1114 busline magazine

1114Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 11/18/14 9:29 AM Page 1

Better Life Technology, LLC

9736 Legler RdLenexa, KS 66219Phone: 913.894.0403

www.blt-transit .com/blmag01info.transit@blt l lc.com

THE NEW DIRECTION IN

BUS & TRANSIT FLOORING

BY

LIGHTER - STRONGER - LASTS LONGER CUSTOM IMAGE With promotions & revenue generating applications, G-Floor Transit offers the most durable product in the transit industry. G-Floor Transit is tested and proven for long and short-term use.

SAFETY Safety is our first priority. All G-Floor Transit flooring meets and exceeds all ASTM C-1028 slip resistance standards. Custom safety graphics available.

SOLID VINYL With the thickest wear-layer in the industry, G-Floor Transit was engineered with the heaviest traffic loads in mind. Backed by the toughest warranty in transit applications, our flooring offers unsurpassed floor protection with a 100% waterproof covering.

SEAMLESS G-Floor Transit boasts wall to wall flooring with no seams necessary in most transit applications.

EASY CARE Resistant to most standard chemicals, G-Floor Transit is stain resistant and is easy to clean.

1 3


THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS YOU WANT OUT OF A CHASSIS. LETS START BY GIVING YOU ALL OF THEM.Compromising on your needs is never a good place to start. So we dont make you.

Product quality, numerous options, and uncompromising factory and service support.

You get everything you need from your chassis and your manufacturer. Thats the peace

of mind that comes with owning a Freightliner. | Find out more at freightlinerchassis.com.

Specifications are subject to change without notice. Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation is registered to ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004. Copyright 2014 Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved.Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company.

Learn more about our products and services on our YouTube channel.

Unmatched 24/7 factory support | Extensive parts availability | Nationwide service network | Exceptional warranties

Unmatched maneuverability

Excellent stopping power

Exceptional fuel economy

Heavy-duty reliability

Incredible comfort

Heavy-duty power trains

Outstanding stability

Happy operators

Panoramic view

Made in U.S.A.

4:45 PM


EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICES

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

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

Email: [email protected]: www.rankinpublishing.com

(800) 598-8083 (U.S.) (217) 268-4959Fax: (217) 268-4815

Editorial: Harrell Kerkhoff, EditorRick Mullen, Associate Editor

Design: David OpdykeReception: Misty Douglas

AdvertisingContact Kevin Kennedy @ 623-434-8959

Email: [email protected]

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

Email: [email protected]

C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T SJANUARY 2015January 10-13

American Bus Association(ABA) Marketplace

St. Louis, MOInfo: 202-842-1645

January 16-18International Motorcoach

Group (IMG) Maintenance & Safety

ForumNew Orleans, LA

Info: 888-447-3466

January 18-22United Motorcoach

Association (UMA) Expo At Travel Exchange

New Orleans, LA Info: 800-424-8262

MAY 2015May 3-6

APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference

Fort Worth, TX Info: 202-496-4800

May 30 - June 3Canadian Urban Transit

Association (CUTA) Annual Conference

Winnipeg, MBInfo: 416-365-9800

May 31 - June 5Community

Transportation Association of America

(CTAA) Expo 2015Tampa, FL

Info: 800-891-0590

JULY 2015July 18-22

National School Transportation Association(NSTA) Annual Meeting

& ConventionMinneapolis, MN

Info: 703-684-3200

SEPTEMBER 2015September 28-30BusCon 2015

Indianapolis, INInfo: 800-576-8788

OCTOBER 2015October 4-7

APTA Annual MeetingSan Francisco, CA 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 2014Rankin Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written con-sent of Rankin Publishing, Inc. Subscription Rates in United States: 6 issues $25. Single Copy rate: $10 including postage/handling;Buyers Guide $15 including postage/handling. International rates: 6 issue annual Air Mail Subscription $60 U.S. dollars net

RAPID RESPONSE ..................................Page 6INDUSTRY NEWS.................................Page 35

ON THE COVER:Royal Excursion, of Mishawaka, IN, was founded by Shannon Kaser

in 1998, the same year he graduated from Indiana University.See page 8.

Busline Vehicle Showcase

TROLLEY BUSES44 48

Page 4 BUSLINE November/December 2014

NovEMbEr/DEcEMbEr 2014Published by

Rankin Publishing, Inc.www.buslinemag.comM A G A Z I N E

IN THIS ISSUEGrowing From The Ground UpRoyal Excursion ......................................8

Busline Exclusive APTA EXPO CoverageInfrastructure Focus Of APTA Annual Meeting & EXPO ..........22

Insights Shared During APTA Media Luncheon ......................33

APTA EXPO 2014 Booth Photo Gallery......................................50

CONTENTS


4IMETOGREENYOURPARATRANSITORSHUTTLEBUSmEETSay hello to the Kinetics Hybrid. Simple, clean, affordable and proven.

)TSREADYTOGOONNEWVEHICLESORASARETROlTINABOUTADAYREQUIRESNONEWINFRASTRUCTUREOREXPENSIVEFACILITYchanges, and doesnt use batteries so youll never need to replace one.

4HE NEXT GENERATION +INETICS(YBRID HAS BEEN FULLY TESTED BY &4!!LTOONA #!,34!24 #UMMINS AND BY OURCUSTOMERS 4HEYVE TRAVELEDMORE SIXMILLION ROADMILES IN ALL CLIMATES AND JUST ABOUT EVERY CORNER OF.ORTH!MERICAWITHIMPRESSIVERESULTSnUPTOMORE-0'TIMESMOREBRAKELIFEANDEMISSIONSCUTBY7HENYOURmEETISREADYTOGOGREENTHE+INETICS(YBRIDISREADYTOGETYOUTHERE

The Proven Electric Hybrid for Class 3-7 Buses

crosspointkinetics.com

4HE+INETICS(YBRIDISREADYTOGOTHROUGHSELECT/%-SANDBUSDEALERSORDIRECTLYFROM#ROSSPOINT+INETICS

More MPG Less Pollution Bolt-On Ready Tested & Validated


Company Website Page # Company Website Page #

ARBOC Specialty Vehicles www.arbocsv.com 18ARI-HETRA www.ari-hetra.com 24Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison www.atlanticdda.com 20Bauer Compressors www.bauercng.com 25Bauers Intelligent Transportation www.bauerscertifiedpreowned.com 12Better Life Technology, LLC www.blt-transit.com 2Bitzer www.bitzerus.com 16Bridgestone www.bridgestonefirestonemileagesales.com 34Cable Car Classics www.cablecarclassics.com 21Camira Fabrics www.camirafabrics.com 33Chestnut Ridge Foam www.chestnutridgefoam.com 40Complete Coach Works www.completecoach.com 11Crosspoint Kinetics crosspointkinetixs.com 5De Leo Textiles www.deleoco.com 42Dixie Electric Ltd. www.dixie-electric.com 41Ensiecom www.enseicom.com 28Felton Brushes www.feltonbrushes.com 43Freightliner www.freightlinerchassis.com 3Handi-Hut, Inc. www.handi-hut.com 41Hometown Trolley www.hometowntrolley.com 13

Marathon Brake Systems www.MarathonBrake.com 35Midwest Bus Corporation www.midwestbus.com 26Mile-X www.mile-x.com 43Monochem www.worldwidemonochem.com 37Prevost Car www.prevostcar.com 60Protective Insurance Company www.protectiveinsurance.com 17Relational Bus Systems www.rbs2000.com 14Safety Step www.safetystep.net 42Service Insurance www.serviceins.com 39Specialty Vehicles www.specialtyvehicles.com 15Stertil-Koni www.stertil-koni.com 19Sutrak www.sutrakusa.com 29TEMSA www.temsa.com 9Thermo King www.thermoking.com 32Turtle Top www.turtletop.com 7UMA Motorcoach Expo www.motorcoachexpo.com 49Vanner Power www.vanner.com 23Vehicle Inspection Systems www.VISCheck.net 30Voith Turbo Inc. www.usa.voithturbo.com 27Willingham Inc. www.willinghaminc.com 38

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

Hometown Trolley ................44 Specialty Vehicles ................46 Cable Car Classics...............48

NovEMbEr/DEcEMbEr 2014Published by

Rankin Publishing, Inc.www.buslinemag.comM A G A Z I N E


Pages 50 57


BUSLINE November/December 2014

By Rick Mullen, Busline MagazineAssociate Editor

Offering a myriad of public transporta-tion options, including tours, char-ters, shuttles and fixed-route bustransit, Royal Excursion has been serving theneeds of northwest Indiana and beyond sincebeing founded in 1998.

