Attention to Skill Driver Retention

             

Retaining capable bus and coach drivers has always been a major challenge for motorcoach operators. In today’s travel market, however, retaining safe and qualified drivers is no longer enough. The most competent drivers also serve efficiently and effectively as safety experts, schedulers, technicians, ticket-takers, baggage handlers and customer service representatives. Motorcoach drivers have always been responsible for balancing their duties as a one-person crew, fulfilling by themselves the many tasks for which airline flight crews have separate staff. But the travel mode shift away from planes, trains and automobiles toward coaches has added to the driver’s lengthy list of duties the role of company ambassador. Passengers may never see a coach company CEO. In many instances, the only personal, face-to-face contact passengers will have with a bus company will be with the driver. In that sense, your driver is the public face of your company. That means many of the frustrated travelers abandoning other travel modes because of hassles, price, delays, cancellations and baggage fees may be trying the motorcoach option with your company for the first time. So getting safe, conscientious, and customer-centric drivers is more important than ever. Even the most upscale amenities on a motorcoach could potentially be remembered less vividly, and make less of a lasting impression, than its driver’s demeanor. Business management experts refer to this phenomenon as “primacy and recency.” Customers will always remember their primary personal experience with any business, as well as their most recent experience with it, to form their lasting impression of that business. In the motorcoach, tourism and group travel industry, any customer’s primary contact is almost universally with the driver. And their most recent contact – the last interaction with a company employee once they reach their destinations – is with that driver.

            Published by Wyatt Olsen

"Future Roads" Trailer Animation from Teun van der Zalm on Vimeo.

Wyatt Olsen's Dusty Archives Vol. I

 

Wyatt Olsen's Dusty Archives

The World's Best Paying Driving Jobs

Some jobs pay more because few can do them, some because few are willing to do them and some due to a combination of both. We decided to put together a list of the top 5 best paid driving jobs around the world, from Ice Road truckers in Alaska to convoy truck drivers in Iraq.

1. Ice Road Truckers: truck drivers willing and able to take on the job of the Ice Road Trucker will have to face a 414 mile route, 75% of which is north of the Arctic Circle. They will battle extremely hazardous conditions, frequent storms, occasional ‘white outs’ and temperatures reaching -40 degrees Celsius. If the seemingly impossible challenge of the job doesn’t tempt you in itself, then maybe the salary of $120,000+ for a 3 month season will!

2. Dump truck driver in the mining industry: “Mining jobs and the mining industry is the highest paid industry in Australia ... within the many mining jobs available in the industry, one of the most sought after is that of Truck Driver on a mine site.” [source: jobs.com.au] Driving one of the enormous dump trucks used in the Australian mines (up to 340 tonnes) is probably one of the few jobs in this industry that requires little or no physical labor and is therefore equally sought after by both men and women. Annual salary for this job is in the region of $100,000.

3. Truck driver in Iraq: Driving a truck in Iraq is a job that pays particularly well, from $125,000 up to a possible $250,000 per year. The obscenely high pay rates are for obvious reasons, the risks range from terrorist attacks to kidnapping. “Criss-crossing Iraq, the hundreds of civilian truck drivers who form a "shadow army", hauling food and supplies to military bases, are a tempting target for attacks.” [source: cbsnews.com]

4. NASCAR Driver: We just had to throw this one in, although definitely more on the ‘few can do’ rather than ‘few willing to do’ end of the scale! The top NASCAR drivers in the US earn in the tens of millions, between winnings, sponsorship and endorsements. In 2009 NASCAR’s highest-paid driver was Dale Earnhardt Jr. who reportedly earned $30 million. Get your application in now!

5. Test driver: Test driving cars is a full-time job for a lucky few but test driving a luxury car like the Bugatti is down to one lucky, and very talented man - Pierre-Henri Raphanel. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is the fastest production car in the world today. Raphanel is responsible for test driving Bugatti car models, pushing them to their very limits to see what they can do. We did try to find out what Raphanel earned but didn’t come up with anything conclusive so this particular inclusion is based on the (fairly safe) assumption that Raphanel is well compensated for his days of toiling behind the wheel of the fastest road car on earth!

