a Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation. This legislation allowed local voters to decide on a sales tax proposal designed to help fund local transit operations. Community Transit was the first agency in the state to benefit from such voter approval, according to Eleanor. “We started with 18 leased vehicles and
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Reach for the Sky… …with our new purpose-built open top tourist double deck The Enviro400 double deck provides high capacity seating and an unbeatable passenger experience. There’s no limit to the views that can be enjoyed, bringing a new dimension to the world of sightseeing. Purpose-designed by Alexander Dennis, the world leader in double deck technology, the open top Enviro400 combines reliability, durability and ease of maintenance with unrivalled fuel economy, maneuverability and ride comfort. Derived from its sister vehicle, the best-selling Enviro400 transit bus - thousands of which excel in the world’s toughest operating environments - the new tourism model features a low entrance with no steps, a spacious and easily accessible flat floor and dedicated wheelchair locations. Creating a novel, new tourism experience, the Enviro400 has a track record of boosting passenger ridership. Is it time to give your fleet a new dimension?
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Among the Community Transit staff members are, left to right, Ana Shorb, accounting specialist; Maile Burnett, administrative clerk; and Renato Mendoza, payroll specialist.
7 bus routes within Snohomish County,” she said. “Community Transit now has 220 full-size buses, 54 paratransit mini-buses and 396 van pool vans. Thirty of our buses are diesel-electric hybrids, while the rest of the bus fleet runs on ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel.” Community Transit operates local bus and van pool services; while its commuter runs are operated by First Transit, a private provider of transit management and contracting work. “First Transit does a very good job for us, as does Senior Services of Snohomish County, which is a local nonprofit human
service agency that operates our paratransit service,” Eleanor said. Growth has been a big part of Community Transit’s history. Starting with 7 communities, now citizens in every city in Snohomish County, except Everett, have voted to join the agency. Community Transit’s Public Transportation Benefit Area has a population of nearly half a million people (498,815 in 2009). Community Transit provides bus service on 46 routes. This includes 26 local routes within Snohomish County and 20 commuter routes to downtown Seattle, in King County, and to the University of
Washington, also in Seattle. The only city in Snohomish County that maintains its own transit system is Everett, which is known as Everett Transit, although Community Transit does run some buses in this city as well. “We also operate, through a contract, 6 Sound Transit Regional Express bus routes,” Eleanor said. While Sound Transit, based in Seattle, oversees, plans and funds the operation and maintenance of its buses, it contracts services out to King County Metro, Pierce Transit and Community Transit. “Community Transit had 9.7 million overall passenger boardings in 2011 and operated 14 million miles. Our service area is large, with over 1,300 square miles. It goes from very rural to very urban areas,” Eleanor said. Working with area businesses to help them provide transportation for employees is another important service provided by Community Transit. Under its award-winning Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program called “Curb the Congestion,” the transit agency has a contract in place with Snohomish County to work with employers located on major
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transportation corridors. “The main focus (of Curb the Congestion) is to encourage people to use alternative transportation as opposed to
1,600 bus stops.” The agency’s BRT “Swift” line, meanwhile, serves a 17-mile north/south route on busy Highway 99 between Everett and
“Customer service is No. 1 at Community Transit. We are a quality organization. During the painful process of cutting our budget, I kept telling our staff, ‘We are going to become a smaller agency, but we will not cut quality.’” single-occupancy vehicle travel — whether it’s a bus, van, car pool, biking or walking,” Eleanor said. The Curb the Congestion program recently earned second place in the national Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) Marketing and Outreach: Partnership Award competition. A goal of this program is to reduce traffic congestion on three specific corridors in Snohomish County. “We work with all of the large employers in this area. It helps that Community Transit currently has 22 park-and-ride lots with 6,635 parking spaces. This includes a parking garage that was opened a little over a year ago that features 877 spaces,” Eleanor said. “Community Transit also has
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Shoreline, WA. Buses traveling on certain parts of this BRT line receive signal priority, while there are also dedicated Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes on 10 of the route’s 17 miles — all designed to help buses stay on schedule. The transit agency’s two bus bases and administration building are located in Everett. This includes the Merrill Creek base, which is where Community Transit officials operate local service out of as well as commuter service to the University of Washington. There is also the Kasch Park base, responsible for the commuter service that travels to downtown Seattle and the contracted Sound Transit runs. “These facilities are very close to the I-5 corridor and are well located to get our
September/October 2012
buses quickly out on the streets for service,” Eleanor said. Community Transit also offers a RideStore at the nearby Lynnwood (WA) Transit Center. This is a major hub where people can purchase fare media and/or ask questions about the various services provided by the transit agency. A Double Tall To Go
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ith close proximity to Seattle, home of Starbucks Coffee and its “double tall” beverage size, it should be of no surprise that doubledecker buses now used in Community Transit’s fleet are commonly known as “double talls.” “We call these buses ‘double tall’ because we are near Seattle and its relationship with coffee. The term has been very well accepted by the public,” Eleanor said. There are currently 23 such double tall — otherwise known as double-decker buses — specially built for Community Transit. The Enviro 500 double-deckers were made by Alexander Dennis Ltd., the same company that makes the famous
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Helping to keep Community Transit’s bus fleet in good running shape are, left to right, Howard Evans, day shift lead mechanic; Tom Peterson, journeyman mechanic; and Tony Ruggiero, parts journeyman.
London double-deckers. Community Transit’s decision to buy these buses required the Scotland-based bus manufacturer to contract with a plant in the United States so the buses would meet federal “Buy America” standards, a requirement for the federal stimulus money which helped pay for the double-deckers. Community Transit’s bus purchase was the first Buy America-compliant doubledecker order for Alexander Dennis. “Despite the complexities and slight time delays involved in adapting a very British product and process to America, and the use of a new set of subcontractors from a different continent, the buses went
into operation last year and have been a hit with our drivers, mechanics and, especially our customers,” Eleanor said. “Alexander Dennis officials were very responsive and have developed a good relationship with our agency.” “There was a big learning curve involved to get the double-decker program in place, but this was to be expected,” Community Transit Strategic Planning and Grants Manager June DeVoll added. The agency’s double-decker buses are all used for commuter service to downtown Seattle. Eleanor said these vehicles have brought many advantages. “For example, they take up less space
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(compared to articulated buses) when not in use, which is especially important at our Kasch Park operating base. It was getting very crowded at this facility,” she said. “The (double-deckers) also take less space compared to articulated buses when on the freeways, while holding more passengers. They can carry up to 79 passengers plus standees, while our articulated buses carry up to 60 passengers. Due to extra seating capacity, our double talls have been assigned to the most crowded trips to and from downtown Seattle. “We have found operating costs are also lower with our double tall fleet, and these buses operate very well in the snow.” Officials at Community Transit previously leased one double-decker bus for a year to see how it met the agency’s service demands. The end result was very good, Eleanor explained. “Our riders have loved the double talls from the beginning. When we had a ribbon cutting ceremony for our first (doubledecker) 300 people showed up. Grandparents brought their grandchildren just so they could board a double tall,” Eleanor said. “We now have a web page that lists where the double talls are going to be every day. If a person wants to ride one
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of them, he/she can check the website and ed in Snohomish County,” Eleanor said. site showing people how to ride Swift, and see where to get on the bus. “Currently, expansion plans at Community how to use the ORCA (One Regional Card “Ridership is doing very well on these Transit have been placed on hold, but for All) smart card and other services,” buses. They are becoming popular in other future plans include increasing our Swift Eleanor said. “Community Transit also ways as well, such as with marketing. In BRT offering. We would like to implement promotes its services through advertising fact, the local space available on United Way had “We are working on reducing the cost per rider our buses, at parkone of our double lots and on because if we can succeed there, it enables us to offer and-ride talls in (an adverbike lockers.” tising) wrap featur- more and better service for all of our customers.” Not all of this ing the organizaavailable advertising tion’s campaign slogan, ‘Live United,’ BRT on our major east-west corridors. We space, however, is used for self-promotion. because these buses are so visible.” hope to some day connect this BRT expan- In fact, transit agency officials sell most of sion with park-and-ride lots, and eventual- the ad space found on Community Getting The Word Out ly, light rail. Transit’s buses to other entities in order to “We are trying to secure funding for an bring in extra revenue. espite recent service cutbacks that alternatives analysis regarding a second “We have also developed community resulted from a down local econo- Swift line. It’s a long process, which is partnerships to help us implement successmy, officials at Community Transit good because currently we don’t have the ful programs. This includes sponsorships are busy planning for the day when local money to implement another line. This is with local businesses,” she said. sales tax revenues are on the rebound. included in our list of long-range goals. We For example, officials at Community Eleanor said it’s been comforting to see could also use another satellite facility to Transit helped develop a bike trail map for that ridership has not taken a sharp the north as our service area is so large.” the local area that was completely funded decrease despite the agency’s cutbacks. Despite current budgetary constraints, by sponsors. Transit agency employees also “It’s been necessary to cut our service by Community Transit’s marketing depart- work with organizers of local events, such 37 percent over the past 2 years due to ment has found creative ways to keep the as the Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival, where recessionary times. What is interesting is agency’s name at the forefront in the local Community Transit provides free rides, that our ridership has only declined about 4 areas it serves. This includes the use of thanks to funding from a local hospital. percent over this time period. I feel this social media and videos. Another important function of many shows that our service is very much need“We have videos available on our web- local public transportation agencies is that
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for our services.” Community Transit relies on the dedication and knowledge that its employees showcase on a daily basis. Eleanor said she is proud of the entire workforce, including its staff of drivers. “Our drivers are amazing. Whenever I go out into the public, I receive tremendous complements on how helpful and courteous our drivers are to “We have entered into a fuel hedge program which is similar to those they service,” she an insurance policy. We have put around $3 million into a reserve said. The current workforce fund to guard against a dramatic fuel increase. After that, our at Community Transit is 521 people. This does not fuel hedge program kicks in for added protection.” include those who work The demonstration focuses on the features events — again promoting the benefits of for the transit agency’s contractors. “Our entire employee base has made the and benefits of using public transportation. using Community Transit’s services. One of the important side benefits of “Customer service is No. 1 at agency a success. We are well known for participating in a school educational event Community Transit. We are a quality having very dedicated, high-quality peoor local festival, of course, is that organization. During the painful process of ple,” Eleanor said. “Each employee is Community Transit’s name is in public cutting our budget, I kept telling our staff, properly trained. We also have a staff ‘We are going to become a smaller agency, development manager available to help our view in a very positive way. “Our marketing department is working but we will not cut quality,’” Eleanor said. other managers find additional training for really hard to come up with low cost ways “This is because we spent years building a employees when required. Just as importo continually market the agency,” Eleanor very good brand, and it doesn't take long to tant, in my mind, is that our employees understand what Community Transit’s missaid. “This includes trading the back page lose that brand quality. “I feel every employee of ours knows we sion is, and what we are all working to of our Bus Plus book (featuring bus schedules and other agency information) for are all here for the customers. If it weren’t achieve. Our big goal is, ‘Think Transit some promotional opportunities elsewhere, for our customers, there would be no need First,’ which has really permeated the of providing customer outreach programs. This includes education for school children on how to ride a transit bus. At Community Transit, this type of service is called the School Transit Education Program (STEP). It’s designed to be an entertaining and informative presentation developed by Community Transit and shared, at no cost, with those schools in Snohomish County.
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such as at the Comcast Arena in Everett. It’s at this arena that Community Transit now has large wall murals where we highlight our services.” She added that the transit agency also has its own super hero called “Oxy Gene,” who Eleanor said is a, “Defender of truth, justice and really clean air.” Oxy Gene is a regular visitor at various community
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organization. “It has been a difficult past few years because our vision, our mission and our goals have always been about growing the system, increasing ridership and being innovative. With the recent slow economy and having to cut service, I think we have gone through a period of some confusion about what our true mission really is, but we are stabilizing and working on this focus. We are working on reducing the cost per rider because if we can succeed there, it enables us to offer more and better service for all of our customers.”