Located in Mishawaka, IN, which is a partof the South Bend metro area, RoyalExcursion was founded by Shannon Kaser,president of the company, the same year hegraduated from Indiana University.

I graduated from IU in 1998 and I alwayshad a desire to operate my own business,Kaser said during a recent interview withBusline Magazine at the companys facility inMishawaka. I am not sure why I chose thetransportation industry, as I had nothing to dowith it previously, but that was the idea I hadat the time.

At 23 years of age and fresh out of college,I put a little ad in the newspaper and startedknocking on doors. I needed a vehicle, so Ibought a 12-passenger van, which I drove andcleaned myself.

A year later, while still operating as a one-

man show out of his residence, Kaser beganto diversify, purchasing a small, 15-passengerparty bus.

I did corporate work, bachelor parties,weddings, etc., and filled in with some casi-no runs on the weekends. My business plan,my vision, was to own and operate fivemini-buses. At that time, having five mini-buses seemed almost overwhelming and alot to handle as I looked to the future. Inever expected to get into the motorcoachbusiness or limo business. When I firststarted, I wanted to be different. I didntwant the company to be just a cab or limo

Growing From The Ground Up

Success starts with desire and focus and surrounding yourself with good people.

Shannon Kaser, president

Royal Excursion


VL>iV

i5&.4"wi54wBOE$JSDMF%FTJHONBSLTBSFUSBEFNBSLTPXOFECZ5&.4"(-0#"-4"/":*7&5*$"3&5"/0/*.4*3,&5*

:PVEPOUIBWFUPNBLFBMFBQPGGBJUIUPmOEBCVTUIBUTTJ[FEUPZPVSCVTJOFTT+VTUMBOEPO5FNTBNPUPSDPBDIFTGSPN$)#VT4BMFT$PBDITJ[FTJOBOEGFFUMFUZPVmMMCVTFTUPNPOFZNBLJOHDBQBDJUZNPSFPGUFO"OE5FNTBCVTFTBSFCVJMUUPHJWFZPVCFTUJODMBTTRVBMJUZQPXFSBOESFMJBCJMJUZ$BMM$)#VT4BMFTUPEBZBOETUBSUSVOOOJOHCVTFTUIBUmUZPVSCVTJOFTTTXJNNJOHMZ

'*/%5)&3*()5'*5

$"--6450%":

Royal Excursion


service, but something in-between.In 2000, Kasers vision of his company, as one that was somewhere

between a cab or limo service and a full-blown coach charter and tour-ing operation, began to change when he purchased his first motor-coach.

I was a little naive in the beginning, but you learn as you go, Kasersaid. I had a public passenger chauffeurs (license), so I went to getmy CDL (commercial drivers license) just so I could drive the motor-coach home from Chicago. We started building from there.

In 2002, I moved the business out of my home and rented a smallshop next door to our current location. That is when I started hiringpeople for the office. I had a wash bay and hired a mechanic, as weworked on getting the infrastructure set up a little more. Every year wekept growing, adding vehicles and building relationships.

In reflecting on how his company evolved and the many issues andchallenges he faced along the way, Kaser said, A lot of people can saythis, but I dont know if I could do it again.

The good thing was I was young with nothing to lose. I was livingweek-to-week. I didnt have a job I that I was going to regret leaving.I didnt have a family that I was putting in jeopardy it was just meand a van payment.

One thing Kaser said he would not change was his education fromIndiana University with a degree in business.

Some people said, You are starting your own business, therefore

you didnt need to go to college, Kaser said. Getting a degree wasmy own personal goal and is something nobody can take away fromme. I dont know what the future might bring. People might not gothrough life saying everyday, I learned that in school, but you learnmore than you think. You learn how to treat people, how to presentyourself, how to manage things in relationships there are manythings that come into play.

I never expected to have 130 employees and 60-plus vehicles. Ivelearned many things along the way about loving your people, respect-ing them and treating them fairly. If you do these things, employees aregoing to go to bat for you and give you everything they can.

Having started out as a one-man show, one of Kasers challengeswas learning to delegate authority and tasks, rather than doing every-thing himself.

I think many entrepreneurs and small business owners strugglethrough this transition, Kaser said. I was used to doing everything.The company was, and still is, my heart and passion and I knew peo-ple were not going to do things exactly like I did.

Back in the early days when I had to start delegating some of thework, it was very hard. I wanted people to do it my way. Im notsaying other peoples way of doing things wasnt good or better, butit was a challenge I went through, and I think others do, as well.Once a business owner gets over that hurdle, better things are tocome. Our company needs all our people. This is how we have


I never expected to have 130 employees and 60-plus vehicles. Ive learned many thingsabout loving your people, respecting them and treating them fairly. If you do these things,

employees are going to go to bat for you and give you everything they can.

Jill Ferraro, Charter Sales Mgr. Linda Link, Sales Associate Phil Grady, Athletic Sales Mgr.Justin Lewis, Parts Manager

Margo Underly, Office Assistant Connie Peace, Accounting Don Winslow, Shop ForemanJennifer Gregory, VP Safety/Fixed Rts.


grown and built the business.Success starts with desire and focus and surrounding yourself with

good people. We have a great staff who make everything happen.Obviously, it is not just me. We have many great customers. Buildingrelationships and keeping them is key, especially in this business.Indeed, the majority of our activity every year is repeat business.

In 2005, Royal Excursion moved into its current 15,000-square-footfacility, which includes about 12 acres of land. Currently, the compa-nys fleet consists of 60-plus vehicles, which include trolleys for near-by Elkhart, IN, and ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) paratransitvans.

In Elkhart, we operate 12 trolleys and 7 ADA vans. We are planningon getting regular transit buses for the city in the next six months,Kaser said.

In addition to operating public transit and paratransit routes for

Elkhart, services offered by the company include winery tours, wed-ding packages, VIP transportation, team travel, travel to sportingevents, school field trips, school band trips, parking lot/shuttle service,group tours, corporate outings, charter services, casino trips, bache-lor/bachelorette parties, amusement park trips, airport transport, andmore.

Last year, Royal Excursion was named as one of several businessesto receive the 2013 Indiana Companies to Watch award. TheCompanies to Watch awards program is an initiative developed by theEdward Lowe Foundation. The program is also sponsored, in part, byKatz Sapper & Miller, Kenyan, Purdue University and Ivy TechCommunity College.

Diversity Can Be A Challenge

In addition to the public transit trolleys inElkhart and 12-passenger ADA buses, RoyalExcursions fleet consists of 56-, 46-, 38- and30-passenger deluxe motorcoaches, 29-pas-senger luxury minicoaches, 29-passengerdeluxe minicoaches, and 22- and 12-passengerluxury party buses. Also available are shuttlebus, luxury limousine and private/chaufferedcar services.

We recently received two new 2015 super-stretch limos, one black and one white, Kasersaid. The limo side of the company is not ourcore business, but we have had a stretch limosince 2002. We use the limos as more of a mar-keting tool.

Many of Royal Excursions motorcoachesoffer modern amenities such as Wi-Fi, satelliteTV, DVD players, outlets for laptops, plusleather wingback seating, airline-style traytables, footrests and a beverage gallery.

We are starting to install the hardwood floorlook in many motorcoaches, which gives thema classier appearance, Kaser said.

Royal Excursion began outfitting coacheswith Wi-Fi in 2008, when it was a relativelynew amenity in motorcoaches.

Im not saying we were the first ones, but itwas still a newer feature in motorcoaches tohave Wi-Fi and power outlets, Kaser said. Itwas a selective thing for which we charged apremium. Now, people expect to have theseamenities, so all our coaches have power out-lets and Wi-Fi.

The companys fleet is outfitted with securi-ty cameras that show the driver in the cab andthe outside of the coach.

The cameras help if there is an incident oraccident, and also for safety, Kaser said. Wedo everything we can do for best practices.

We also have GPS. We know where thevehicles are located and where they have been.We can track when they started, when theywere shut off and how long they have beenidling. We also know when a coach has goneover the speed limit.

We can put different variables into the sys-tem. For example, we can document who wentgreater than 5 or 10 miles per hour over the



speed limit, during a particular period of time. All of our coachesare set at 68 mph max, 66 mph on our line hauls and 55 mph on ourtransit vehicles.

To keep the companys fleet sparkling, Royal Excursion hasimplemented an incentive program to ensure coaches are cleanedinside and out.

Everybody loves clean vehicles, Kaser said. People dont usual-ly call you back and say, I really appreciate that bus being clean. Theyjust expect it. You are going to hear when it is not.