Make over $100,000.00 in 3 Months

 

  Work all year and still can't pay the bills...?

 

Ice Road Truckers: truck drivers willing and able to take on the job of the Ice Road Trucker will have to face a 414 mile route, 75% of which is north of the Arctic Circle. They will battle extremely hazardous conditions, frequent storms, occasional ‘white outs’ and temperatures reaching -40 degrees Celsius. If the seemingly impossible challenge of the job doesn’t tempt you in itself, then maybe the salary of $120,000+ for a 3 month season will! 

 

Ice Road Trucker's Video's - Links 

The Critical Factor In a Blowout

" Greyhound Bus Driver's Forum "

The Greyhound Group/Click Here

Wyatt Olsen's Drive Safe Campaign

                                    

    TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!

The most important part of a moving truck or bus is the driver! Get plenty of rest before getting behind the wheel. Eat well and stay fit. Remember, hours of service violations are serious and can threaten your livelihood or even your life. Stay healthy and well rested, or don't drive !

ALWAYS MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE

Inspect your vehicle before each trip and check your brakes regularly. Learn how to inspect your brakes, identify safety defects, and get them repaired before risking your life and others on the highway.

                           Published by Wyatt Olsen

Motor Coach Industries Operation

 

 

SCHAUMBURG, IL — July 1, 2013 — As MCI continues to excel at Reliability Driven maintenance and repair services, the company has named two new highly-talented service managers at its suburban Los Angeles and Chicago locations.

 

Thomas Hoskins

Thomas Hoskins has been promoted to Service Manager for the Los Alamitos, California, MCI Service Center. Hoskins started his career with MCI as a technician 10 years ago and has since held positions of increasing responsibility as Lead Technician, and most recently, as Shop Supervisor.

Mark Heldt

At the same time, Mark Heldt has joined the company as Service Manager for the Des Plaines, Illinois, MCI Service Center. Heldt was with Ryder System, Inc., for 32 years, holding positions as Technician, Parts Manager, Service Manager, District Maintenance Manager and Senior Maintenance Manager. He brings with him extensive experience in service operations management with an emphasis on customer satisfaction and safety. Most recently, Heldt was with First Student Bus Company as a Region Maintenance Manager responsible for 38 locations over a three-state area.

"Both Tom and Mark have a superb track record for customer service, strong technical expertise and the ability to manage the quick turnaround times for maintenance and repair required by motor coach operators." said Patrick McGuire, Director of MCI Service Centers. "In the past year, we've made great progress in building MCI Service Centers' reputation for reliable repair with factory trained technicians on MCI and Setra models. The rollout of ReliaDrive, our fix-it-right guarantee, also demonstrates our commitment to keeping customer coaches on the road earning revenue."

All together, MCI operates seven service centers in or near Chicago, Orlando, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia and Montreal, offering complete mechanical repair services, including chassis, suspension, brakes, air conditioning and steering; coach modifications; paint and body repair; wheelchair lift installations; insurance estimating and appraisal services; and immediate access to replacement parts on-site and 24-hour delivery of parts from inventory at MCI's Louisville, Kentucky, distribution facility. MCI service centers are also approved for Detroit Diesel, Allison Transmission, ZF ASTronic Transmission and HVAC systems warranty service.



                                               Sponsored by

The Greyhound Group

"BE AWARE YOUR "NO-ZONE"

                                                                                     

BE AWARE OF YOUR "NO-ZONE"

Other drivers may not be aware of the size of your buses blind spots. Be vigilant in watching out for vehicles in the No-Zone. The No-Zone represents the danger areas, or blind spots, around trucks and buses where crashes are more likely to occur. One-third of all crashes between large buses/trucks and cars take place in the No-Zone.


                                           

SLOW DOWN IN WORK ZONES
Watch out for highway construction. Stay alert. Work zone crashes are more likely to happen during the day. Almost one-third of fatal crashes in work zones involved large trucks. Take your time going through work zones and give yourself plenty of room. Expect the unexpected!