Eleanor said there are signs the local economy is improving as sales tax revenues are up slightly and the housing market in the area appears to be getting stronger. New orders at The Boeing Company, which has a large manufacturing facility in Everett, have also helped boost the local economy. “We are on budget at Community Transit, and many areas of business are getting better. We all anticipate, however, that it’s going to be a long, slow recovery with the local economy,” Eleanor said. “I think everyone in our area is cautiously optimistic. Having been through slow eco-
nomic times for five years, however, it’s understandable that we are all still cautious.” Community Transit Public Information Officer Martin Munguia added that agency officials, “Are looking forward to the day when there is more capacity available at Community Transit, and we start growing our service at a faster pace.” Eleanor added that new riders do continue to seek Community Transit’s various bus services. Many of these people are seeking ways to escape increased traffic congestion and high gas prices. “We see new riders with every wave of higher fuel costs. A lot of people who would not normally use the bus will try one and find out it works pretty well for their travel needs,” she said. “From our own cost standpoint, however, we have been quite concerned about these same rising fuel costs. Therefore, we have entered into a fuel hedge program which is similar to an insurance policy. We have put around $3 million into a reserve fund to guard against a dramatic fuel increase. After that, our fuel hedge program kicks in for added protection.” Technology Spurs Opportunities For Riders
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ooking at what type of alternativefuel vehicles will work best at Community Transit in the future, along with other changes in technology, remain an important part of public transportation’s focus in Snohomish County. Most of the agency’s fleet of buses run on ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel, while some are diesel-electric hybrids. “We are currently looking at data on the cost of operating with these different types of fuel,” Eleanor said. “We know that diesel-electric hybrid vehicles work very well on our commuter runs. For our local service, where there is a lot of stopping, it may be a different matter. This is the type of situation that we are currently evaluating.” Other forms of technology are also at the forefront of importance at Community Transit. For example, the agency is nearing implementation of automated passenger counting, automated stop announcements and GPS-based bus tracking, the latter of which will provide real time bus information. “This (bus tracking) is something our customers have been asking for during the past several years. We are quite excited and Continued On Page 54
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ocated in Bloomington, IN, home of the main campus of Indiana University, GO Express Travel provides transportation services anywhere in the United States and Canada. Headquartered about 60 miles south of the Indianapolis International Airport, the motorcoach company, originally known as Bloomington Shuttle, was founded 19 years ago. The company became part of the GO Airport Shuttle national chain in 2011. “We started as an airport shuttle company,” GO Express Travel Operations Manager Jill Webb said. “Today, we have a fleet of about 50 vehicles, ranging in size from sedans to 57-passenger motorcoaches.” In addition to its airport shuttle service, GO Express Travel also offers corporate shuttle and charter services. The company’s largest business segment has evolved from airport shuttle service to the charter business, Webb said. Operating charter service for area athletic teams is an important part of GO Express’ business. The company carries a large portion of Indiana University’s athletic teams as well as teams from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Wabash College and DePauw University. GO Express became certified by the Transportation Safety Exchange (TSX) last year. The TSX investigates, reports and monitors the safety of motor carriers in North America. The company’s TSX certification is crucial as the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) requires its members to use TSXcertified carriers. “Most of our vehicles are under 2 years old,” Webb said. “Our motorcoaches are equipped with such amenities as satellite TV, DVD players, WiFi and restrooms.” Most of Go Express’ buses are also By Rick Mullen, Busline Magazine Associate Editor equipped with GPS and alert system technology. xecutives from four motorcoach companies of “The alert system will send us informadiverse geographical locations in the United States tion if a coach is having an engine or an airconditioning issue, or if a bus has been spoke with Busline Magazine recently sharing why idling too long. It sends alerts to me, the their respective companies have been successful in the owner of the company, and to our mechanhighly-competitive shuttle, tour and charter markets. ics. These alerts oftentimes help us prevent a more serious problem from happening. Making sure their customers are safe, well taken care This has been a really good system.” Go Express goes to great lengths to make of, and return home happy are some of the keys these sure its vehicles are not only well mainindustry professionals insist upon in their day-to-day tained, but are also clean and attractive. operations. “As I have explained to our detailing staff many times, when one of our coaches pulls up to pick up a group, one of the most important places on the bus that must be clean is the first step,” Webb said. “If a group boards a coach and the stairwell is dirty, the rest of the bus could be spotless, but the dirty stairwell is all customers will see. “We could have the best office staff and the best drivers in the world, which I believe we have, but the only way we are going to gain repetitive business is to keep our buses ‘spit-shined,’ so to speak.” When it comes to marketing GO Express Travel of Bloomington,
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being a part of the national GO Airport Shuttle chain helps, Webb “When one of our coaches pulls up to pick up a group, one explained. of the most important places on the bus that must be “No matter where a person lives, clean is the first step. If a group boards a coach and the he or she can go online and search for Go Airport Shuttle and our stairwell is dirty, the rest of the bus could be spotless, name comes up,” Webb said. but the dirty stairwell is all customers will see.” The company’s TSX certification — Operations Manager Jill Webb is also a valuable marketing tool, as are the company’s vehicles. “I stress highly with our However, Webb explained that booking drivers that they are not charter services is best done by contacting operating their personal the company by phone rather than online. cars,” Webb said. “I tell This person-to-person contact allows GO them they are actually in a Express personnel to set pricing and to moving billboard for our establish personalized relationships with company. Our phone numcustomers. ber and our name are dis“We also like to go out and meet with played on the side and back charter customers, especially local ones,” of our coaches. I remind Webb said. “We like to put a face with the drivers that they must person we are going to talk with on the remember our vehicles are phone. We also like for them to see our extremely noticeable. I tell equipment. We will take our buses out and them, ‘You can’t do the nology on its coaches, GO Express uses a show them to customers. A lot of times, we ‘blend-in.’ state-of-the-art software system in-house will take three different sizes. “Many times our best marketing tool is to help with booking trips. The software “It is nice when we can put a face with ‘word-of-mouth.’ When customers have a system works best for booking the compa- the name of the person who calls in here. really good experience with us, they help ny’s Indianapolis airport shuttle, limousine With the athletic teams, it is usually the us get the next customer.” and SUV/sedan service trips, according to same people who are calling and making In addition to taking advantage of tech- Webb. these reservations.”
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In discussing the challenges GO Express The company’s professionally uni- in the parking lot. Drivers will be trained formed drivers also play a crucial role in on the interior amenities such as DVD faces to remain prosperous, dealing with customer service, as they are the ones who players, heat, air-conditioning, wipers, high fuel costs and attracting and keeping riders interact with the most. It is the dri- defrost, etc. They will learn how to take qualified drivers is high on the list, Webb said. ver’s job to make sure customers have a care of a bathroom. “We face many of the same problems as “The driver and trainer will also spend a safe and enjoyable experience. “A driver must be someone who is out- full day on the road. They will do every- other motorcoach companies,” Webb said. going and friendly. You don’t want people thing from interstate driving to country “However, we have grown considerably, who don’t like to speak or who don’t pres- road driving. When we book a charter, we which is good given the economy. ent themselves well,” Webb said. “We like to meet with charter customers, GO Express seeks driver especially local ones. We like to put a face with the candidates who have at least three to five years in the motorperson we are going to talk with on the phone. We also like coach or bus industry. The for them to see our equipment. We will take our buses out company’s drivers all have undergone extensive backand show them to customers. A lot of times, we will take ground checks and have the three different sizes.” proper driver’s licenses to transport passengers. Webb “I have been with this company 13 years checks a driver candidate’s motor vehicle are very careful about the roads on which our bigger coaches travel. We don’t allow and we have really grown in the past 2 or 3 report (MVR), going back seven years. “When we hire a driver, the first couple them on anything other than pavement — years. I don’t see any signs of that slowing. Much of our success stems from the comof weeks is nothing but training time,” no gravel or dirt roads. “Once a new driver has finished the first pany culture we have nurtured. It is kind of Webb said. “We train all our drivers on the airport shuttles that are local pickups here three days with our trainer, then the first like a small family here, even though we in Bloomington traveling to the few times they operate a larger coach an have around 100 employees. Furthermore, Indianapolis airport. For charter work, we experienced driver will ride along. We con- our drivers carry this attitude out there with have a trainer who will spend two to three stantly train drivers and conduct regular our passengers. “Another aspect of our success has been safety meetings throughout their careers days with a driver. our commitment to purchasing newer “They will go over pre-trip inspections here.”
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equipment. In the past few years we have bought a lot of new buses, which has helped our business tremendously.” Contact: GO Express Travel, 3200 Venture Blvd., Bloomington, IN 47404. Phone: 812-332-6004; Toll Free: 800-589-6004. Email: info@goexpresstravel.com. Website: www.goexpresstravel.com.
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ravel America, of Walton, KY, has been serving the tri-state area of Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana since 1989. The charter company is located 20 miles south of Cincinnati, OH, just off Interstate 75, one of the country’s main north-south thoroughfares, running from Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula south to the Everglades in Florida. The company was founded by Bob Callahan, who had worked in charter sales for Greyhound for 29 years prior to launching Travel America. “We offer charter service for educational, senior and church tours, as well as charters for sporting events, family groups, colleges/universities and corporations,” Callahan said. “We have a secure, fenced-in facility with cameras all the way around to
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watch what takes place on our premises. We are proud of our location. We are just 100 yards from exit 171 on I-75.” The company operates and maintains a fleet of nine modern motorcoaches with such amenities as DVDs and WiFi. “We maintain our coaches ourselves. We do whatever needs to be done,” Callahan said. “We put an emphasis on preventive mainte“You just don’t start a bus company nance to cut down on and say, ‘This is the perfect way to expensive breakdowns market.’ There is never a perfect on the road. We are adding WiFi to most of way, but the best way is to deliver our fleet. College stuwhat you promise.” dents and professionals — Bob Callahan, owner like being able to plug in their laptops. It is a big trained to maintain their buses.” deal these days.” Many times motorcoach companies As with most well-run motorcoach operations, Travel America stresses the impor- cooperate in helping one another maintain tance of maintaining a clean and attractive their vehicles while on the road. Travel America drivers will oftentimes stop at fleet. “We not only perform preventive main- another facility to dump restrooms and get tenance, each time one of our coaches goes their coaches washed and cleaned. Travel out and comes back, it is cleaned and sani- America also offers the same service. “We have motorcoaches from other tized,” Callahan said. “We detail our coaches inside and out. Our drivers are companies come through our facility all
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the time,” Callahan said. Travel America takes advantage of stateof-the-art software systems in-house. “Our mileage program is very accurate. When the USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) audited us, I noticed its personnel were using the same software,” Callahan said. “We also use a program that allows us to book and rate trips, as well as store information about trips on file to review.” Travel America’s marketing strategy employs typical efforts such as using direct mailings and the Internet. “I think word-of-mouth is one of the best ways our company is marketed,” Callahan said. “A satisfied and happy customer is going to tell others. You just don’t start a bus company and say, ‘This is the perfect
way to market.’ There is never ket price. They know the coach is going to a perfect way, but the best way be there. They know they are going to get is to deliver what you promise. a certified driver. Our drivers are all top“I have heard people say, notch. They are professionally dressed in ‘Such and such used Travel coats and ties, and they present themselves America and they said if I well. wanted good service to call “The first thing we do is find out what you. customers want and then sell them what “I would say 90 percent of they want. You never make them feel like our business is repeat cus- they are a problem. Customers can never tomers who we have worked be a problem. You let them know that it is with over the years. They a pleasure taking care of them. It is someknow me as ‘Bob.’ They will say, ‘Bob, we are “The first thing we do is find out ready to take this trip again what customers want and then sell this year, but we are going to a different place. Would them what they want. You never you go ahead and block make them feel like they are a this out.’ They usually problem. Customers can never be a email us the details. We work out the itinerary and problem. You let them know that it then email the contract is a pleasure taking care of them.” back to them. “Others take the same trip with the same itinerary every year. thing that I enjoy doing. This is all I have They might say, ‘We are doing the same done for the past 50 years. I am approachthing this year, but we are doing it on a dif- ing 70 years old and I still enjoy serving ferent date.’ I say, ‘No problem.’ They customers.” rarely even ask me for the price. They While Travel America goes to great know I am going to give them the best mar- lengths to maintain a high quality fleet and
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success stems from his commitment to being personable with customers and letting them know that they are important. He also said he would not have been successful without his wife, Sharon Callahan, who remains active in the company, at his side throughout the years. “Right now, I am booking char“I think the USDOT’s screening program is going to keep a lot of ters for next year,” unsafe bus companies out of the industry... I am impressed that the Bob Callahan said. federal government is conducting more bus checks out on the road.” “This is a familyowned business and background checks and reviews appli- trained by our safety man. We road test I think I am going to be around for a long new drivers to see how they handle a coach time.” cants’ MVRs. “After a driver candidate passes the ini- and respond to different situations.” In speaking of his outlook on the Driver and safety training is also ongo- motorcoach industry as whole, Callahan tial tests, we will have that person get a physical,” Callahan said. “A driver’s health ing throughout a driver’s tenure at Travel thinks the federal government’s effort is most important. Some people say I am America. to make sure start-up companies and “We have drivers who have been here as established companies alike are running too particular, but I don’t think I am. The drivers we have are really top-notch and I long as 14 years who still must attend safe- safe operations is a major plus for the ty meetings and watch safety films,” industry. am proud of them. “We want drivers who are personable. Callahan said. “One of our biggest chal“I think the USDOT’s screening proThey must be able to communicate. We lenges is finding qualified drivers. We are gram is going to keep a lot of unsafe bus look for drivers who are happy and joyful always looking for good drivers. We companies out of the industry,” he said. people, because customers go on trips to receive many applications, but maybe 1 out “Last spring, our coaches were checked of 15 or 20 applicants will meet our stan- by the USDOT in Atlanta (GA) and in have a good time. “We let customers know we want them dards.” Nashville (TN), and we received a clean Callahan said much of the company’s bill of health. This made us feel very to have a good time and a safe trip. We offer the best in customer service, it is also very particular when it comes to staffing drivers. Finding drivers who meet the company’s high standards can be difficult, Callahan said. Driver candidates must provide a thorough work history. The company conducts
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have meetings where we talk about what we can do to make a customer’s trip more enjoyable. We also let drivers know what is expected of them safety-wise. “Even if an experienced and qualified driver comes to us, we still make sure that driver is properly trained. A new driver is
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good. I am impressed that the federal government is conducting more bus checks out on the road.” Contact: Travel America, 13121 Walton Verona Road, Walton, KY 41094-8211. Phone: 859-493-5100; Fax: 859-493-5333. Email: info@travelamtours.com. Website: www.travelamtours.com.