Royal Excursions cleaning crew receives a weekly monetary incen-tive for coaches that are cleaned properly. The company has its ownwash system and wash bay.

Lets say the cleaning crew cleans 50 buses in a week. We dontwant 49 out of 50 cleaned great. We want 50 out of 50 cleaned great,Kaser said. They get an extra monetary incentive for every coach forthe week, but they either get it for all of them, or they dont get any-thing. Either they get the incentive times 50, or they get zero. We dontwant 45. We dont want 48. We want all 50.

We clean every night. When we have a$500,000 coach show up for somebodys wed-ding, we want it to stand tall. There is no rea-son to have modern, expensive equipment if itlooks dirty.

Among the companys more popular vehi-cles are its luxury Rockstar motorcoachesthat seat 46 passengers.

Our special Rockstar coaches are black andunmarked. We have four of them, Kaser said.They have extra leg room, power outlets, Wi-Fi, airline-style tray tables, leather wing-backseats, a beverage galley in the back, satelliteTV and extra large monitors. The exterior ofthe coaches is black and unmarked withchrome mirrors.

People like them for different reasons.Some like them because of the legroom, somefor the comfort and some for the satellite TVand large monitors. Some like them justbecause they dont have a name on the outside.Many customers perceive them almost as if itwere their own private coach.

Before the Rockstar coaches received theircurrent moniker, the company called themblack luxury coaches.

Early on, the University of Notre Damehockey team liked the black luxury coach somuch they began calling it the Rockstar coach,Kaser said. I thought Rockstar sounded a lotbetter than black luxury coach, so we went withthat name.

We also have a great amount of line haulbusiness from here and out of Chicago. Wehave another small hub in Hammond, IN, innorthwest Indiana. We have the transitwork, the shuttle light haul work and thecharter work.

We have accountability. We know whos onfirst and whos on second in each of those seg-ments, keeping the operation running smooth.

Kaser said the companys diversity, on onehand, is great, but it is its diversity that presentsmany challenges. Operating in several marketsegments, such as transit, tours, charters, etc.,as well as a mixed fleet, means a variety oftraining must take place.

We are diverse. It is more challenging forus, but we are able to keep on top of all our


All of our drivers, upon hire, are required to take the two courses focused on going green. Some of the drivers are just amazed at what

going green can mean, not realizing how much it affects people.

ECO SHUTTLE

CLASSIC AMERICAN TROLLEY

CLASSIC AMERICAN TRAM

METRO TRAM

Specialty Vehicleswww.specialtyvehicles.com

440 Mark Leany Dr., Henderson, NV, 890110DFt'BY

Since 1982, Specialty Vehicles has been providing safe, ecient and quality people-moving transportation.

We're proud to assist our customers in choosing the best products for their needs and budget. Our vehicles can accommodate anywhere from 2 to 148 passengers and

we oer both new and used compact vehicles that easily maneuver tight spaces such as parking lots and facilities.




There's no doubt about it a beautifully crafted Classic American Trolley will capture the attention of nearly everyone who passes it. The raised roof cupola, arch top windows, traditional red and green coloring and brass accents entice riders of all ages to hop on and experience the nostalgia, uniqueness and excitement only a trolley can create for its riders. The interior brass railing, wood slat seats and solid oak paneling allow each passenger a memorable transportation experience. But don't be mistaken - these powerful vehicles encompass all of the modern day features necessary to handle your transportation needs.

t(BT%JFTFMPS-1(GVFMPQUJPOTt1PXFSDBSTFBUTVQUPDPNFTTUBOEBSEXJUIB"%"XIFFMDIBJSBDDFTTJCMFQBDLBHFBOEDBOUPXUSBNUSBJMFSTFBDITFBUJOHVQUPQBTTFOHFSTt0QFOBJSEFTJHOXIJDIJTHSFBUGPSUPVSTXBSNXFBUIFSDMJNBUFTPSRVJDL loading/unloading applicationst)FBWZEVUZNBUFSJBMTBOEDSBGUTNBOTIJQNBEFJOUIF64"t'MFYJCMFNPEFPGUSBOTQPSUBUJPOXJUIFBTZIPPLVQUSBJMFSTGPSBEEJUJPOBM capacity requirements

t"WBJMBCMFJOBOEQBTTFOHFSt&MFDUSJDQPXFSFEXJUIBWBSJFUZPGVQHSBEFPQUJPOTBWBJMBCMF including wheelchair accessibility

t"DDPNNPEBUFTBEVMUQBTTFOHFSTt4USFFUMFHBMDMJNBUFDPOUSPMMFEDBCXJUIPQFOBJSEFTJHOt#VJMUPOB'PSE&TFSJFTDVUBXBZDIBTTJTXJUIUIFPQUJPOPGFJHIUPSUFODZMJOEFSFOHJOFGVFMFEXJUI("4$/(PS-1(t.BOZPQUJPOTBWBJMBCMFJODMVEJOHXIFFMDIBJSBDDFTTJCJMJUZ






ECO SHUTTLE

CLASSIC AMERICAN TROLLEY

CLASSIC AMERICAN TRAM

METRO TRAM

Specialty Vehicleswww.specialtyvehicles.com

440 Mark Leany Dr., Henderson, NV, 890110DFt'BY
















services with managers, dispatchers,team leaders and drivers in eachdivision, Kaser said. Someemployees are cross-trained so theyare able to fill different roles.

We have all these different typesof vehicles and amenities. Noteverybody across the board is trainedin every aspect of the company. Wedo have some that are trained oneverything, while some are trained intwo segments of the business andsome are trained on one end. Someof that training involves the newtechnologies used in the industry,such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS.There is training to be done in otherareas such as emissions, idle time,etc. As great as all this technology is,it can also sometimes be our worstenemy, because if it is there, it will need to be fixed at some point andwe need to know how.

Our challenges also include continuing to keep up with the times.Customers like modern equipment that is clean and has all the ameni-ties. We must continually keep everybody up to speed with training incustomer service, safety, etc.

Part of keeping up with the times is the companys effort to train inenvironmentally friendly practices, which many in the public transitworld feel are intrinsic to the industry, as bus travel means fewer vehi-cles on the road. This can translate into less traffic congestion and

fewer noxious emissions.One of the things we do internally is offer an environmental train-

ing program through the University of Vermont, Kaser said. All ofour drivers, upon hire, are required to take the two courses focused ongoing green. Some of the drivers are just amazed at what going greencan mean, not realizing how much it affects people.

Drivers learn good environmental practices and techniques that havean impact on the maintenance of modern-day motorcoaches.

The new engines dont like to idle, Kaser said. One of things Ilearned has to do with return on investment concerning idle time. I


A Motto For Success


always preached to motorcoach operators, if you stop less than a halfhour, dont worry about shutting it off. However, through the course, Ilearned that idling for 30 seconds is the time it takes to realize returnof investment, which could mean even turning off the engine while ata stoplight. We dont go that dra-matic, but if we are going to stopfor 5 or 10 minutes, we shut downthe engine.

Sometimes a little commonsense is required. Obviously, wedont compromise the service tothe customer. If customers are inthe middle of watching a movie,we dont shut the coach down.However, there is a cost factor.How much could we save if, forexample, we cut idling for onehour a day for 60 vehicles? Cut that in half and say 30 coaches a day forone hour for an entire year. Extensive idle time is a lot of money that justgoes into the air.

While environmental factors are not a huge selling point today,Kaser sees it becoming more of a marketing tool for the younger gen-eration.

Younger people are becoming more bus savvy and that generationis where future customers will come from, Kaser said. The more wecan engage them in grade school, in college and as young adults, themore they are going to be lifelong customers.

Royal Excursions primary service area is within a 100-mile radiusof Mishawaka, which includes what people in the area callChicagoland. This area involves Chicago, which is about 95 miles

west of Mishawaka, and the surrounding area, including northwestIndiana and southwest Michigan. However, the company charters tripsthroughout the United States and Canada.

We take people to Las Vegas. We probably travel to Florida morethan 100 times a year,Washington, D.C., about 150 to200 times a year and New YorkCity at least 100 times yearly,Kaser said. We also travel toCanada quite often with hockeyteams.

Transporting athletic teams is alarge portion of the companysbusiness, including teams fromNotre Dame in nearby SouthBend. Fall tours and tours ofwineries in Michigan are also

popular. According to Kaser, May and October are the busiest monthsof the year.

May is different because it is the only month of the year that week-days fill up before weekends, because of school field trips, Kasersaid. In October, transporting athletic teams keeps us very busy.