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rimarily serving tourists in one of the most popular vacation destinations on the planet, Space Tours, LLC, of Orlando, FL, began in 1990 with one mini-bus. “We started growing and adding mini-buses,” said Space Tours owner Maurice Vargas. “After the first five years in business, we started adding full-size motorcoaches to our fleet. We now have five motorcoaches that seat from 50 to 60 passengers. “We book charters for schools, tours, conventions, seniors, and anything inbetween. Our base is in Orlando and we operate mainly locally and in Florida. “We serve tourists who travel here from many countries. We have many customers from Brazil and Argentina, who tend to come here in July. In March and April, we are busy with American students traveling here on spring break. We also service many conventions.” Attractions in the Orlando area known worldwide include Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, Busch Gardens, Holyland Experience and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and the Kennedy Space Center. Space Tours also makes trips to the Tampa area. The company’s modern, clean and attractive motorcoaches feature TV/VCR, public address systems and restrooms. The travel time for most of the company’s trips is relatively short — at times only 20 minutes. Space Tours’ longest trip is a lit-
“The main thing is good, cold airconditioning. I think a big key to our success, along with working hard for our clients to provide them with a clean bus that is on time, is cold A/C.” — Maurice Vargas, owner
tle over an hour from Orlando to Tampa, Vargas said. However, there is one commonplace amenity on the company’s shuttles and coaches that is very important to passengers, especially in the sub-tropic Florida climate. “The main thing is good, cold air-conditioning,” Vargas said. “I think a big key to our success, along with working hard for our clients to provide them with a clean bus that is on time, is cold A/C.” In the highly competitive Orlando market, offering the best in customer service is crucial. “We have a logo that says, ‘Service with a money-back guarantee,’” Vargas said. “We try to do everything we can to make sure our clients will be happy and travel with Space Tours again. “Most of our business is with repeat customers. We are online and we try to be as visible as possible so people can find
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us easily, but word-ofmouth has been our most effective marketing tool.” As with any reputable motorcoach company, Space Tours is committed to putting highly qualified, well trained uniformed professional drivers in its vehicles. “With new drivers, I like to get to know them personally,” Vargas said. “Most of our drivers have been here for seven years
going to speak well of our company and provide a good service for clients,” Vargas said. To better serve international travelers, Space Tours’ drivers are fully bilingual
“We conduct safety meetings with drivers every month, and we try to send them to a school that provides defensive driving courses.” or more. I do all I can to keep our drivers.” In addition to getting to know new drivers on a personal basis to ensure they are a good fit for the company, Vargas also conducts background and driver’s license checks. New drivers are also road tested, while accompanied by an experienced driver. “We want team-oriented people who are
(Spanish/English), with many years of experience serving international visitors to Florida, according to the company’s website. Space Tours works closely with a wellknown industry insurance provider that provides the company with safety DVDs and printed materials. “We conduct safety meetings with driv-
ers every month, and we try to send them to a school that provides defensive driving courses,” Vargas said. Vargas is optimistic about the future of Space Tours. “I feel good,” he said. “I think the past predicts the future. I have survived 20 years now, and I am expecting to be in business another 20 years. “There is always going to be a need for buses to transport people to the attractions in the Orlando area. Motorcoach and shuttle transportation is an inexpensive and convenient way for people to travel.” Contact: Space Tours, LLC, 5381 Watervista Drive, Orlando, FL 328241440. Phone: 407-903-9996; Fax: 407-363-1440. Email: info@spacetoursbus.com. Website: www.spacetoursbus.com.
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ffering tours and charter service throughout the western United States and Canada, Experience Oregon, Inc., of Eugene, OR, has been in business since 1991. “Experience Oregon tours serve mostly
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the immediate area, but we have several clients within a 200-mile radius” said Marian Kloster, president and co-owner of the company with her husband, William “Bud” Kloster. “Our tour customers are predominately retired people who have time to travel. We offer day trips and multi-day trips anywhere in the Western United States and Canada. Recently, we have included cruises.”
Mount Hood, Columbia Gorge and others. “Experience Oregon began as a tour company and, while we are ever mindful of our roots, about 80 percent of our business is now charter. Our charter clients come from throughout the United States and, like our tours, travel anywhere within the western United States “Buses are somewhat like restaurants and Canada. Many of our charter — when a restaurant isn’t clean you requests are from athletic teams.” wonder about the food. If a bus isn’t The idea to start a clean, the client wonders if the tour company came mechanical issues are in good shape.” about when Bud Kloster decided to — Marian Kloster, president/co-owner seek a new vocation. For day- and multi-day trippers, the “We enjoyed taking day trips on Pacific Northwest offers many of the coun- Saturdays,” Marian Kloster remembered. try’s most sought-after tourist destinations “My husband is especially knowledgeable including Lake Tahoe, the Rouge River, about the area, so he decided to get a small Glacier National Park, Puget Sound, bus and offer trips to others like the ones he
and I took. Soon after we began, we were asked to provide charter service, so we launched the charter division of our company. We’ve grown each year since.” Today, Experience Oregon’s fleet of latemodel luxury touring motorcoaches includes six 56-passenger coaches and one 48-passenger coach. The coaches boast reclining seats, VCR/DVD systems, highquality stereo systems, up to 470 cubic-feet of under-carriage storage and panoramic thermal windows. “We expect to add two coaches to our fleet next year,” Kloster said. “We are also planning to add WiFi to our coaches in the near future.” Experience Oregon’s motorcoaches are
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well maintained, both “Drivers who do their job well and are good with people are cosmetically and mechanically. probably our best asset. In addition, networking is hands-down “Buses are somewhat one of the best marketing tools for our charter business.” like restaurants — when a restaurant isn’t clean you wonder about the food. If a bus isn’t customer right.” Experience Oregon’s marketing tools for our charter business. “When customers ask for the same drivclean, the client wonders if the mechani- drivers and word-of-mouth are also cal issues are in good shape,” Kloster very effective tools to make known the er for every trip, we know that driver is doing a good job. However, tours require said. “Clients appreciate stepping into a company. “Drivers who do their job well and are a different approach. Tours must be adversparkling clean bus, and may not book again if they don’t think the bus is clean.” good with people are probably our best tised, which we accomplish mainly According to Kloster, the company’s asset,” Kloster said. “In addition, net- through mailing our brochure to cusbest marketing tool is “Treating every working is hands-down one of the best tomers on our mailing list.” In looking for drivers — the company’s “best asset” — Kloster goes to great lengths in selecting just the right candidate to operate an Experience Oregon motorcoach. “When interviewing potential drivers, I look for many things in addition to candidates’ qualifications to drive,” she said. “What is my first impression when they come through the door? Are they friendly? Do they stay with a job for a long period of time? Do they present themselves in a way that customers will feel comfortable? Are they dressed appropriately for an interview? “Drivers must undergo two interviews and a drive test, as well as the usual drug test. Beyond that, they receive ongoing training on an individual basis.” As far as the future of Experience Oregon is concerned, Kloster is optimistic. Recent changes and some new employees have interjected an “energy” into the company that has Kloster looking ahead, anticipating a bright future. “I feel great about the future of our company,” Kloster said. “We moved into a new facility about a year ago, which has been very helpful. The new location allows us to do much more mechanical work. “We also have some new employees that, I think, are very talented. These two things alone have energized us. “We’ve always felt that it is important to treat people right, which has paid off. My husband and I have different talents that have complemented one another over the years. Since my husband has become increasingly retired from the business, I look to employees to fill that spot, in addition to the knowledge I’ve gained over the years.” Contact: Experience Oregon Inc., P.O. Box 338, Junction City, OR 97448. Phone: 541-342-2662; Fax: 541-342-4068. Email: info@experienceoregon.com. Website: www.experienceoregon.com. Page 32
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National Interstate Now Insuring 30,000 School Buses National Interstate has announced the company now insures 30,000 school buses. The company also estimates that these units represent approximately 20 percent of the school bus contractors’ vehicles on U. S. roads. National Interstate has been insuring school buses since its inception in 1989. The company offers coverages including automobile and general liability, physical damage, garage liability, and workers’ compensation for alternative risk clients. Programs include traditional insurance, as well as several innovative alternative risk transfer programs for best-in-class school bus operations. “Insuring school buses has always been one of our core markets, and we are excited about our ongoing growth in this business segment,” said Terry Phillips, senior vice president of National Interstate. “We were also pleased to note that 32 percent of the School Bus Fleet’s 2012 Top 50 Contractors are insured with National Interstate. It is our long-term experience, expertise and commitment to the school bus market that allows us to build our customer base and meet the industry’s highly-specialized needs.” “We attribute our success in the school bus
arena to the partnerships that we build with our customers,” added Jim Parks, vice president of National Interstate. “One of the ways we foster relationships is by helping our insureds become better operators. We offer an extensive portfolio of risk management tools, which we are continually expanding and enhancing. For example, in March of this year we rolled out a school bus driver training course which we are making available to all school bus clients insured with National Interstate. To date, over 35 percent of
our customers have the course, and we continue to offer educational webinars to ensure they reap the full benefits of the program.” For more information about National Interstate’s school bus contractor insurance programs, contact Mike Bissler at 800-929-1500 x1349 or email at mike.bissler@natl.com. National Interstate and its insurance subsidiaries, which include Vanliner Insurance Company and Triumphe Casualty Company, are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. Founded in 1989, National Interstate is headquartered in Richfield, OH, with operations in Honolulu, HI; Mechanicsburg, PA; and Fenton, MO.
MTA/RTA Sets Ridership Record With Over 10 Million Passenger Trips The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee (RTA) have announced they have jointly recorded more than 10 million passenger trips in a fiscal year. This is nearly a 14 percent increase over the previous fiscal period and almost 1.3 million more trips than the previous year. Ridership has increased steadily over the past year and continues to grow. Average Nashville MTA ridership is 31,000 passenger trips per weekday. Average regional bus ridership is 1,200 passenger trips per weekday. RTA regional bus and train ridership has been increasing prior to gas prices spiking in 2011. For the fiscal year that ended on June 30, Music City Star ridership is up 14 percent. Ridership on regional buses has grown rapidly as well, up 49 percent. “We are very pleased more people are riding the Music City Star and RTA’s other regional services,” RTA Board Chair Jo Ann Graves said. “Middle Tennesseans are realizing how affordable the service is and that it’s easy to use. We are confident this ridership trend will continue as more people recognize the many wonderful benefits that transit offers to them and the environment.” September/October 2012
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PERSONNEL Prevost Prevost announced several new appointments at its recent Service Department meeting in Nashville, TN. Randy Castillo has been promoted to the position of service network director and Maurice Gagné has been promoted to the position of customer support director. Castillo joined Prevost in 1994 as regional service manager and has been responsible for the Prevost Service Network since 2000. Under his management, the Prevost Service Network grew from 5 to 8 locations. Gagné joined Prevost in 1996. He was responsible for growing the company in customer service and product support. Prevost has also announced that Tommy Nolet has taken the position of customer support manager for Eastern North America and Fernando Martinez is the customer support manager for Western North America. Nolet has been with Prevost since 1995, when he started on the production line in Sainte-Claire, Quebec. He moved to the StNicolas Service Center to become a service technician before moving to the California Service center. In 2002, he was promoted to regional service manager for the Western United States. In 2006, Nolet returned to the East Coast to become regional service manager for the northeast United States.
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Randy Castillo
Maurice Gagné
Martinez joined Prevost in 2000 as a service technician at the Mira Loma service center. He was promoted to regional service manager for the western United States in 2006. Visit www.prevostcar.com for more company information.