Spring is what I call uncomfortably busy, but it is a good problemto have. Summer stays steady comfortably busy. Right beforeschool starts is kind of the calm before the storm. September speeds upand then October gets pretty crazy. November stays busy and thenstarting with the second half of December, after the shopping blitz isover, it slows down for a couple of months.

I wouldnt say 100 percent, but we take care of a majority of NotreDames athletic and school travel, plus we transport many of the

FOR COVERAGE THAT REVOLVES AROUND YOU, CONTACT STACY RENZ: (800) 644-5501, ext. 2570

Here are just a few of the benefits Protective offers: Outstanding cash flow payment options Superior claims service Ability to package all lines of coverage including auto liability, general liability, physical damage and workers compensation Dedicated loss prevention team that specializes in the transportation industry

COVERAGE THAT REVOLVES AROUND YOU

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

p r o t e c t i v e i n s u r a n c e . c o m

Protective Insurance Company, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, has been providing specialized insurance policies to the transportation industry since 1950. Our hands-on approach to insurance allows us to understand the needs of our customers and form long-standing partnerships. We have a strong safety culture, a tenured claims department and superior customer service standards.

EXCELLENCE IN: MEDIUM FLEET TRUCKING | LARGE FLEET TRUCKING | PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION | WORKERS COMPENSATION | INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

For us, it is having that knowledge, havingthat information, building that relationship,being responsive, getting back to people in

a prompt manner, staying with them andmaking sure we have all the details correct.Taking care of all the details is a big deal.

November/December 2014 BUSLINE Page 17



incoming teams that come to play. The university (Notre Dame) hasbeen good to us.

Royal Excursions location places the company in the middle ofsome prime charter territory nationwide.

We are five minutes from one the countrys major highways,Interstate 80, Kaser said. We are 90 miles from Chicago and we are10 hours (600 miles) from Washington, D.C. It is 700 miles to NewYork City and 1,100 miles to Orlando, FL. Our facility is centrallylocated where people can go east, west, north and south. Canada is onlya few hours away. Primarily, our main destination is Chicago.Everybody loves Chicago.

Charters are the companys largest segment, accounting for proba-bly 60 to 70 percent of our business.

Make Them Want ItSince starting basically

from scratch with one vehi-cle, with its home office in aprivate residence, untiltoday with a large selectionof coaches, buses, limos,etc., as well as a wide vari-ety of options and services,making the company knownremains an important cog inRoyal Excursions continu-ing success.

I have always believed inmarketing keeping ourname out there, Kaser said.From early on I knew wehad great employees, great

products, etc. However, we could have waited to see if people wantedwhat we offered and hoped they would call us, or we could create thedesire, the need and the want.

We plan ideas. We package trips to make it easy for customers. Forexample, we have packages to attend Chicago Cubs games. Customerscan buy tickets to the game and the bus ride in one shot for a group out-ing. We package winery trips, Cedar Point (amusement park) trips, orjust give people some ideas about things to do for birthdays, anniver-saries, for their corporation, neighborhood, friends and family, whathave you. We get people excited, and once they take a trip with us, itoften becomes an annual event.

We have also done radio and TV commercials, billboards and

Royal Excursions cleaning crew receives a weekly monetary incentive for coaches that are cleaned properly.The company has its own wash system and wash bay.


invested in our website (www.royalexcursion.com). We get a lot of traf-fic on our website, averaging about 20 online quotes a day. We areinvolved in charity work that keeps our name out there and helps usgive back to the community. In addition, we participate in socialmedia, including Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Royal Excursions office staff plays an important role in marketingthe company by responding to customers in a knowledgeable and cour-teous manner. Staff members are able to help people with options tohelp make for memorable experiences for passengers.

Sometimes people call and they dont know what they want, so wehave all these different options, Kaser said. Customers may say, Idont know, we were thinking about doing this or that, but we are notsure how many people will be involved. We can then give the callersome options, such as different price points, options concerning thesize of the group, etc.

For us, it is having thatknowledge, having that infor-mation, building that relation-ship, being responsive, gettingback to people in a prompt man-ner, staying with them and mak-ing sure we have all the detailscorrect. Taking care of all thedetails is a big deal.

Drivers Keep The Wheels Turning

According to Kaser, most ofthe time when people contactRoyal Excursion initially theconversation centers on whatev-er type of vehicle the customeris seeking to meet his or herneeds. Once the trip is complet-ed, oftentimes the conversationchanges.

When people call us at thebeginning wanting to order abus or a limo, whatever it is, it isall about the vehicle, but mostof the time the exit interview orthe follow-up is about the driv-er, Kaser said.

The company has investedmany thousands of dollars in itsmodern fleet of vehicles and hasexperienced significant growth,in part, because of its fleet andthe amenities offered. However,Kaser feels investing even morein drivers is extremely impor-tant.

I think putting more empha-sis and more investment in driv-ers makes sense, because theyare our true sales people, hesaid. How they handle thecoach, how they handle people,the little extra things they do ordont do, will only reflect whatour business is about and wherewe are going.

Finding drivers to best meet the needs of a company like RoyalExcursion is not always an easy task. In the companys area, there iscompetition for drivers with schools, according to Kaser. In addition,drivers retire, move to other locations or quit, which adds to the chal-lenge to maintaining a top-notch staff of operators. To help in thiseffort, the company started its Driver Academy.

Our Driver Academy is a biannual program that was developed inan effort to enhance the overall quality of the future and junior employ-ees, Kaser said. Applicants are screened through a written question-naire and a face-to-face interview. The admission process is two-fold.Part of the enrollment consists of new hires who are junior to theoverall CDL program.

These enrollees may have limited experience in bus driving or mayhave come to us from a different sector of the transportation industrysuch as trucking. These students already have the driving skills and

THE ONE. THE ONLY.THE ORIGINAL.

The Industrys First

US Patented

Ultra-Shallow

Full-Rise Scissor

In-ground Lifting

System

800.336.6637www.stertil-koni.com



Use the best quality factory authorized parts and service for reliability you can count on!

x 'HWURLW'LHVHO(QJLQHV x ([FKDQJH(QJLQHV x 0HUFHGHV-%HQ]7UXFN(QJLQHV x &DUULHU$LU&RQGLWLRQLQJ

In Vermont call: 802-865-4672

For more information call Mike Destefano: 201-489-5800 or call your nearest location:

Lodi, NJ 201-489-5800 Piscataway, NJ 732-752-7100

s

Factory Authorized Sales, Service, Genuine Parts & Training

Diesel Emissions Solutions Experts

Reduce pollution with EPA approved emission solutions

from ADDA. Call today!

x &RPSOHWH'LDJQRVWLF5HSDLU6HUYLFHV x $OOLVRQ7UDQVPLVVLRQV x )LOWHUV%DWWHULHV0RUH x $OO0DNHV3DUWV

Latham (Albany), NY 518-452-0000 Middletown, CT 860-632-0218

DIESEL ENGINES & TRANSMISSIONS

proper endorsements, but not the customer service skills that the pas-senger carrying industry requires.

The second type of enrollee would be the person who exceeds inthe customer service skill set, but needs assistance and training behindthe wheel to prepare to apply and pass a commercial drivers licenseskills exam.

All Academy attendees are monitored throughout the process, and

our trainers complete assessments on all individuals. The trainers pro-vide ongoing feedback to management regarding the applicants. Inaddition to the overall training, appearance, personality, punctualityand professional demeanor are closely monitored.

Once the Academy has ended, management meets with the trainersto determine which Academy graduates will be presented with anapplication.

It is at this point that the actual hiring process begins. At our lastDriver Academy, we began with more than 50 inquiries. At the end ofthe course, we offered applications to 7 individuals, and chose to hire5. Not everyone makes the cut and thats OK. We want to ensure weare hiring the best candidates and putting them in the best seat in thecompany.

In addition to being able to drive the vehicle in a safe manner, beknowledgeable about the vehicle, the amenities and the safety features,an operator must be someone who is good with people.

At the end of the day, we want somebody who is a good person,Kaser said. A driver must have a good bedside manner someonewho knows how to talk to the passengers. Many times people will callus and request a particular driver, which is good. My philosophy is, Idont care if a driver has 10 years seniority or 10 days, if that driver isrequested for one reason or another, that request comes before senior-ity. That means the customers love him or her and it is working. We

want these kinds of drivers on ourteam. We keep track of the peoplewho get the most requests.

Another plus for the company ismost managers are also qualifieddrivers, including Kaser.

Drivers can get in pickles,therefore immediate responsiveness is important, Kaser said. Thingshappen and drivers may need something right away. It may be a flat tireor some other issue, which would require somebody at the home officeto respond quickly.

To further facilitate training and efficiency among the operator staff,this year Royal Excursion began forming teams of drivers.

Each team elects a captain, typically a senior and respected driver whois knowledgeable and helpful. There are several teams of groups of 8 to10 drivers. About every month they meet and go through best practices.

Each team and individual is measured on his or her performance infour areas safety, service, compliance and idling. These metrics giveus a chance to recognize and reward as well as coach/train and makesure each driver is in the right seat. Best practices are shared within theteams.

We can also compare teams. They are not necessarily competingwith each other, as the whole company is a team moving in one direc-


When people call us at the beginning wanting to order a bus or a limo, it is all about the vehicle, but most of the time the exit interview or the follow-up is about the driver.


Call us today at800.348.1873ApolloTrolley.com

tion, but we can still compare ourselves and say why are we up hereand down there. We can help each other. We can determine if we havea couple of people who are missing the boat on something.

With the team approach, it is not just me or some other managertalking, rather it is keeping up on the best practices with-in that team of drivers. The drivers know more than anyof us anyway, because they are out there in the heat ofthings. This program is new and has been well received.

Looking Ahead

According the Kaser, Royal Excursion has grown sig-nificantly during the past several years, and while growthcontinues to be desirable, the company is putting anemphasis on becoming more efficient.

We are looking for growth, and I dont want to say weare not. We have had a lot of growth the past severalyears, so we are also looking at being more efficient,Kaser said. For me personally, I want to strive to be a better leader.Hopefully in 20 years I will still be saying that. Im not saying Imnot a good manager, but I can always be better. Starting with myself,motivating and having positive energy that can be contagious amongthe staff will continue to make Royal Excursion a great place to work.

I am not going to say, as far as numbers go, that we want to have100 vehicles or any of that I dont put any limits on anything.However, I consider success to be if we can be known as a greatcompany to work for and a great company to use. All of our growthhas been organic. I can see us extending out when it feels right, butwe dont want to compromise or jeopardize the great thing we havegoing now.

We always have to be aware of our surroundings, our competition,the new things that are going on and pricing. At the end of the day,we try to stay focused on what we do best, because I think if anythingwere to hurt us, it would be us hurting ourselves. If we stay strong

and true and keep our vision moving in the right direc-tion, we are going to be fine.

Looking down the road at the industry as a whole,Kaser sees a lot of potential for public transportation andprivate operators nationwide. He spoke about the trend ofthe so-called Millennial generation and the older BabyBoomers seeking to live in cities and areas where publictransportation is readily accessible. In addition, there isevidence that the Millennials are waiting longer to obtaindrivers licenses and opting for public transportationinstead.

Modern motorcoaches, buses, minibuses, etc., aremuch more comfortable and safer than in the past, Kasersaid. There are also members of the younger generation

who are becoming more engaged, and hopefully they will be long-termcustomers.

We are a place for fun. The majority of our work is taking peopleto have fun. We are transporting a team. We are going to a ChicagoCubs game. We are going to the theater or on a tour or on a pub crawl we are doing all these things, and we get to be a part of all theexcitement.

Contact: Royal Excursion, 12807 McKinley Highway, Mishawaka, IN 46545.

Phone: 574-257-8540. Email: [email protected]: www.royalexcursion.com.


We planideas...We getpeopleexcited.



By Harrell KerkhoffBusline Magazine Editor

Calling for a National Day ofTran sportation Infrastruc ture Advo -cacy to take place next spring,incoming American Public Tran -sportation Association (APTA)Chairman Phillip A. Washingtonhas outlined his plan to bringgreater public awareness on U.S.infrastructure inefficiencies, and theinfluence a strong infrastructuresystem can have on public trans-portation.

Washington, who is also generalmanager of the Regional Trans -portation District (RTD), ofDenver, CO, outlined his plan dur-ing the Opening General Session ofthe 2014 APTA Annual Meeting &International Public Transport ation EXPO.The event took place October 13-15 at theGeorge R. Brown Convention Center inHouston, TX.

Thank you for entrusting me with this greathonor of being your chief transportation advo-

cate. This is a challenging time for public trans-portation, but its also an unprecedented timewith great opportunities, Washington said.The recent growth of transit-oriented commu-nities and development has improved lives andcreated jobs. This is remaking public trans-portation as a leader in personal mobility.

I see my year as APTA chair-man as a call to action. Its a yearwhere we can all work togetherand shape the messages that defineus. I have seen plenty of nationbuilding around the world duringmy past service in the military. Itstime for America to do somenation building here at home.

According to APTA, The U.S.public transportation industrydirectly employs approximately400,000 individuals, and for each$1 billion invested in public trans-portation, 50,700 jobs are support-ed and created. Public transporta-tion also enables millions ofAmericans to reach work afford-ably, with work-related commutesmaking up nearly 60 percent of

transit trips. It was also noted by APTA officials during

the Annual Meeting & EXPO that the value ofthe industry has never been more evident. In2013, 10.7 billion trips were taken via U.S. pub-lic transportation the highest ridership markin 57 years.

Outgoing APTA Chairman Peter Varga, left, welcomes incoming chairmanPhillip Washington during the Opening General Session.


www.vanner.com


To support future growth, Washingtonstressed the importance of improved fundingfor the nations roads, bridges and other infra-structure needs. He also urged passage of afederal surface transportation authorizationbill. MAP-21, the current bill, was passed byCongress in 2012, and later extended to May2015.

Its time to make our case that says, Wewant community development. We want jobcreation. We want innovative problem solv-ing, Washington said. We will preach to any-one who will listen for a long-term transporta-tion infrastructure funding bill. We have madethe argument that there is a $80 billion infra-structure deficit. That argument has not yet res-onated to our leaders. Individual advocacy atthat level has not resulted in the collectiveaction that we need.

Personally, Washington said, he is not accus-tomed to what he called, This type of leader-ship paralysis, especially when 70 percent ofAmericans say they are willing to spend morefor infrastructure investment.

He added that as more people are movingtoward urban living, the need for infrastructureimprovements increase.

Our (current) infrastructure cannot handlethis increase of people moving back to our coreurban areas, Washington said.

When it comes to infrastructure investmentin the United States, Washington referred to a

three-legged financing stool. The first twolegs of the stool are private sector investing andlocal investing. He said both of these legs arecurrently sturdy.

There is private capital out there to invest inour infrastructure. And, the last time I looked,70 percent of local referendums were success-ful. People are saying, We are willing toinvest, Washington said. The third leg of thisfinancing stool, however, is wobbly. Its cen-tered on a long-term federal transportationinfrastructure financing bill. Because that leg isweak, the private sector looks at (public trans-portation investment) with uncertainty and withrisk. Its then very difficult to plan at the locallevel for multi-year projects.

He added that past champions of a strongnational infrastructure, such as former U.S.presidents Theodore Roosevelt, FranklinRoosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower, Are proba-bly rolling around in their graves because wehave not taken care of the infrastructure theyleft us.

Infrastructure investment takes years, and itspans multiple administrations, multiple termsof office. I believe this country has been on a30-year infrastructure vacation. We need to endthis vacation and get back to work.

According to Washington, the longer thecountry waits, the more expensive it becomes tofix various needs. To help spread the wordabout todays infrastructure issues, Washington

called for a National Day of TransportationInfrastructure Advocacy to take place in April2015.

It will be a day when every public trans-portation agency, large and small, urban andrural, and their friends from around the coun-try, including those in the business sector, cancome together to stress the importance ofinvesting in infrastructure, he said. It will beone day, one goal, one message directed at ourelected officials.

We can all remember when transportationinfrastructure funding was not a partisan issue.We know it leads to job creation, liveable com-munities and tremendous economic benefits.We (at APTA) are going to announce a blueprintin the next several months about this day. It willbe a blueprint that discusses talking points andaddresses various logistic issues. Its essentialthat we take collective action. That is whyAPTA is so important, helping us speak withone voice, collectively.

Washington spoke of his own experiencewith large public transportation projects andhow they can change an urban landscape for thebetter. He has been a part of the FasTracksregional transit initiative at the RTD in Denverthat, over the past 10 years, has included newlight and commuter rail, Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) and enhanced bus/rail connections.

We said (at the start of the project) that10,000 jobs would be created by FasTracks at



Copyright 2014 ARI-HETRA 0914

GS-07F-291AA

Turn dual wheels with drum off the vehicle

Turn directly on the bus

HEAVY-DUTY BRAKE LATHES

Turn dual wheels with drum off the vehicle

REQUEST OUR FULLEQUIPMENT CATALOG!