Tommy Nolet
Fernando Martinez
tion specialty markets. Tom Wagner, executive director of business development, will manage key accounts and the sales team regionally positioned close to customers in the United States and Canada. Scully will also contribute to MCI’s strategic and long-term MCI planning as part of the company’s Motor Coach Industries has executive team. He reports to MCI announced that Patrick Scully has President & CEO Rick Heller. been named vice president of pubWithin the Public Sector, MCI lic sector sales and marketing. The markets a Commuter Coach move follows MCI’s recent acquimodel, based on the D-Series sition of the U.S. and Canadian coach; the D-Series; and its bestdistribution rights for Setra motorselling J4500 coach. MCI now coaches from Daimler Bus, where offers both the Setra S 407 and Patrick Scully Scully was formerly chief comSetra S 417 coach models to the mercial officer. market as well. At MCI, Scully will lead the Public Sector Scully began his career in the bus business in division that serves public transit, military, uni- 1988 when he joined Ontario Bus Industries versity, law enforcement and other transporta- (later acquired by Daimler Bus) as a sales rep-
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resentative in its service parts department. He transitioned to the bus sales team at Orion in 1991, becoming general sales manager in 1993. He joined Detroit Diesel Corporation in 1994 and became vice president of worldwide bus and coach sales. When Detroit Diesel was sold to Daimler in 2001, Scully joined its Setra division, and had full responsibility for the organization’s entire North American sales, service and parts operations as chief commercial officer. Visit www.mcicoach.com for more information on the company.
Stertil-Koni Stertil-Koni, a provider of heavy vehicle lifts, recently announced that Rand D. Johnson has joined the company as sales manager for GSA and U.S military customers. Johnson, who most recently served as sales manager for K&L Microwave, Inc., brings a background combining sales, electronics, hydraulics and Rand D. Johnson extensive U.S. military service to his new post with Stertil-Koni. His career includes more than 20 years of service with the Delaware Army National
Guard, where Johnson rose to the post of First Sergeant as well as a 13-month tour in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom III. Johnson is a graduate of Wilmington University where he received a BS in Applied Professions, Supervision and an MBA. Dr. Jean DellAmore, president of StertilKoni, stated, “We are delighted to welcome an individual with Rand’s extensive experience, knowledge and service to the Stertil-Koni team. His mission will be to help expand our company’s strong momentum in providing world-class heavy-duty lifts to the U.S. military.” Stertil-Koni is headquartered in Stevensville, MD, and has a major manufacturing facility in Streator, IL, which recently produced its 2,000th vehicle lift manufactured in the USA. Visit www.stertil-koni.com for more information.
Grand Avenue Grand Avenue, a Nashville, TN, ground transportation company, has announced the addition of Dave Arnholt as executive vice president and COO, Barbara Bakich as executive vice president of sales and client services, and Rebecca Kauffman as national affiliate manager. Arnholt will lead all company operations, including service delivery, fleet management
Dave Arnholt
Barbara Bakich
and customer service. Bakich oversees all development act ivities for Grand Avenue. In her new role as national affiliate manager, Kauffman will maintain strong relationships with tranRebecca Kauffman sportation partners across the country as well as identifying and cultivating new national affiliates. Over the past year, Grand Avenue has moved into a new 65,000 square-foot headquarters in downtown Nashville, has grown its fleet to 58 vehicles and its staff to 80 employees. Visit www.GrandAvenueWorldwide.com for more information.
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Wisconsin’s Degnitz Bus Service Joins Riteway Bus
Stertil-Koni Announces Strong Market Reception To The SKYLIFT Stertil-Koni has announced strong marketplace reaction to the company’s SKYLIFT. Classified as a platform lift, SKYLIFT provides a “clear floor” concept for the user. The product’s design includes two independent runways, vertical lifting, no crossbeams, no overhang and no base frame. “As a result,” according to Stertil-Koni President Dr. Jean DellAmore, “the SKYLIFT provides free access from all sides with easy installation and minimal maintenance.” The heavy-duty lift’s modular design allows for flush mounted or surface mounted installation and permits various lengths to be incorporated in a single lift. Dr. DellAmore said, “The SKYLIFT has been specifically engineered for a large range of heavy-duty vehicles and optimizes valuable working space thanks to its vertical lifting design.” In addition, from the safety perspective,
the SKYLIFT provides maximum access to the vehicle from all sides with no tripping hazard and clear floor access. Further, each leg is equipped with an individual measuring device to ensure a smooth and level synchronization within tight tolerances. The SKYLIFT is available in two models. SKY-200 has a capacity of 62,400 lbs.; and SKY-250 has a capacity of 78,000 lbs. Stertil-Koni is headquartered in Stevensville, MD, and has a major manufacturing facility in Streator, IL, which recently produced its 2,000th vehicle lift manufactured in the USA. For more information, visit www.stertil-koni.com.
The Degnitz family, after 40 years is selling Degnitz Bus Service to Riteway Bus Service, Inc. "We worked in a partnership and have enjoyed the drive,” a company spokesperson stated in a press release. Ronald Bast, president of Riteway Bus Service, Inc. stated, "We (the Bast family) look forward to welcoming the employees of Degnitz Bus Service into the Riteway Bus family and will continue providing the same quality service that Degnitz Bus has been known for." The Degnitz management and drivers will continue in their roles as part of the Riteway team. GO Riteway, operated by Riteway Bus Service, Inc., has been family-owned and operated since 1957. The company has 11 locations in southeastern and central Wisconsin with a fleet of more than 500 vehicles. GO Riteway provides transportation for school children, business travelers, tourists and local residents. Visit www.goriteway.com for more information on the company.
Leading in heavy-duty lifting
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.
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STERTIL SUPERIOR SOLUTIONS BY QUALITY PEOPLE STERTIL KONI, 200 LOG CANOE CIRCLE, STEVENSVILLE MD 21666, UNITED STATES, WWW.STERTIL-KONI.COM
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Prevost Introduces Customer Portal Prevost has introduced the Customer Portal, a secure website which gives Prevost customers access to important resources, tools and information from one location.
The Prevost Portal can be accessed using the link: https://www.prevostcar.com/liaisonlogin. Prevost officials say the Customer Portal is the starting point for an improved Prevost Liaison online interface. Prevost Liaison, the telematics system which provides vehicle information to Prevost fleet administrators, has been given an updated interface. The updated Liaison interface includes three new tabs. The Perform tab displays vehicle data. This data is the heart of the Liaison system and provides crucial insight about an operator’s fleet. The Locate tab gives access to the Manage Points Of Interest function. Users can map vehicles and display relevant vehicle/location information. The Communicate tab allows
for pre-set and customizable text messages to be sent to drivers of specific vehicles. In addition, the system permits easy addition and management of Liaison users. The Customer Portal also links directly to other operator resources: the Prevost Webinar site, Prevost contact info for the Field Service and Parts Sales teams, the Prevost Parts Catalog and Parts Ordering sites, the Prevost Online Warranty system, Prevost Technical Publications and Wiring Diagrams, and the Prevost Service Provider Locator. The Prevost Customer Portal can be accessed in English or French. Visit www.prevostcar.com for more information about Prevost.
This year’s recipients, Brian Scott, president, and his sister Pam (Scott) Claxito, vice president, accepted the award on behalf of their family-owned business. Escot Bus Lines was started by their parents, Lou and Diane Scott, in 1983 with two mini-buses. Over the years, the company has expanded its fleet to 16 transit buses and 45 motorcoaches. Nearly one-third of its motorcoaches are Prevost, including the company’s most recent additions of four H3-45s, all equipped with wheelchair lifts, 3-point seat belts and electronic destination signs.
Escot Bus Named Operator Of The Year At Annual IMG Conference Escot Bus Lines of Orlando, FL, was named “Operator of the Year” during the 15th Annual International Motorcoach Group (IMG) Awards Banque sponsored by Prevost and Allison Transmissions. The event was held at the Nicollet Pavilion in Minneapolis, MN. IMG awards the title of “Operator of the Year” to a motorcoach operator who has exemplified community involvement, active IMG involvement, and exceptional customer service.
Prevost is a manufacturer of premium intercity touring coaches and a world leader in the production of conversion coaches for high-end motorhome and specialty conversion. It is part of the Volvo Group which is a manufacturer of heavy-duty diesel engines. Prevost has its main manufacturing facilities in Sainte-Claire, Quebec, Canada and has seven Parts and Service Centers located in the United States and Canada. For information, visit www.prevostcar.com.
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Lancer Insurance Named Again To Ward’s 50 Top Performers
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For the second consecutive year, Lancer Insurance Company has been named to Ward’s Top 50 performing companies in the United States property casualty insurance industry. The award for the 2011 calendar year’s performance joins Lancer’s 2010 award recognizing its superior performance for that year. In making the announcement, Ward Group Partner Jeff Rieder noted that the 50 companies selected, which include Chubb Group, Progressive Insurance Group, USAA Group and The Travelers Insurance Group, distinguished themselves from the more than 3,000 companies analyzed by collectively demonstrating the ability to thrive in challenging economic times. The companies selected for the honor represent slightly over 1 percent of all companies analyzed by the Ward Group. The Ward Group is a provider of benchmarking and best practices research studies for insurance companies. The firm analyzes staff levels, business practices and expenses for all areas of insurance company operations to help companies measure results and optimize performance. “In selecting the Ward’s 50, we identify companies that pass financial stability requirements and measure their ability to grow while maintaining strong capital positions and underwriting results over a 5-year period,” explained Rieder. Companies are measured and ranked in performance based on the following metrics: 5-year average Return on Average Equity; 5-year average Return on Average Assets; 5-year average Return on Total Revenue; 5-year growth in Net Premium Written; 5year improvement in Leverage Ratio; and 5-year average Combined Ratio. In accepting the designation for the second straight year, Lancer’s President Dave Delaney said he was most pleased that Ward recognized Lancer for achieving outstanding financial results in the areas of safety, consistency and performance over a five year period (2007 – 2011) that presented unprecedented challenges. He credited Lancer’s management and staff for achieving the Ward’s 50 benchmark to stay profitable and strengthen surplus at a greater rate than the overall property casualty insurance industry. “At Lancer, we always strive to aggressively manage our policyholders’ claims and our operating expenses. We also maintain a strong underwriting discipline regardless of market conditions. This serves to keep our prices stable which benefits our policyholders and their agents,” Delaney said. Lancer Insurance Company has been a provider of commercial automobile liability, physical damage and general liability coverages to motorcoach companies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia since 1985. For more information, call 800-782-8902 or visit www.lancerinsurance.com.