ON OR OFF VEHICLE

TRANSIT, COACH & SCHOOL BUSES

DISCS, DRUMS & FLYWHEELS

ELIMINATE PULSATION

REDUCE STOPPING DISTANCE

REPAIR BRAKE PART DEFECTS

the height of construction. We are at 10,300 jobsright now. We said $2.2 billion would be inject-ed into the local economy. We are currently at$3.3 billion. We said transit-oriented communi-ties would pop up all over the region becausethey would be spurred by transit. I cant pick upa newspaper now without seeing a ground-breaking ceremony taking place, Washingtonsaid. This success can be recreated anywherein the country if there are leaders who have theintestinal fortitude to make the investment inour infrastructure. And, if they do that, econom-ic benefits will follow.

The problem is, I dont know if we couldhave started (FasTracks) in Denver today due tothe current uncertainty over a long-term trans-portation funding bill.

Despite challenges with federal transporta-tion and infrastructure funding, Washingtonsaid he remains optimistic about the future.

I believe we are at the edge of what I calla transportation renaissance. I believe weare going to see a substantial and adequatelong-term transportation funding bill withinthe next 12 months, he said. I dont believeinfrastructure apathy can last forever. I feel

our leaders know that the cur-rent transportation infrastruc-ture will fail on a massive scale ifthey dont act.

Washington also spoke of effortsby APTAs Strategic PlanningCommittee, of which he is chair-man, to identify five future mega-trends expected to influence pub-lic transportation within the nextfive years. A drafted plan by thecommittee, he added, will sharpenAPTAs focus in helping memberstake the right action at the righttime.

The five megatrends are:n Increased expectations for

improved safety and securitymeasures;

n Continual funding issues; n Shifting workforce demographics;n Changing customer demographics and

lifestyles; and,n Accelerated technological innovation. Regarding shifting workforce demographics,

Washington called for a standardized accreditedtransportation career pathway program to beimplemented to help lead more people toward acareer in public transportation. This includesboth white and blue collar careers.Washington added that as funding and the needfor more public transportation services grow in

A Mariachi band and dancers helped open the 2014 APTA Annual Meeting & EXPO.


As we work with all sizes of fleet operators, BAUERs vast range of CNG compressors makes it easy for us to specify the exact size and type

equipment for each special requirement. BAUERs line of compressors

allows us to install high pressure volume with minimal input.

Frequently, we only have 5 psi of inlet pressure combined with

a large amount of CNG required for the fleet. Utilizing

BAUERs new C26 X-FILL Series compressor we are

able to meet virtually every requirement.

Connect with us.

NORM SCOTTNuovo Energy Solutions, LLC


the future, so does the demand for additionalqualified workers.

Its important to develop strategies to addressthese five megatrends, he said, as well as haveperformance measures in place to help monitorhow the industry is doing. More information onefforts to address these issues will be placed onAPTAs website (www.apta.com).

Washington also called for a renewed focusof working with public transportation profes-sionals from around the world.

We must learn and share best practices. In

my opinion, we cannot be isolationists when itcomes to transportation best practices, he said.

Powering Possibilities

The official start of the 2014 APTAAnnual Meeting & EXPO began with thesounds of a countdown and rocket launchin reference to Houstons relationship with near-by Johnson Space Center. APTA President &CEO Michael Melaniphy welcomed an estimat-ed 2,200 attendees to the Opening GeneralSession, and noted the theme of this years eventwas Powering Possibilities.

Over 15,000 people from 67-plus countriesattended this years Annual Meeting and trien-nial EXPO, the latter of which attracted anAPTA-record 800-plus exhibitors, according toMelaniphy. There were also more than 80 edu-cational sessions offered, including those thattook place at 7 different learning zones spreadthroughout an exhibit center. These sessionsfocused on such topics as procurement, technol-ogy, maintenance, workforce development andsustainable communities.

APTA is fairly unique in that we representboth end-users, operators, government entitiesand suppliers. If it has to do with the publictransportation industry, its represented byAPTA. You will find all of this on our EXPOshow floor, Melaniphy said. Our industryshould feel right at home in Houston. This citys

character represents so much of our future. The fact that Americas Gateway to Space

is nearby is only part of the story. Houston isour nations demographic future. Its Americasmost racially and ethnically diverse major city,and represents what America will look like inthe next 40 years.

He added that the Houston area is also No. 1in the country for new job growth.

Its business friendly and savvy, and likeany vibrant, diverse and thriving urban area, thepeople of Houston have chosen to invest in pub-lic transportation. Today, the Metro(Metropolitan Transit Authority of HarrisCounty, Houston, TX) and Metro Rail systemsare continuing to expand linking more peo-ple to jobs, medical care and universities.

As our EXPO theme says, its all aboutPowering Possibilities, and its all right here inHouston. The voters of Houston have chosen tomake a decade-long investment in their cityspublic transportation system. Today, this city isshowcasing a transit truism: If you build it,people will ride it, and they will demandmore.

Melaniphy noted that its been 33 years sinceAPTA held its first EXPO. During this three-decade span technology has greatly increased,helping provide greater access to public trans-portation.

Ideas that seemed cutting edge in 1981 are

Phillip A. Washington



common in todays industry. This includes con-stant tracking GPS, remote engine and fuelmonitoring, and the use of smart cards insteadof cash. The list of technological improvementsgets longer every year, Melaniphy said, addingthat examples of todays technology were ondisplay at this years EXPO.

There are products and services on theEXPO floor that were nothing more than ideasjust a few short years ago. Technology has madepublic transportation an important part oftodays evolving, inter-connected transportationnetwork, he said. Our challenge for the futureis the remain integrated and competitive in theworld of autonomous vehicles, mobility optionsand increasing demand for customized services.

The roles and responsibilities of peopleworking in public transportation have evolvedas well. Todays operators, mechanics, sched-

ulers, etc., must posses the most advanced skillsfor our 21st century systems. Knowledge-basedjobs that didnt exist at the first EXPO are nowa prerequisite for success. This means invest-ment in our current and future employees is justas critical as having the most up-to-datedevices. This is how the worlds best organiza-tions remain competitive and successful. Theyanticipate what is next, just not in emergingtechnologies, but in human potential.

Therefore, Melaniphy added, APTA isincreasing its emphasis on new workforcedevelopment training programs. It has alsostrengthened the Leadership APTA program,which is designed to develop and support expe-rienced managers and leaders aspiring to holdsenior and executive leadership positions inAPTA, their organizations and the public trans-portation industry.

During his Opening General Sessionaddress, Melaniphy introduced on stage sixHouston Metro employees who, he said, rep-resent the future of Powering Possibilities.These employees included a bus operator,engineer, bus mechanic, Metro police sargent,rail operator and a transit planner. He addedthat the American Public TransportationFoundation (APTF) offered a record numberof scholarships last year to help lead theyounger generation to public transportation-related careers.

According to Melaniphy, adopting newtechnologies and investing in a strong work-force requires resources. Because of this, JobNo. 1 at APTA is securing comprehensive,

consistent, multi-year, predictable fundingthat our industry needs.

He called for the U.S. Congress to approvea long-term surface transportation authoriza-tion bill.

Predictable, adequate funding is the onlyway that we (in the public transportation indus-try) can attain multi-year projects, modernizeour aging systems and meet the growingdemand for public transit, Melaniphy said.Our most pressing legislative priority is pas-sage of a long-term surface transportation bill.Im optimistic. We (at APTA) remain active onCapitol Hill, meeting with policymakers andstaff every week, and working with our coali-tion partners to gain more federal support.

Melaniphy urged those in attendance duringthe Opening General Session to make theirvoices heard and help build a national concen-sus in support of public transportation funding.He said this can be done, in part, by welcomingmembers of Congress and other leaders to pub-lic transportation properties.

Give them tours. Help them appreciate,touch and understand our industry, he said.APTAs message of, Where public transporta-tion goes, communities grow, is resonating inurban, suburban and rural areas.

Our story is being embraced by the public.Why? Because its tangible, believable, appeal-ing and revelant. Where public transportationgoes, communities grow is becoming not just atagline, its becoming conventional wisdom. Inthe past year we (within APTA) have built anational grassroots army of more than 80,000

Plus more on our website: www.midwestbus.com Call: 800-627-6627 Midwest Bus Corporation, 1940 W. Stewart Street, Owosso, MI 48867

PRICED TO SELL Attractive Lease Rates

(11) - Gillig

DQG High & Low Floor

Series 50/Cummins M-11

Allison B400R

(25) 19951998 DQG Low Floor New Flyer Series 50

Allison B-400R

(3) 1999 Neoplan

/RZ)ORRU 50 Series

Allison B500 Trans. Thermo King

Lift-U lift

(1) 1992 MCI 96 A3 6V92 DDECII

Automatic Trans.