Telephone: 800-234-2734 Fax: 724-537-9003 e-mail: crfoamsales@verizon.net
September/October 2012
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Austin Mohawk & Company 2175 Beechgrove Pl. Utica, NY 13501 USA 315-793-3000 Fax: 315-793-9370 Web Site: www.austinmohawk.com Products: Austin Mohawk is a manufacturer of premanufactured bullet resistant buildings and shelters. Its engineering and design capabilities are enhanced by its Custom CSI Quality Spec Writing Program. Austin Mohawk further offers complete installation of products. 08
Brasco International, Inc. 1000 Mt. Elliot Detroit, MI 48207 USA 800-893-3665 Fax: 313-393-0499 Web Site: www.brasco.com Products: Brasco International is a designer and manufacturer of passen-
BikeLid LLC P.O. Box 408 3430 Evergreen Point Rd. Medina, WA 98039 USA 206-963-7585 E-Mail: rduberow@BikeLid.com Web Site: www.BikeLid.com Company Officers: Robin Duberow, CEO; Kimberly Pettit, President; Steve Voorhees, Chairman; Coert Voorhees, Managing Partner; Bernard Hansen, Managing Partner Products: The patented BikeLid® is a durable and secure Class 1 bicycle storage structure. The tough yet lightweight and graffiti resistant polyethylene shell is steel reinforced and secures two full-sized bicycles, providing protection from the elements, vandals, and thieves. A BikeLid® bolts to any surface, from earth to concrete. It is moldable in any color. BikeLid offers a sculptural design, and accommodates a wide range of architectural styles and space limitations. Options include – Standard BikeLid: Parks two typical bicycles with handlebars up to 26-inches wide; Single bike BikeLid: Accommodates extra-wide handlebars (i.e. cruiser bikes) up to 36-inches wide; Enhanced Security Viewing Portal: For high security requirements; BikeLid Media Display Unit: Designed for standard sheet advertisements; Colors: Custom colors of any hue; Permanent Logos/Custom Graphics: Mold-On, vinyl, and full vinyl wraps; Pre-Installed Locks: Standard BikeLids utilize the cyclist’s own lock. Optional pre-stalled locks include external U or monoblock locks, and internal key, combination, or on-demand electronic locks, including Park-by-Phone; Validation/Revenue Window: Provides a simple means to monitor validated occupancy, using a validation ticket dispensed by existing multi-vehicle parking meters, transit ticket kiosks, or other system; and BikeLid BikeShare: Utilizes the Park-by-Phone system. 12 September/October 2012
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ger waiting shelters, smoking shelters, covered walkways, canopies and other outdoor protection shelters. It supplies transit agencies, universities, hospitals, government agencies and businesses with shelters for their customers and employees. Brasco offers standard model lines and an infinite variety of custom configurations for customers to choose from. Brasco also offers optional lighted advertising display units for all models. Shelters can be outfitted with optional lighting (including solar), heating, schedule holders, bench seating, commercial doors, grill work, signage, etc. Standard colors are bronze or clear anodized with optional painted shelters offered in any color. 07 Columbia Equipment Co., Inc. See Ad Below 180-10 93rd Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11433 USA Toll Free: 800-742-1297 718-658-5900 Fax: 718-526-4110 E-Mail: shelterpr@columbiaequipment.com Web Site: www.columbiaequipment.com Company Officers: Arthur M. Cohen, President; Robert Baio, Vice President; Carol DeMaglie, Secretary. Products: Columbia Equipment Co., Inc. is the original manufacturer of pre-fabricated aluminum bus shelters in North America, according to the company. It has been specializing in this field since 1961 – almost 52 years ago. Columbia offers standard and custom designs in
a variety of sizes and configurations and in all price ranges. Product line includes bus stop shelters, train station shelters, windscreens, smoking shelters, walkway canopies, information kiosks, ticket vending shelters and custom street furniture. 12 Daytech Limited 70 Disco Road Toronto, ON M9W 1L9 CANADA Toll Free: 877-329-1907 Fax: 416-675-7183 E-Mail: info@daytechlimited.com Web Site: www.daytechlimited.com Products: Daytech Limited is a leading North American manufacturer of transit shelters, bike shelters, smoking shelters, canopies, street furniture and transit signage. The company has well over 60,000 product installations in every corner of the continent. It offers a wide assortment of standard products. In addition, it can customize shelters for exact requirements. 11 Duo-Gard Industries Inc. 40442 Koppernick Rd., Canton, MI 48187 USA Toll Free: 800-872-4404 Fax: 734-207-7995 E-Mail: info@duo-gard.com Web Site: www.duo-gard.com Products: Duo-Gard transit shelters provide versatility in size, styles and services that meet goals for aesthetics, performance and economy. This versatility is also found with Duo-Gard’s canopies, walkways, windbreaks, stairway
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enclosures, furniture, bike racks and other structures needed to complete a project. 10 EDF, Inc. P.O. Box 228 Jenison, MI 49428 USA 616-796-1260 Fax: 616-396-0944 E-Mail: bdbal@edfsolutions.com Web Site: www.edfsolutions.com Company Officers: David Dayton, President; Richard Lubbers, VP Marketing; Brad Baltruczak, Project Manager Products: EDF, Inc. manufactures the En Route line of steel framed passenger waiting shelters for permanent installation. Options available are windscreen enclosures, benches, display cases and solar powered LED lighting. All steel components are E-coated and powder coated. 12 Enseicom Inc. See Ad On Page 13 225 Norman Montreal, QC H8R 1A3 CANADA 514-486-2626 Fax: 514-486-6465 E-Mail: info@ensei.com Web Site: www.ensei.com Company Officers: Constantine Moussis, P. Eng & President Products: Enseicom manufactures electric signs, billboard structures and street furniture in North America. Staffed with a full in-house graphic and technical design team overseen by civil and structural engineers, Enseicom is constantly designing, redesigning and developing products with superior durability and serviceability, all the while maintaining state-of-the-art green technology including solar and wind power applications. Its products are installed throughout North America, The Dominican Republic and Jamaica. 12 Handi-Hut Inc. See Ad On Page 39 3 Grunwald St. Clifton, NJ 07013 USA 973-614-1800 Fax: 973-614-8011 E-Mail: staff@handi-hut.com Web Site: www.handi-hut.com Company Officers: Mel Cohen, President; John Cozza, Vice President Products: Handi-Hut designs and manufactures bus stop waiting shelters with optional amenities of solar lighting, air conditioners, heating, advertising panels, schedule holders and trash containers. Pre-fabricated sections are easily assembled. Similar structures are produced as smoking shelters. Using similar production techniques, Handi-Hut also designs and manufactures covered walkways, staircases, outdoor vestibules, kiosks and guard booths. 12 ICON Shelter Systems, Inc. 7900 Logistic Drive, Suite C Zeeland, MI 49464 USA 616-748-0985 Fax: 616-748-0985
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E-Mail: info@iconshelters.com Web Site: www.iconshelters.com Products: ICON designs, engineers and fabricates pre-engineered open, outdoor structures. The line of urban transit shelters are specifically designed for use as transportation waiting structures. ICON manufactures all structures in steel, and offers a heavy powder coat finish over liquid epoxy e-coat primer. Benches and LexanÂŽ windscreens are available for each model. 08 Madrax / Thomas Steele 1080 Uniek Dr. Waunakee, WI 53597 USA 608-849-1080 Fax: 608-849-1081 E-Mail: sales@madrax.com Web Site: www.madrax.com, www.thomas-steele.com Company Officer: Thomas Grauber, President Products: Madrax is a premier maker of heavy-duty, high quality bike racks that are innovative, practical, and aestheticallly pleasing. Thomas Steele manufactures benches, litter receptacles, and tables that create good environments for people at work and play. 12 Maglin Site Furniture 27 Bysham Park Dr. Woodstock, ON N4T 1P1 CANADA Toll Free: 800-716-5506 Fax: 877-260-9393 Web Site: www.maglin.com Products: A designer and manufacturer of public site furniture including benches, trash containers, bike racks, ash receptacles, cluster seating, planters, recycle units, signage and patio enclosures. 12 Mountain Shelter Solutions 6950 Base Line Wallaceburg, ON N8A 1A1 CANADA 877-588-8858 Fax: 519-627-6475 E-Mail: sales@moutainsheltersolutions.com Web Site: www.mountainsheltersolutions.com Company Officers: George Bogaert, Owner; Lionel Ouellette, Owner; Randy Van Dorsselder, Program Manager Products: Provides transit shelters, smoking shelters, bicycle shelters, covered walkways, canopies, advertisement signs and all street furniture. The company offers both power and off-grid options. All shelters are made with aluminum extrusions and components. Only stainless steel hardware is used during assembly. The company powder coats to AAMA2604 and 2605 standards; top in the industry. Mountain Shelter Solutions ships to, and can install anywhere, in North America. 12 Poligon by PorterCorp 4240 136th Ave. Holland, MI 49424 USA 616-399-1963 Fax: 616-399-9123 E-Mail: jengra@portercorp.com Web Site: www.poligon.com Company Officer: Gary Van Dyke, President Products: Poligon is a leader in the design and manufacturing of standard and custom shade coverings for applications in steel, fabric and wood. These structures include transit shelters, walkway covers, pavilions, trellises, signs and fabric shade. Poligon has a streamlined process to make finding the perfect product easy and efficient. An experienced sales staff can guide customers through the entire process and will work with them from initial design to completed installation. Poligon offers a wide selection of standard shelters that can be fully customized. It also offers the ability to create new designs for a truly unique structure. Poligon shelters are protected with the powder coat finish Poli-5000ÂŽ. Frame finishes are available in 24 smooth colors and 10 textured colors. The company also offers a variety of roof types and colors. 12
Superior International Industries 1050 Columbia Dr. Carrollton, GA 30117 USA 770-832-6660 Fax: 770-832-6687 Web Site: www.buysii.com Products: Manufacturer of a wide variety of items including bus stop shelters, waterproof umbrellas and canopies, outdoor site furnishings, bench seating and playground equipment. Based in Georgia, the company also has manufacturing facilities in Texas and Oklahoma. 12 Tolar Manufacturing Co. 258 Mariah Cir. Carona, CA 92879 USA Toll Free: 800-339-6165 Fax: 951-808-0041 E-Mail: info@tolarmfg.com Web Site: www.tolarmfg.com Products: Since 1991, Tolar Manufacturing has been recognized as a leading manufacturer of transit shelters, kiosks, benches and trash receptacles. 08 Transitshelter.com 1953 N. 17th Ave. Melrose Park, IL 60160 USA 847-678-8425 Fax: 847-678-8471 E-Mail: info@transitshelter.com Web Site: www.transitshelter.com Products: Transitshelter.com is a street furniture, urban decor project of Tafco Corporation. Products include bus shelters, windscreens, smoking shelters, kiosks and street decor. 10
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Allison Transmission, Inc. 4700 W. 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46222 USA 317-242-3737 Fax: 317-280-6303 Web Site: www.allisontransmission.com Products: Allison is a global provider of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction, distribution, military and specialty applications. Founded in 1915, the Allison business is headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, and employs approximately 2,800 people. Regional headquarters with dedicated support staff are located
in China, the Netherlands, Brazil, India and Japan. With a global presence in 80 countries, Allison has over 1,500 distributor and dealer locations. 12 Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison, LLC See Ad On Page 10 180 Route 17 South, P.O. Box 950 Lodi, NJ 07644 USA 201-489-5800 Fax: 201-368-1071 Web Site: www.atlanticdda.com Products: The core capability of Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison, LLC (ADDA) is the sale and service of diesel and alternative fuel engines, transmissions, power generation systems and a wide range of related products, com-
ponents, parts and accessories. 12 Ballard Power Systems 9000 Glenlyon Parkway Burnaby, BC V5J 5J8 CANADA 604-454-0900 E-Mail: marketing@ballard.com Web Site: www.ballard.com Products: Ballard designs and manufactures fully-integrated fuel cell modules, delivering power for use in the bus market. 12 Cummins Inc. 500 Jackson St. Mail Code 60401 Columbus, IN 47201 USA
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812-377-9426 Web Site: www.cumminsengines.com Products: Cummins Inc., is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems. 12 Detroit Diesel Corporation 13400 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48239 USA 313-592-5000 Fax: 313-592-5120 E-Mail: greg.gusko@daimler.com Web Site: www.demanddetroit.com Products: Detroit engines are manufactured by the Detroit Diesel Corporation, the largest manufacturer of heavy-duty diesel engines for the motorcoach and motor home markets, according to the company. It has over 800 service locations in North America with factory trained technicians and a call center support network. 12
marine engines, stern drives, performance engines and electric motors. 12
Products: Manufacturer of automatic transmissions and secondary breaking systems. 12
Meritor, Inc. 2135 W. Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48084-7121 USA 248-435-1519 Fax: 248-435-1208 Web Site: www.arvinmeritor.com Products: Advanced drivetrain, mobility, braking and aftermarket solutions for the global commercial vehicle and industrial markets. 12
ZF Industries, Inc. 777 Hickory Hill Dr. Vernon Hills, IL 60061-3182 USA 847-478-6840 Fax: 847-478-6843 Web Site: www.zf.com Products: The company was founded in 1915 for the development and production of transmissions for airships and vehicles. Today, the group’s product range comprises of transmissions and steering systems as well as chassis components and complete axle systems and modules. ZF is a leading worldwide automotive supplier for driveline and chassis technology with 121 production companies in 27 countries. 12
Voith Turbo Inc. 210 Harris Ave., Unit #1 Sacramento, CA 95838 USA 916-925-8241 Fax: 916-925-4287 E-Mail: fred.smith@voith.com Web Site: www.voithturbo.com
EMP See Ad Opposite Right 3111 N. 28th St., Escanaba, MI 49829 USA 906-786-8404 Fax: 906-786-6635 Web Site: www.emp-corp.com Products: EMP is a North American producer of pumps and complex components for use in the heavy-duty diesel engine and hydraulics markets. EMP is a specialized full service provider of manufacturing and engineering solutions, focused on delivering value-added product solutions to its customers in the area of thermal and oil management technologies. 12 IC Bus, A Navistar Company 2701 Navistar Dr., Lisle, IL 60540 USA 331-332-5000 Web Site: www.ICbus.com Company Officers: John McKinney, President; Dennis Huffmon, VP/GM North America; Dan Cutter, VP School Bus Sales; Kathy Seegebrecht, VP Marketing Products: IC Bus, LLC of Lisle, IL, is an affiliate of Navistar International Corporation. An integrated manufacturer of school buses, IC Bus provides passenger protection, chassis design, engines and ergonomics. The company is also a producer of commercial buses. All IC Bus™ buses are sold, serviced and supported through a dealer network that offers an integrated customer program encompassing parts, training and service. 12 Jasper Engines & Transmissions 815 Wernsing Rd. Jasper, IN 47546 USA 812-482-1041 Fax: 812-634-1820 E-Mail: sales@jasperengines.com Web Site: www.jasperengines.com Products: Jasper has been remanufacturing products since 1942. Today, the company remanufactures gas and diesel engines, transmissions, differentials, rear axle assemblies, September/October 2012
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CH Bus Sales Conducts Temsa Operator Training CH Bus Sales and Temsa recently held extensive technical training for Temsa operators, technicians and mechanics. Regional training sessions were held in North Bergen, NJ; Dallas, TX; and Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA.