Michael Melaniphy


advocates. These are voices for public transit.These advocates are now engaged and takingaction.

He urged people interested in growing publictransportation to visit www.voicesforpublictran-sit.com, and become a voice for the industry.

Other speakers during the Opening GeneralSession were:

n Metropolitan Transit Authority ofHarris County CEO and APTA Board ofDirector Thomas C. Lambert, who said peo-ple use Metro services in Houston 370,000times a day.

At Metro, we just finished our fiscal year

with another jump in ridership. This included81 million boardings on our fixed-route sys-tem, Lambert said. Overall ridership reached110 million for the entire system, involvinglocal and commuter buses, light rail, HOVlanes, van pooling and our Metro Lift service.

At Metro, we are adding new CNG buses,new rail cars and new technology to improvethe customer experience.;

n Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker, whodescribed Houston as having one of thehottest economies and fastest growing metro-politan regions in the United States, and wherelocal investment in public transportation is tak-

ing place at a rate that is unprece-dented for the area.

Public transportation requiresthe support of public officials atall levels. If you are going to domissionary work, you need to gowhere the unbelievers are located.And, for a long time, Houston waswhere the (public transportation)unbelievers lived. We are a place(Houston) that, in a way, worshipsthe car. But even with all this,Houston has now fully focused onpublic transportation, Parker said;

n Honorable Ed Emmett,county judge, Harris County,who is also director of the

Harris County Office of Homeland Security& Emergency Management, and chairman ofthe Houston/Galveston Area Council ofTransportation Policy.

Houston has approximately 2.2 million resi-dents, while about 1.7 million people live in theunincorporated areas of Harris County. By theyear 2018, if the current trends continue, unin-corporated Harris County will have a largerpopulation than Houston, Emmett said. Ithink our entire region is perfectly positioned tobe a laboratory for how public transportationshould work. We cannot keep building concreterings (of highways) farther and farther around


Thomas C. Lambert Annise D. Parker Ed Emmett



the city and county. We have to address ourpublic transportation needs.

Its just not a matter of getting people to thedowntown core, which is very important for ourwhole region. We have to also find a way forpublic transportation to successfully serve all ofthose millions of people who live in what weused to call suburbs. Today, these places havetheir own employment centers. We have toredefine how we approach public transporta-tion.;

n Metropolitan Transit Authority ofHarris County Chairman of the BoardGilbert A. Garcia, who said its important tostand up for transit and face critics head on.

Transit is a necessity. Its a public good, justlike public education, just like national defense.Its not supposed to make money. Its supposedto move people. Its also a job creator and anenhancer for education, Garcia said. Thereare people who say, We can avoid all of thistraffic by building more highways. Well, Ivelearned that by the time a highway is finished,its already obsolete. Rather than work hard tocreate more capacity for cars, lets work hard toget more cars off the road.; and,

n 2013-2014 APTA Chair and theInterurban Transit Partnership (The Rapid),Grand Rapids, MI, Chief Executive OfficerPeter Varga, who said he greatly enjoyed his

year-long tenure at the APTAchairmans post.

This opportunity has comeduring an exciting time for publictransportation. Ridership has beengrowing, reaching record highs.We have also successfullyengaged the public in so manyways regarding support for tran-sit, Varga said. This was a greatyear, and the year ahead promisesmore of the same. Im lookingforward to working with PhilWashington as incoming APTAchair, and all of APTA member-ship, to convince Congress to passa robust multi-year funding bill.Im confident that together, with

Phils leadership, we will make progress.

Secretary Foxx Addresses APTA Attendees

Stating that his childhood taught him valu-able lessons about the significance ofpublic transportation, U.S. Secretary ofTransportation Anthony Foxx stressed, dur-ing his apparence at the 2014 APTA AnnualMeeting & EXPO, the importance of Congresspassing a six-year surface transportation author-ization bill.

I recall growing up in Charlotte, NC. I livedmost of my life with my grandparents. Mygrandmother, who had been a French teacher,

Gilbert A. Garcia Peter Varga Anthony Foxx



never got a drivers license. So, on Saturdaymornings she would wake me up and we wouldgo down to the center city, but the only way wecould get there was by bus, Foxx said. And, aswe would take the bus, she would show me var-ious things: How to pay, how to make a transfer,how to read a map. It didnt occur to me untilmany years later, when I was pursuing my firstjob, how much I had learned from my grand-mother about this way of getting around that did-nt require me to have a drivers license or evento be old enough to drive.

Behind everything you do in public trans-portation, there are millions of stories of peopletrying to live the American dream in a very realsense.

Foxx discussed several real-life examples ofpeople able to change their lives due to readyaccess to public transportation.

Over the past 10 years, we have not had a 6-year reauthorization bill, which has meantincredible challenges at the local level. I can tellyou, having been a mayor (Charlotte) during thistime, how tough it is not knowing how to plan;not knowing how much youre going to havenext year; and trying to figure out service lev-els, Foxx said. We have a responsibility, col-lectively, to remind this country that, when thewheels of transportation grind to a halt, so doesAmerica, so does its economy, so do its business-es, so do its people.

As we pursue our effort to get a reauthoriza-tion bill passed that will provide funding certain-ty and policy certainty for transportation in thiscountry, APTA remains a critical organization,and each of you are critical voices because youknow whats happening in your backyard. Themore the folks in Washington, D.C. hear fromyou and from your constituencies about theseissues and challenges, the more ripe the opportu-nity will be to get something done.

Foxx discussed public transportations recentsuccess in the United States, stating that 10.7billion trips were taken in 2013. However, thereare major challenges ahead, he added. Thisincludes billions of dollars in backlogged transitrepairs.

Its more than the federal government spendson all forms of transportation every year, Foxxsaid. Just imagine waking up in the year 2050when we have 100 million more people, manyof them needing or wanting to move by transit and we havent even addressed the backlogof maintenance. Just imagine what kind of con-gestion were setting ourselves up for in thisfuture. Imagine what types of quality-of-lifechallenges are ahead of us. This, however, is anentirely avoidable problem.

This spring, U.S. DOT put forward the mostambitious funding proposal for transit this coun-try has ever seen. Its called the Grow AmericaAct. It would increase funding for all surface

transportation modes including transit fundingby 70 percent. But instead of taking it down thehall and passing it right away, Congress patchedour surface transportation system for another 10months, setting up another potential funding cri-sis for next May which is the beginning of theconstruction season. Given the great needs wehave as a country, when it comes to infrastruc-ture, given the growth that we see coming downthe pike, given the backlog of maintenanceneeds Why are we not doing more? If theAmerican people are swiping their metro cardsand passing through turnstiles in record num-bers, why arent we investing more to meet theirneeds?

Foxx noted that Congress has passed 28short-term measures over the last 6 years.

Now, we can complain about Congress.Maybe in some sense we should. But then again,weve always complained about Congress in thiscountry. And complaining, as weve seen, doesntchange much, he said. If were being honestwith ourselves, the reality we face is that all of us,who are engaged in this discussion as stakehold-ers, bear a responsibility for making it abundant-ly clear to our policymakers how important thismoment is, what the real costs of continuing topatch our way into the future will be, and what thereal benefit of long-term, sustainable investmentin transportation will be. Shame on us if we fail tomake that case effectively.

EFFICIENCY RELIABILITY ITY

PERFORMANCEAir Conditioning Electric

hermetic electric scroll compressor/s a.c. motors self-contained refrigerant loops generator or hybrid bus power

:


According to Foxx, its important to helppeople understand the connection betweenWashington, D.C. acting and everyday life.

We have to make the argument that fundingtransit actually transcends some of the politicsthat have existed for a while. There are somecorners of this country where transit is seen assomething of an urban issue. But I know theresrural transit in America, and many of you knowit, too, Foxx said. There is a substantialamount of transit service that reaches acrossrural, urban, and suburban communities allover America. Its not red or blue. Its American.And when Americans have access to transit,they use transit.

Foxx added that the Grow America Act willput $80 million into workforce developmentprograms for transit over 4 years.

Thats a big deal. And by the way, were notjust waiting for the Grow America Act toachieve passage in Congress. This is an issuewere already working on at DOT. In fact, todayI can announce: DOT will be granting $9 millionin workforce development grants, Foxx said.This is money thatll go toward helping folkswho havent often benefited from transit proj-ects being built in their own backyards. Weretalking about minority communities, veteransand people with low incomes. It is exciting, andI know my team at FTA (Federal TransitAdministration) cant wait to work with you to

bring these opportunities to America.Foxx praised APTA for having thousands of

transit advocates in its database. But as important as APTA is, we need the

voice of more than just one organization to helpus move the country forward, he added. Oneof the things that I found interesting, asSecretary of Transportation, is that when we goto meet with groups about various reauthoriza-tion issues, the highway community is veryskilled at arguing for highways, the transit com-munity is very adept at arguing for transit, therail community is good at doing its thing.