Leading the two day training sessions was Cihan Yaycioglu, the U.S. Temsa technical representative. Company spokespeople say the two-day sessions covered detailed familiarization with the Temsa TS35 coach. Expeienced and knowledgeable Temsa and CH Bus Sales personnel were available to answer questions. CH Bus Sales and Temsa plan to continue offering technical training to customers throughout additional regions of the United States. CH Bus Sales is the exclusive distributor of Temsa motorcoaches in the United States. CH Bus Sales is a privately-owned corporation. Temsa is a fully-owned subsidiary of Sabanci Holding, a financial and industrial group in Turkey. Visit www.chbussales.com and www.temsaglobal.com for more information.
Excursions Trailways Announces Purchase Of Temsa TS35 Coach Excursions Trailways, Inc., recently purchased a new Temsa TS35 coach from CH Bus Sales, Inc. Excursions was founded in 2000 by Thomas Bazow and Patrick O’Brian in Fort Wayne, IN. Excursions started business with one new coach and currently operates 15 coaches. Today, the company conducts trips from Indiana and Ohio, in addition to providing transportation throughout the United States and Canada. Excursions is also approved through the Department of Defense to transport the military, government, and service all troop transportation needs. Excursion’s mission is, “Give excellent customer service by providing clean, well www.budgettruckandauto.com maintained coaches and courteous, professional drivers.� Thomas Bazow, president of Excursions Trailways, commented, “The Temsa is a great addition to our fleet. The mid-size coach fills a void for us. Both driver and customer responses to the Temsa TS35 coach have been extremely positive.� Temsa officials say the TS35 is appropriate for smaller groups, more economical to purchase and operate than a larger coach, but with the same high-end features. Visit www.chbussales.com and www.temsaglobal.com for more information.
Painting Ricon Lifts Fabrication Vinyl Graphics Collision Repair Certified Welding Frame Straightening
: $YDORQ 5G ‡ -DQHVYLOOH :, 3+21( ‡ )$; 72// )5(( Page 44
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read current And Archived Issues Online At www.buslinemag.com.
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MCI Introduces 2013 MCI ®J4500 Coach Off line this fall, MCI spokespeople say the 2013 J4500 has been redesigned for heightened curb appeal and a more elevated presence while providing reliability and a modern look that fits well with existing J4500 fleets. The company says Peter Pan, one of the largest private operators, will be the first to take delivery of the 2013 J4500 off the assembly line this fall. The new concept draws on part of the J4500’s history. BMW Group Designworks USA led the designs of the E4500 and J4500. The company’s designers have previously worked on such projects as yachts, world-class industrial farm equipment and the Rolls-Royce Phantom. In the case of the 2013 J4500, Designworks engineers collaborated with MCI engineers, who turned to current J4500 customers for input. MCI says chief among customer criteria was that a coach have “presence” and “curb appeal,” while providing workhorse reliability and a modern look that fits in with existing J4500 fleets.
MCI also says it wanted the coach to be safer and more reliable than ever. “The redesign gave us the opportunity to make several key improvements to the lighting, body bumpers and serviceability,” said Brent Danielson, the MCI engineering team leader. “We think customers are going to find the 2013 J4500 a welcome addition to their fleets.” Other improvements include the high-style high and low beam headlamps, now serviceable from outside the coach. They are brighter and more durable with full LEDs set in stainless steel to resist corrosion and sealed to reduce wind and air intrusion, according to the company. The ID, clearance and marker lights are higher to enhance visibility and the coach’s nighttime profile. On the rear of the coach, LED tail and brake lights are four-inch rounds set in a bezel and placed higher for improved visibility, while remaining easily replaceable. “This touch also modernizes the back of the coach, according to the company. MCI’s design team created a smooth modern rear cap, while
providing increased space for branding. The new front and rear bumpers are significantly more durable.” Safety, Simplified Diagnostics And Near Double-digit Fuel Economy Spokespeople say, “Safety continues to lead the list of priorities.” The wide-ride J4500 comes equipped with safety technologies such as electronic stability control along with upgraded tire-pressure monitoring and fire-suppression systems. Customers can choose from available MCI tested three-point belted seats, including a standard three-point driver seat with two inches of additional legroom. MCI says the coach now features a multiplexing system proven on MCI D-Series coaches for the past two years. Offering reduced wiring and fewer modules, the system change comes with a new ergonomic, easy-interfacing driver dash layout with backlit switches and illuminated, easy-to-replace gauges. The driver cockpit features interior upgrades including trim, improved lighting and more connectivity. Company officials say the new J4500 promises at least an 8 percent fuel-economy gain, and, in some applications, it may be up to double digits. MCI says it continues to collect data. Visit www.mcicoach.com/newJ4500 for more information.
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September/October 2012
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Groundbreaking Rotary Lift MOD30 Inground Lift Celebrates 10th Anniversary Rotary Lift’s MOD30 modular, environmentally friendly inground lift is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2012. Increasing environmental and safety concerns in the 1990s led many service managers to install surface lifts.
Company spokespeople say Rotary Lift has continuously improved the MOD30 inground lift so that it provides maximum versatility to lift heavy-duty vehicles with the latest design features, including low-floor and kneeling buses and trucks with aerodynamic fairings and new emissions equipment.
Rotary Lift says recent updates include:
• The MOD30 inground lift provides greater and faster access to more service areas on a vehicle. The entire system is contained in a sixfoot-deep enclosure that’s coated inside and out with Rotary Lift’s exclusive EnviroGuard™ coating, a quarter-inch-thick polyurethane sealant that protects against electrolysis and harsh contaminants for the 30-year life of the lift; • The MOD30 meets the environmental standards of underground storage tanks (USTs), including lead detection, fluid monitoring, fluid extraction and an alarm system; and, • Addressing safety concerns, the MOD30 comes with galvanized shutter plate trench covers that automatically move to keep the pit covered at all times. The lift’s VEC™ Variable Equalized Control system raises both jacks simultaneously for level lifting. It is automatically monitored 80 to 120 times per second. Other features of the MOD30 include: • Rotary’s patent-pending inbay® technology. Through inbay, technicians can immediately access and review service, diagnostic and maintenance information, including multi-
ple memorized wheelbase settings, operation and maintenance manuals, troubleshooting guide and fault codes to identify problems, training guide to help train new users on the proper use of the lift, and preventative maintenance reminders; • Modular design. The lift can be configured for the facility’s specific needs, with the control panel placed wherever it is most convenient for technicians; • Productivity enhancements. Both housings are recessed to provide an unobstructed floor. A wheel spotting dish for axle positioning guides the placement of the vehicle for proper lifting. The patented universal saddle adapter makes it easy to mount the vehicle. An auto spotting system allows positioning of the moveable piston without crawling around on the floor. The optional pendant control enables the technician to operate the lift remotely from the control console; and, • Available with two or three posts. Lifting capacity from 60,000 to 90,000 pounds. It can accommodate articulated buses and vehicles with tandem axles. The Rotary Lift MOD30 is third-party tested by ETL and ALI certified to meet ANSI safety and performance standards. It is made in the United States. Visit www.rotarylift.com or call 800-6405438 for more information.
SAFE, STURDY & DURABLE Safety Step will meet all your transportation needs…
s Safety Steps full line of transportation steps are designed specifically for the transportation industry s Anti-tip design makes it impossible to tip over with normal use s Transportation models provide a 6”, 8”, 10” or 12” boost s The 10" and 12" steps have brackets for extra durability s Rugged all-aluminum welded construction s All models are lab tested to hold over 1,000 pounds, but weigh a mere 7 pounds s Non-slip angled rubber leg tips and gripper strips keep your passengers and your Safety Step securely in place s 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.net or call (888) 448-4237 Page 46
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Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 The new low height Enviro 500 Double Deck from Alexander Dennis, Inc. offers a combination of high capacity, maneuverability and passenger comfort. Still with over 80 seats and capable of carrying almost 100 passengers, it brings another dimension to public transport and builds on the reputation that has made it a winner in New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto. The new reduced height models ushers in a stylish look for the ADL Double Deck range, whether it is for transit or interurban operations. Alexander Dennis, Inc. 31566 Railroad Canyon Road Canyon Lake, CA 92587 USA Phone: 951-244-9429 Fax: 951-755-0318 Email: info@alexander-dennis.com Website: www.alexander-dennis.com
Model..................................................................................................Enviro 500 Seating Capacity.............................................................................................80 Length ...............................................................................................40’ and 42’ Width ...............................................................................................................102” Height ..............................................................................................14’ and 13’7” Engine .............................................................Cummins ISL 330HP & 380HP Type of Fuel ...............................................................................................Diesel Chassis ....................................................................................Dennis Trident 3 Air Conditioning ..........................................................................Thermo King Wheelchair Lift Option..................................................................Ricon FRS2 Steering .............................................................................................................ZF
Bob Paddon Elected Chair Of The Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) his contribution and commitment to CUTA in Bob Paddon, executive vice president, 2011-2012. Strategic Planning and Public Affairs, "I would like to thank John for all of his TransLink (Vancouver), has been elected chair hard work and his valuable conof the Canadian Urban Transit tribution to the transit industry. Association (CUTA). Paddon John is leaving us a great legacy came to TransLink in 2001 from and I will work with CUTA to Metro Vancouver, bringing build on our current achieveexpertise in local government, ments and go on to even greater communications, media relasuccess in the future,” Paddon tions and business administrasaid. tion. He was also part of the Following this, changes were Metro Vancouver team that creannounced to the Executive ated TransLink. Committee and included the In his acceptance speech at election of Stéphane Forget, the CUTA Annual General Société de transport de Montréal Meeting in Victoria, Paddon as first vice chair; Laurent thanked members for their supBob Paddon Chevrot, Société de transport de port to the association. Sherbrooke, vice chair communications & “I am honored to be chair at such an imporpublic affairs; Chris Akiyama, SEON Design, tant point in CUTA’s success. I am looking vice chair business members; and Daniel forward to working with all CUTA members, Bergeron, Agence métropolitaine de transport, Board and the executive committee and to vice chair government agencies. John King, making my contribution in achieving ambiCity of Lethbridge, becomes immediate past tious plans for the future.” chair. Outgoing Chair John King was thanked for
Executive Committee members whose positions remain unchanged are: Gary McNeil, Metrolinx, vice chair technical services; Councillor Bev Dubois, City of Saskatoon, vice chair municipal councils; Brian Leck, Toronto Transit Commission, honorary counsel; Suzanne Connor, Brampton Transit, vice chair education & human resources development; Paul Smith, New Flyer Industries, vice chair business members; Donna Shepherd, Burlington Transit, vice chair small transit systems; and Penny Williams, Transit Windsor, vice chair finance. The CUTA AGM provided opportunity for CUTA members to receive an overview of the association's activity in the past year, review its financial report, and share its new mission and vision. Members were given opportunity to voice opinion on all of these topics, as well as to present other business for discussion. For CUTA information, contact: Grace Elasmar, manager, marketing and communications CUTA, office: (416) 365-9800 ext. 118; or by email at elasmar@cutaactu.ca.
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Busline Vehicle Showcase
Motor Coach Industries
Motor Coach Industries
MCI® Commuter Coach MCI® J4500 Redesigned for 2013, and ready to fit into existing J4500 fleets, the MCI J4500 coach has heightened curb appeal and workhorse reliability. New LED headlamps are brighter, long lasting and easy to service. Bumpers are sleeker and more impact resistant. A more modern, smooth rear cap provides more space for brand messaging. Wide-ride suspension, electronic stability control, a SmartWave tire-pressure monitoring system and a fire suppression system are standard. Options include a steerable tag axle for a tighter turning radius, three-point seatbelts, 110-volt power outlets and Wi-Fi connectivity. Improved fuel economy through powertrain optimization is delivering double-digit gains in some applications. Motor Coach Industries 1700 East Golf Road, Suite 300 Schaumburg, IL 60173 Phone: 1-866-MCICOACH Website: www.mcicoach.com. Email: marketing@mcicoach.com
Model ..................................................................................................MCI J4500 Passenger Capacity........................................................................................56 Length .........................................................................................................45.58’ Height ........................................................................................................140.74” Headroom ..................................................................................................78.25” Wheelbase......................................................................................................315” Turning Radius................................................................................................47’ Engine Options ....................................Cummins ISX, Detroit Diesel DD 13 Floor-Low or Standard .....................................................................Standard Transmission Options....................................Allison B500 or ZF Astronic Brakes..............................................................Meritor all-wheel EX-225 disc Fuel Tank Capacity ................................................................................183 gal. Fuel Options ................................................................................................ULSD Chassis .............................................................................................Monocoque GVWR ..................................................................................................54,000 lbs.
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The route to reliable commuting starts with the MCI Commuter Coach. Based on MCI’s all-time best-selling D-Series, MCI’s Buy America-compliant and Altoona-tested Commuter Coach is available in clean-diesel, hybrid or CNG powertrain configurations. The MCI Commuter Coach, in 45-foot and 40-foot versions, provides a comfortable, safe ride combined with ease of maintenance and low total cost of operation over many years. Standard safety features include electronic stability control (n/a on the hybrid model), a tire monitoring system and a fire suppression system. Options include three-point passenger seatbelts, a wheelchair lift with up to two wheelchair positions, digital wireless WiFi, and 110volt outlets. Motor Coach Industries 1700 East Golf Road, Suite 300 Schaumburg, IL 60173 Phone: 1-866-MCICOACH Website: www.mcicoach.com. Email: marketing@mcicoach.com
Model..........................................................................MCI® Commuter Coach Passenger Capacity .................................................................................57, 49 Length.......................................................................................................45’, 40’ Height..............................................................................................................137” Wheelbase...........................................................................................318”, 279” Headroom ..................................................................................................78.25” Turning Radius ..................................................................................47’, 44.70’ Interior Height..........................................................................................78.25” Fuel Tank Capacity......................................................................164 gal. CNG, 114.6 Diesel Gallon Equivalent (DGE) Chassis .............................................................................................Monocoque Fuel Options..........................................................Clean-diesel, hybrid, CNG Transmission Options................................................................Allison B500, Allison EP 50 Hybrid drive Engine Options....................................................Cummins ISL, ISX or ISL G Brakes...........................................Air, disc with unitized hubs and preset GVWR...........................................................................50,000 lbs., 46,000 lbs.
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Busline Vehicle Showcase
ABC Companies
ABC Companies
Van Hool A300L FC
Van Hool A300L The Van Hool A300L is a 40-foot, true low-floor, heavy-duty transit bus that is compatible for all modes of people moving transportation. From inter-city transit to employee shuttle to airport and ground transportation, the A300L is a viable solution for all applications. Designed to promote quick and easy passenger flow, the Van Hool A300L offers a smooth ride aboard a distinctly modern urban transit bus. A true low-floor interior design from front to rear makes entering and walking through the bus simple and less cumbersome. Its step-less design makes transitioning from the street to the bus easy and convenient, whether using the fold-out ADA approved ramp or stepping directly from the curb to the inside of the bus. The A300L is available with two and three door configurations, which help to distribute passengers throughout the vehicle. The engine is located mid-ship – halfway between the front and rear axles. This provides a smoother, less bouncy ride. Performing engine maintenance is much easier thanks to the multiple service panels located inside, outside and underneath the bus. The combination of low-floors, high ceilings, expansive windows and improved circulation gives passengers the distinct feeling of openness rather than feeling confined in an enclosed compartment, and offers a substantial improvement in the quality and customer-friendliness of public transport. Model ........................................................................................Van Hool A300L Seating Capacity....................................3 Door - 30 seats + 4 fold-down; 2 Door - 33 Seats + 4 fold-down Length ........................................................................................................39’ 10” Width ...............................................................................................................102” Height...............................................................................................................131” Engine............................................................Cummins ISL EPA 2007 280hp Transmission...........................................Voith D864.5 4-speed automatic Chassis..........................................Electrically welded, partially steel and partially stainless steel structure Air Conditioning ...........................................Eberspächer - Roof mounted Wheelchair Lift Option......................................Securement positions for 2 wheelchair passengers Steering..................................................................................ZF Variable ratio Suspension .................................................Air suspension w/air springs & telescopic shock absorbers
The Van Hool Company was honored with the BusWorld Kortrijk 2009 Grand Environment Award, citing the company’s A330 Fuel Cell model. The hybrid-diesel electric bus offers an environmentally-friendly alternative for public transport providers. In the United States, the Van Hool A330 Fuel Cell has been well-received by the American public where partners ABC, Van Hool and AC Transit pioneered a “green” transit initiative in 2005. Along with AC Transit, SunLine Transit and Connecticut Transit have this model in current service. This next generation of Van Hool’s fuel cell bus – the Van Hool A300L FC – retains its place as one of the most technically advanced transit buses available today. This clean, quiet, energy efficient 40-foot transit emits only water vapor from the tailpipe. It is a true low-floor heavy-duty bus. Virtually noiseless, yet powerful enough to climb grades in excess of 18 percent and reach speeds of 50 mph, the A300L FC is powered by a zero-emission hydrogen-fueled, hybrid-electric engine, utilizing a 120 kW fuel cell system, onboard battery power, and regenerative braking. ABC Companies; 1506 30th Street NW; Faribault, MN 55021 USA; Phone: 507-334-1871; Fax: 507-334-0246 E-mail: sahlers@abc-companies.com. Web site: www.abc-companies.com. Model ..................................................................................Van Hool A300L FC Seating Capacity...................................................28 Seated + 4 fold-down Length...............................................................................................................40’ Width ...............................................................................................................102” Height .............................................................................................................11’5” Engine ..............................................................Hybrid electric drive system UTC Power Puremotion 120 Power Plant Transmission........................................Electric Propulsion Siemens Elfa2 Chassis..........................................Electrically welded, partially steel and partially stainless steel structure Air Conditioning ...........Integrated high voltage, electrically powered HVAC system - roof mounted Wheelchair Lift Option......................................Securement positions for 2 wheelchair passengers Steering..................................................................................ZF Variable ratio Suspension .................................................Air suspension w/air springs & telescopic shock absorbers September/October 2012
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Busline Vehicle Showcase
New Flyer
Setra Xcelsior
ComfortClass S 407 The Setra ComfortClass S 407 delivers quality German engineering and European styling. The model, powered by a Mercedes-Benz BlueTec engine that meets EPA emission standards, combines functionality with the ability to meet the grueling work demands of tour, charter and even heavy-duty transportation applications. Product safety is evident in every detail, with as many as 16 integrated passive and active safety systems onboard. These include Electronic Stability Program (ESP), allwheel disc brakes, ABA braking with anti-slip control and Allison retarder as standard features. Motor Coach Industries 1700 East Golf Road, Suite 300 Schaumburg, IL 60173 Phone: 1-866-MCICOACH Website: www.mcicoach.com. Email: marketing@mcicoach.com
Model.................................................................................ComfortClass S 407 Seating Capacity.............................................................................................56 Length ...............................................................................................................45’ Height.................................................................................................................12’ Headroom .......................................................................................................6.6’ Floor - Low or Standard...................................................................Standard Wheelbase.....................................................................................................280” Turning Radius ..........................................................................................481.7” Engine Options ..............................Mercedes-Benz OM 471 EPA 10 410 hp or, 450 hp Transmission Options..............Allison B500 R or, ZF Astronic 12-speed Brakes - Air or Hydraulic.................................................Knorr disc brakes Fuel Tank Capacity................................................................................180 gal. Fuel Options................................................................Ultra low sulfur diesel Chassis .............................................................................Monocoque Integral GVWR...................................................................................................50,534 lbs.
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New Flyers’ objectives were to deliver life cycle savings and improve the experience for passengers and drivers. Better fuel economy, lighter weight, disc brakes and the industry’s first LED headlights make this a better bus. To significantly improve fuel efficiency, New Flyer reduced the weight of a conventional diesel by optimizing structure weight and reducing the weight of the cooling system, interior panels, fuel tank and flooring. Xcelsior’s sleek look* is enhanced by an integrated roofline, less-visible drip rails and fasteners, fiberglass exterior panels for true flush windows and LED headlights. Passengers are assured superior ride quality, dramatically-improved visibility, increased headroom, and more forward-facing seats. The upgraded interior features LED lighting, skylight roof hatches, and styling upgrades to stanchions, windows and modesty panels. New Flyer has also taken measures to provide a quieter, more relaxing ride with enhanced insulation, a single-reduction rear axle, and roof-mounted air conditioning. To ensure greater accessibility, New Flyer has increased the width of Xcelsior’s front door, reduced kneeled front step height to 10 inches, and installed a wheelchair ramp with 1:7 slope ratio. A redesigned operator’s area features a more contemporary dash, an electronic instrument panel and better utilization of the overhead area. Downtime is minimized with a single-reduction axle, all-wheel disc brakes and longer-life LED headlights. Preventative care and maintenance are easier due to fiberglass exterior panels, slide-out battery compartment, swing-out fan belt guard and interior engine access door. *Xcelsior is protected by several patents and design registrations in Canada and the United States.
New Flyer; 711 Kernaghan Ave., Winnipeg, MB R2C 3T4 CANADA Phone: 204-224-1251; Website: www.newflyer.com
Model....................................................Diesel/Clean Diesel, Diesel-Electric Hybrid, and CNG Seating Capacity.....................................................34 seated, 33 standing; 42 seated, 43 standing; 59 seated, 57 standing Length...............................................................................................35’; 40’; 60’ Width............................................................................102”, 132” with mirrors Height................................126” over A/C, 130” over hybrid cooling fans, 133” over CNG roof enclosures Engine ........................................Cummins ISL 280; Cummins ISL 330 280 Type of Fuel ........................Diesel, Electric, Diesel-Electric Hybrid, CNG Chassis...........................................................................................Carbon Steel Air Conditioning..........Thermo King RLF1 (A/C and heat or, heat only) for Diesel & Hybrid, Thermo King T-14 for CNG Wheelchair Lift Option....................................660 lb., 32” wide, 1:7 slope, flip out NFIL ramp, front door Steering ....................................................................Turning Radius 39”; 44” Suspension ................................35/40 ft: MAN VOK 07 front disc brakes, MAN HY-1336 rear disc brakes, single reduction axle / 60 ft: MAN VOK 07 front disc brakes, ZF AVN 132 center disc brake, MAN HY-1350 rear disc brakes, single reduction axle (all with common disc brakes).
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SEPTA Receives Gold Recognition Level For Sustainability The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recently recognized SEPTA for its sustainability achievements by presenting SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey with the Gold Recognition Level of the APTA Sustainability Commitment program. Public transit agencies and businesses that participate in this program on a voluntary basis make a commitment to putting processes and actions into place, which allow for continuous improvement on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. “SEPTA is only the fourth public transit system to achieve the Gold Recognition Level,” said King County Metro Transit General Manager Kevin Desmond, who serves as the chair of the APTA Sustainability Committee and who presented the award. “SEPTA is a national leader in sustainability, and employees and riders should be very proud.” The three other public transportation systems that have received the gold recognition level are: TransLink (Vancouver, BC), Intercity Transit (Olympia, WA), and Sound Transit (Seattle, WA). SEPTA was a founding signatory of the Sustainability Commitment program in 2009 and has since put in place a full-scale sustainability program that has significantly reduced its environmental footprint. These gains led SEPTA to achieve gold level recognition from APTA, the highest level that public transit systems have achieved so far for significant reduc-
tions in areas such as energy, water use, and waste. In addition to having the second largest hybrid-electric bus fleet in the United States,
SEPTA achieved a 19.7 percent reduction in water usage per passenger miles traveled (PMT); a 10.0 percent reduction in fuel use per PMT; a 4.0 percent reduction in electricity use per PMT; and 3.6 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per PMT. SEPTA was recognized for projects, including the implementation of the Wayside Energy Storage program, which is both a strategy to reduce energy consumption and an innovative revenue-generating opportunity. SEPTA and Viridity Energy, a Philadelphia-based smart grid firm, have implemented a pilot project to develop wayside energy storage technology to capture, store, and reuse electricity generated from regenerative braking on trains on the MarketFrankford Line. With more than $250,000 in annual energy savings, this program could be replicated at additional substations.
Cincinnati Metro’s CEO Selected For Leadership Cincinnati Terry Garcia Crews, CEO and General strated leadership ability and commitment to the community. Manager of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit A transit professional with Authority that operates Metro more than 20 years of experiservice in Cincinnati, was ence in both the private and recently named to Leadership public sectors, Garcia Crews Cincinnati Class 36. has served at Metro since Leadership Cincinnati is Nov. 1, 2010. She has been the Cincinnati USA Regional actively involved with the Chamber’s pre-eminent leadAmerican Public Transpor ership development program, tation Association as a regionwhich provides participants a al board director and a membroad view of civic leadership ber of several key committhrough direct contact with a tees. She is a board member Terry Garcia Crews wide variety of institutions of Downtown Cincinnati Inc. and people, and stimulates concern for the (DCI) and OKI Regional Council of Govquality of life in the region. ernments. Garcia Crews was one of 54 individuals Metro is a non-profit, tax-funded public chosen to participate in this highly compet- service of the Southwest Ohio Regional itive program, which represents the Transit Authority, providing about 17 milregion’s top level of leadership. lion rides per year. Visit www.go-metro.com Participants were selected based on demon- for more information.