But now is a time in this country to see theseconstellations of stakeholders come together toargue for transportation. Because the reality is,if you are the end-user of these systems, youneed them all to work. We have great highways,but if we have low quality transit, our country isgoing to be stuck in traffic. If we have greattransit but poor highways, some of our transitsystems wont work. I would add rail into themix. I guess the question is, Can we get allthese stakeholders together and rally around acommon group of solutions to help Congress getover the hump and move this country forward?We need to do that.

Foxx asked those who support public trans-portation to advocate not only for getting thehighway trust fund stabilized, but to help agrowing country meet its needs.

I am asking you to meet with your partneragencies, such as the state DOTs and chambersof commerce, to work together on a surfacetransportation approach that this Congress canpass, he said. I am also urging you to take ourGrow America Act as part of your advocacy, aspart of your working together, because it reflectsthe most forward-leaning vision for transporta-tion that I think our country has seen in quitesome time. But it is only as good as our abilitiesto work together and push forward.

The last thing I want to tell you is Congress Republicans and Democrats actually want toget this right. I believe that. But in order for thisto take place, there must be urgency. So for us,collectively, I think our biggest job is to figureout how to raise the level of urgency and visibil-ity regarding these issues.

He added that America has spent a lot of time,energy, capital and attention trying to push for-ward an inherited transportation system. Thetime for action is now.

We have to get this right, so that the nextgeneration can walk into a country that is strongand robust and ready for the future, Foxx said.We have to go at this hard over several months,all the way through. I believe if we work togeth-er, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, were goingto see Congress do something that maybe no oneexpects them to do. I know it can be done, butonly if were united and working together.



www.camirafabrics.com www.holdsworthfabrics.com 616 288 0655

Melaniphy opened the media luncheon by stating that public trans-portation remains as vital as ever as more people continue to look for live-able urban areas to reside.

We are seeing communities coming back together. As we look at ourinfrastructure needs in cities, towns, counties and states, its important tofind a more efficient and effective way to support this infrastructure. Wehave to look at ways beyond double-decking our roadways, he said.

Melaniphy added its also important to reserve green spaces in citiesand throughout states. Public transportation can play a key role in makingthis happen in the future.

The following are a sample of questions that were asked during the luncheon:

Question: What has changed tomake you feel a long-term federal sur-face transportation bill will beapproved soon?

Washington: Whats changed is the wors-ening of our countrys infrastructure. Thereality of seeing something like HurricaneSandy basically stopping the economy in theNortheast, and people understanding whatother natural disasters can do to our infra-structure, should be settling in for many. Its

hard to ignore if you are a federal official, and its hard to maintain infra-structure apathy.

I think we all need to do a better job of conveying the connectionbetween infrastructure and the economy.

Question: Public transportation traditionally has had a neg-ative perception among some people, especially if there is nostrong heritage. What are the most important changes thathave occurred, say in the past 10 years, to remove negativeperceptions?

Insights Shared During APTA Media Luncheon

Media representatives from trade publications, including BuslineMagazine, newspapers and a radio station joined three key national publictransportation officials for a special luncheon during the 2014 APTA AnnualMeeting & EXPO. Taking questions at the event were APTA President &CEO Michael Melaniphy, incoming American Public Tran sportationAssociation (APTA) Chairman Phillip A. Washington and MetropolitanTransit Authority of Harris County Vice Chairman Allen D. Watson.


RETHINK YOUR TIREPROGRAM.

PRECISELY THE RIGHT TIRE.

Get great tires without great expense by paying only for the tires you use. Bridgestone Mileage Sales can offer a price per mile for your charter, intercity or city-suburban operations. Youll get top-quality Bridgestone radial tires, backed by an extensive support network. Let us handle your tire program, so you can focus on the rest of your business.

Mileage Sales Division 1-800-342-MILE (6453)

Bridgestone CorporationFor more information visit our websitewww.mileagesales.com2014 Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Melaniphy: There may have been a case 15-plus years ago (for majornegative public transportation perceptions), but that is not the case now.First, we had to get our act together. We had to get good products on thestreets and provide clean and safe (transportation) for every trip. This hasbeen done. Operators across the nation today run safe and reliable public trans-

portation systems. Technology has made this easier. For example,there are now many people with apps on their phones that tell themwhen the next bus and/or train is coming. We have made publictransportation more accessible and there are great mobilityoptions. People are not only embracing public transportation inthis country, they are depending on public transportation.

Question: How has the role of buses changed intodays public transportation systems?

Watson: We (The Metropolitan Transit Authority of HarrisCounty) are going to (soon open)10 more miles of light rail linesand more is coming, but for us, buses are the mainstay of our sys-tem. We are just about ready to implement our Reimagining pro-gram that will include all new bus routes and stops. A lot is beingchanged so we can service more riders. This involves better andmore frequent service. In many cases, it includes seven days aweek service versus five. Special stops will be made for areas thathave been difficult to service in the past. The bus remains veryimportant to us.We have gotten away from the one bus fits all concept. There

are now three different types of buses operating in our system.That is what it takes today. You have to have the right bus sizes,use the right alternative fuels, and operate on routes that aredesigned for 2014, not 1954. Buses must also be clean and expert-ly driven.

Melaniphy: All a person has to do is visit the APTA EXPO showfloor featuring clean diesel, CNG and electric buses to realize thereare vehicles of all different sizes and shapes now available. These arentyour grandfathers buses anymore.


Speakers during the APTA media luncheon in Houston were, left to right,Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Vice Chairman Allen D. Watson,

APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy and APTA Chairman Phillip A. Washington.

1114Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 11/20/14 3:33 PM Page 34


Marathons industry leading and OE approved KVT brake linings and DiscStar air disc pads are proven performers for transit and coach lines across the country. KVT and DiscStar are quiet, long life materials that are friendly to drums and rotors.

To get the most from your bus brakes, count on Marathon!

High Performance Transit

Brake Linings & Air Disc Pads

From North Americas #1Name in Transit Friction

See us at Booth 2562www.MarathonBrake.com

TransitAd_BuslineMag_Layout 1 8/28/14 10:21 AM Page 1

Freightliner Has New ApplicationsFor S2C LPG Concept

Bailey Coach Celebrates50,000th Charter Booking

Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. show-cased a propane-autogas concept version of itsS2C chassis at BusCon 2014.

FCCC presented the LPG version of its S2Cchassis for the work truck market earlier in2014. At BusCon, FCCC demonstrated thechassis capabilities for additional applica-tions, including the shuttle and commercialbus markets.

Freightliner says the S2C LPG conceptoffers features and benefits including a qui-eter-running engine; reduced maintenancecost and downtime; reduced fuel costs forbuses in continuous-running applications; andcold-weather starting and faster warm-uptimes.

It is powered by the PIthon, an 8.0 LPGengine from Powertrain Integration, with afactory-installed CleanFuel USA liquidpropane system. The 60-gallon, between-the-rails LPG tanks can provide a range of up to300 miles, according to the company.

Freightliner says other benefits of the S2CLPG are:

n 339 HP @ 4,100 rpm peak HP atlower rpm equals better fuel economy;

n 495 ft-lb torque @ 3,100 rpm quicker

acceleration and more power for steep hillsand inclines;

n 8.0 LPG engine with factory-installedCleanFuel USA liquid propane system;

n 30-percent larger windshield combinedwith sloped hood provides improved line ofsight of 8 feet compared;

n GVWR of up to 26,000 pounds;n 55-degree wheel cut for better turning

radius; and,n Chassis comes with 3-year/50,000-mile

warranty with towing and roadside assistanceand 24/7 factory direct customer support.

Visit www.freightlinerchassis.comfor more information.

York, PA-based Bailey Coach recently-commemorated its 50,000th charter book-ing (since 1998.) The Upper DauphinShrine Club planned a trip to the SandsCasino, October 19, in Bethlehem, PA.

Bailey Coach donated the use of one ofits coaches for the trip, which was valuedat $1,309. The Shrine Club then donatedthis amount to the Shriner CrippledChildrens Transportation Fund. John W.Bailey, president of Bailey Coach, is aShriner, as was his father.

Pictur

1114 busline magazine

Documents

transit applications

transit industry

gfloor transit flooring

seamless gfloor transit

unsurpassed floor protection

safety safety

wall flooring

custom image