“Through this pilot project, SEPTA will become even more energy efficient, which will help control operating costs — benefiting both customers and taxpayers,” said SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey. “We’ve made our system cleaner, greener, and more efficient in recent years through such efforts as replacing traditional diesel buses with diesel-electric hybrids and installing energy-efficient lighting at stations, facilities, and offices. These measures are helping us control costs in tough economic conditions and making us a better neighbor in the communities we serve."
FTA Awards The T Nearly $1 Million To Start Fort Worth Bike Share Program The T (Fort Worth Transportation Authority) recently was awarded a $941,728 grant to help launch a bike share program in Fort Worth. The initial Bike Share program will start with 300 bicycles and 30 stations located near public transportation hubs, such as the The T’s Intermodal Transportation Center, and will spread throughout downtown, and nearby urban villages. The T was one of 255 projects receiving a total of $787 million as part of the FTA State of Good Repair and Bus Livability grant. The T also has received commitments from five local organizations amounting to an additional $260,000 to supplement capital and operational costs. “We are really excited about receiving this grant as it will go a long way toward helping us pay for the capital costs to launch the project,” said The T’s President Dick Ruddell, “and we are also very appreciative of the support and funding partnerships within the Fort Worth community thus far who have committed to help us get it started.” Commitments to date are from Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., Fort Worth CVB, Fort Worth South, Inc., Texas Christian University, and Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. The T and Fort Worth Bike Sharing are seeking additional sponsors to help ensure the viability of the system in Fort Worth. “Due to The T’s strong support of bicycles as an integral part of a public transit system and the success of Bike Share programs in other cities, The T added development of a Bike Share program to its long-range strategic plan in 2010,” said Ruddell. The T will put the system infrastructure in place, and the system will ultimately be run by Fort Worth Bike Sharing, a newly created nonprofit organization which will own and operate the program, set to launch in Spring of 2013.
September/October 2012
BUSLINE
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finding added funding, Eleanor said Snohomish County residents have been Continued From Page 20 very supportive over the years. Since hope to have this fully operational by next Community Transit’s origin in 1976, there year. We started using this technology last have been two ballot measures to increase month (July) with one of our bus routes,” the sales tax for the transit agency, both of Eleanor said. “Technology is definitely which have passed. changing public transportation for the bet“We also work very hard with state legister. This includes transit signal priority as lators, pressing upon them why it’s so well as our regional ORCA smart card fare important for Washington to have a vibrant payment system. Over 75 percent of public transportation system in place. It may Community Transit’s riders use ORCA, be due to the very nature of the state that showing how well it’s been accepted by the this is sometimes difficult,” Eleanor said. public.” “Western Washington is so much more The ORCA smart card is used by seven of urban than eastern Washington, and those the major public transportation agencies legislators located in the eastern part of the serving King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish state may not all see the need for added public transportation dollars. However, eastern Washington “The public is ready. People are ripe for transportation has public transportation alternatives. I feel more people in this country would be using needs as well. “When you look at the public transportation if the funding to expand service was entire United States, there is a available... I think this problem is only a blip on the radar similar challenge taking place. Rural areas may not screen, and that adequate funding will come in the future.” have the same type of counties in the Puget Sound area. while it’s a different way of approaching our demands for public transportation, but there “One of the technologies that we are also services, is really catching on. As I said ear- are still people in these locations who are very interested in for the future is the APTS lier, our ridership has not declined dramati- senior citizens, children, the disabled and (Advanced Public Transportation Systems) cally despite cuts to service. other people who want to better connect real time information for transfers,” Eleanor “We are looking at serving the most peo- with different communities.” said. “This technology will allow a rider on ple we can, as efficiently as possible.” Locally, Eleanor feels Community Transit one bus to better see where his/her next bus officials have been successful in enhancing is located before making a connection. That the agency’s image. This includes impleThe Public Is Ready rider will also know when his/her next bus mentation of the Swift BRT line and the use is expected to arrive at the desired transfer ust like everyday life, challenges are a of Alexander Dennis double-decker buses. point.” “We are always looking at ways to make part of any transit agency’s operation. Community Transit’s buses also feature This is especially true concerning the people sit up and take notice. This is defibike racks for those who want to combine level of funding over the past several years. nitely happening here at Community riding their bikes with taking a bus. In fact, This challenge comes just as many people Transit,” she said. for the Swift BRT line, bike racks have been are looking to use public transportation for Eleanor, who has been CEO of placed inside these buses as this service is the very first time, according to Eleanor. Community Transit for the past 18 years, designed for quick boarding. “The public is ready. People are ripe for said she has seen many changes take place “People can just roll their bikes onto the transportation alternatives. I feel more peo- since first entering the industry in 1974. bus and put them on the rack. With Swift, ple in this country would be using public “It’s turned into a very sophisticated, prothere is none of the delay that takes place transportation if the funding to expand serv- fessional and wonderful public service, while putting a bike on a traditional rack ice was available,” she said. “Unfortunately, which is what it should be. I’m very proud found on the outside of a bus,” Eleanor said. many agencies are at the point where added to represent public transportation,” she said. Such services can make riding a bus more funding just is not available. That being “Community Transit itself is a truly dedicatattractive to choice riders. Eleanor said said, I think this problem is only a blip on ed agency, and it was this way before I Community Transit already enjoys a strong the radar screen, and that adequate funding came. It’s always had that kind of culture. I demographic level of choice riders due to will come in the future. I feel public trans- like to think that I’ve helped enhance this the agency’s commuter service options. portation has a very glowing future as more along. “I know that our Swift BRT line has people are seeing that it just makes sense. “We also have a very good board of direcattracted a lot of people who did not previ“When you look at air quality and con- tors. These board members are fully ously ride a bus. They have found our Swift gestion issues, the fact that both parents are engaged and very interested in doing what service to be convenient and a fast way to working these days, and that more young is best for the agency. I have been fortunate travel,” Eleanor said. “Overall, our ridership people need to get around town who don’t to work with such a great board and staff.” is pretty balanced. This includes choice rid- have cars ... there are all kinds of needs for Contact: Community Transit, ers and those who are transit dependent. public transportation today.” 7100 Hardeson Rd., Everett, WA 98203. Many people are simply looking for transPhone: 425-348-7100. Although Community Transit has certainportation alternatives due to the fact that ly not been immune to the challenges of Website: www.communitytransit.org.
Community Transit:
area roads and streets are becoming so congested. We are working hard to help these people find alternatives.” With increasing population numbers in Snohomish County and surrounding areas, officials at Community Transit are seeking ways to better handle this growth. It involves a move to a more corridor-base travel system with very frequent and convenient service on major corridors, along with other services helping feed these corridors. “We just went through a restructure of our route system moving toward this direction. BRT is a big part of this, but it’s not all of what we need to accomplish,” Eleanor said. “I think the recent restructure of our system,
J
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BUSLINE
September/October 2012
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BOWMANSDALE
HANOVER
2112 Bumble Bee Hollow Rd. Off Rt. 15 s Mechanicsburg, PA 717-697-5383
991 Carlisle St., Rt. 94 s 717-632-7531 350 Eisenhower Dr. s 717-632-0005 1448 Baltimore St. s 717-630-0337
CAMP HILL
HARRISBURG
4230 Trindle Road s 717-737-3896
CARLISLE 60 Noble Blvd. in Super Walmart 717-960-9400 608 E. High St. s 717-249-7721 1176 Harrisburg Pike s 717-243-7774 905 Walnut Bottom Rd. s 717-249-0694
CEDAR CLIFF Exit 19 off I-83 s Camp Hill, PA 717-737-6404
CHAMBERSBURG 1075 Lincoln Way East s 717-263-4601
NORTH CHAMBERSBURG 2891 Philadelphia Avenue (US 11 N.) 717-263-2970
CLEONA 493 W. Penn Avenue s 717-272-5677
COLUMBIA 1788 Columbia Ave., off Rt. 30 717-684-7048
DILLSBURG 898 North US Rt. 15 s 717-432-9500
King & Water Streets s 717-299-6699 Manor Shopping Center 1296 Millersville Pk. s 717-293-5706
NEWPORT Rt. 322 and Rt. 34, Newport Exit 717-567-9344
LEMOYNE
PALMYRA
Rts. 11 and 15 North across from Radisson Hotel s 717-761-7992
901 E. Main St. s 717-838-6815
2929 Paxton St. s 717-561-8050 LEBANON 4605 Jonestown Rd. s 717-652-7035 1202 W. Maple St. s 717-273-8691 7845 Linglestown Rd.s 717-545-8580 757 E. Cumberland St. s 717-273-9023 Rt. 83 and Union Deposit Rd. 1725 Quentin Rd., Lebanon, PA 717-564-9320 717-306-6565 4403 N. Front St. s 717-238-1048 LITITZ Harrisburg East Mall/Rt. 83 and Paxton St. 990 Lititz Pike, Rt. 501 N. 717-561-0703 717-627-4666 Eisenhower Blvd. I-283, Exit 1 LITTLESTOWN 717-939-6972 430 North Queen St.s 717-359-8946 5590 Allentown Blvd., Rt. 22 LYKENS VALLEY Exit 26 off I-81 s 717-652-9123 4660 Rt. 209s 717-362-8416 Kline Plaza, 101 S. 25th St. MANHEIM 717-232-0008 711 Lancaster Rd., Rt. 72s 717-664-4944 Uptown Shopping Center MECHANICSBURG 720 Division St. s 717-236-6226 Wesley Dr. Exit, Rt. 15 Harrisburg Airport s 717-948-3900 717-761-7525 6535 Grayson Rd. in Wal-Mart KMart Plaza, 5600 Carlisle Pike 717-561-0445 717-766-9675 HERSHEY 6250 Carlisle Pike in Wal-Mart Rts. 39 and 322 s 611 E. Main St., 717-591-9864 Hummelstown s 717-566-6041
PINE GROVE I-81, Exit 31 s 717-345-6400
RED LION 897 West Broadway s 717-246-1802 655 Lombard St., Cape Horn Plaza 717-246-7801
SCOTLAND 3347 Black Gap Rd. s 717-263-7507
SHIPPENSBURG 333 East King St. s 717-532-7945
SHREWSBURY Exit 1 off I-83 s 717-235-4663
SILVER SPRING Rt. 114 and Shadow Oak Dr. Mechanicsburg, PA s 717-697-3460
SPRINGETTSBURY Hallam Exit off Rt. 30, Rt. 462 717-757-9655
WAYNESBORO 302 East Main St. s 717-762-9201
YOCUMTOWN Exit 14A off I-83 s 717-938-5705
EAST MANCHESTER
JONESTOWN
MERCERSBURG
YORK
4245 North George St. s 717-266-3170
Rt 72 & I-81 s 610-562-8462
11924 Buchanan Trial West 717-328-0111
2125 York Crossing Dr & Rt 74 717-767-1381 Exit 4, I-83, 133 Leader Heights Road 717-747-9191 York Galleria Mall s 717-757-3026 60 Arsenal Rd. s 717-699-4600 Exit 6W off I-83 s 717-845-9360 3141 Carlisle Road, Dover 717-767-2594 144-158 S. George St. s 717-846-1021 Rts. 30 & 74 in Wal-Mart s 717-764-8923 380 Memory Lane s 717-757-2912
ELIZABETHTOWN
LANCASTER
1284 S. Market St. s 717-367-6471
1880 Hempstead Rd. s 717-509-6988 Willow Valley Square s 717-464-5119 1829 Oregon Pike s 717-569-7898 1434 Manheim Pike s 717-394-3417 Rt. 30 and Centerville Rd. Lancaster, PA s 717-393-9523 68 East Town Mall, Rt. 30E Lancaster, PA s 717-394-8957 1755 Columbia Ave. Millersville Exit off Rt. 30, Rt. 462 717-397-5112 575 N. Franklin St., next to McCuskey High School s 717-394-7938 2034 Lincoln Hwy East in Wal-Mart 717-390-1099
ENOLA Enola Rd., Exit Rt. 11 15 S. off Rt. 81 s 717-732-4228
EPHRATA 140 N. Reading Rd. s 717-733-1660
GETTYSBURG 517 S. Steinwehr Ave., Bus. Rt. 15 717-334-5920 1090 York Rd. s 717-337-1030
GREENCASTLE Rt. 16 and I-81 s 717-597-2589
HALIFAX 3761 Peter’s Moutain Rd. s 717-896-2535
MIDDLETOWN 2270 W. Harrisburg Pike s 717-944-9535
MIFFLINTOWN Rt. 322 and Rt. 35, Mifflintown Exit 717-436-9779
MYERSTOWN 295 West Lincoln Avenue (Rt. 422) 717-866-2278
NEW CUMBERLAND 101 Limekiln Rd. s 717-774-1027
NEW HOLLAND 828 W. Main St. s 717-354-9300
NEW OXFORD 6040 York Rd., Rts. 30 and 94 717-624-4266
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