 Published by Wyatt Olsen


                                              

" Why Motorcoaches May Burn "

FIRE INVESTIGATIONS

WHY MOTORCOACHES

MAY BURN

(A MECHANICAL ANALYSIS)

Christopher W. Ferrone

President, Americoach Systems, Inc.

Chicago, IL

Cell: 773.858.4941 • Tel: 800.621.4153 • Email: cwferrone@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

In the wake of the Wilmer, Texas fire, which occurred during

the Hurricane Rita evacuation, motorcoach fires have come

to the forefront of the media. Are motorcoaches catching on

fire now more than before? What could possibly explain such

a phenomenon?

The purpose of this paper, through mechanical analysis

and accident reconstruction, is to inform operators of the fire

hazards which may be present on a typical motorcoach, tran-

sit or school bus.

Once the potential hazards are identified, the individual

components’ care and maintenance can be monitored to pre-

vent or limit the occurrence of a fire. The express purpose of

this effort is to minimize fires on such passenger vehicles.

INTRODUCTION

Motorcoaches are expensive and carry valuable cargo – peo-

ple. Motorcoaches must be understood and maintained with

fire prevention in mind.

A fire can occur on a motorcoach, transit or school bus for

a variety of reasons. Unlike an automobile or even a large

truck, a motorcoach is a more sophisticated vehicle with

more systems and even greater complexity.

1

The author has

investigated motorcoach fires for more than 20 years.

However, as a result of the fire in Wilmer Texas, it was decid-

ed that this analytical process should be written to assist

operators in the prevention of future fires.

During the past two decades the author has investigated

numerous motorcoach fires. While analyzing the cause and

origin of these fires a collection of data has shown a consis-

tent pattern.

As simple as it appears, if the vehicle is in motion certain

items are valid as possible causes. Likewise, if the vehicle is

stationary with the engine on or off other items become

potential causes. In either case, the situation is dangerous and

costly in both human life and property (Photo 1).

The more common causes discussed here are

not

ranked

in order of likelihood. The operational profile and vehicle

history can help determine which of these trouble spots need

SPECIAL REPORT TO CVSA

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>READ MORE

 

 

 

The Greyhound Group/facebook

 

Historic MC 6 "The Supercruiser"

           

               A Little History On The Supercruiser  

The MC-6 also known as the Supercruiser was intended to pioneer the new width of 102 inches with a  GM Detroit Diesel 12V71 in the 1960's. Unfortunately the appropriate legislation proved to be elusive and the MC-6 ended up being ahead of its time. It did not enter regular production until 1969 and only 100 were ever built, all for Greyhound. Because of their width, Greyhound was forced to limit the assignment of MC-6 coaches to special routes where permits or other regulations allowed the coaches to operate.

The 102 inch width later became legal years after the MC-6 coaches had left the Greyhound fleet. The MC-6 was built 40 feet long 102" wide and all stainless construction.

" Big Bird "

As far as I can gather, this bus was purchased in the 80's as a entertainer bus already with bedroom galley bathroom and the front with 2 and 1 seating.

 This bus was purchased in the early 80's by William Alfred Cook.. founder of Cook group and Star of Indiana drum and bugle corps. This was one of his first buses, and was used to transport band members to many of the football games. William did a lot of the driving in the 80's. The group back then named the bus

 "BIG BIRD"  and had a big yellow Big Bird decal on the side window by the door. In the early 90's the bus went through a major rebuild. It never got used much after that, because star was having some financial problems and this was a non proffit organization.

The bus mostly sat with only about 13,000 miles put on since the overhaul. Then John Chandler purchased the bus in 2001 and used the bus to move from Alaska to Idaho. The next year he decided he wanted to full time in the bus. So in 2002 the bus got tore down to be modified for full timing. The bus never got done enough to use untill 2009. Then the bus was drove back to Alaska so John could buy a piece of land he could come to in the summers. I visited with them for a while, then they returned to Idaho. After that he passed and the bus never got winterized, so it froze and busted all the plumbing.

I got the bus in June 2010 and flew down to Idaho, then drove it back to Alaska... This drove like a DREAM and no problems. After I got the bus back to Alaska, I started to tear it back down to repair all the plumbing. I re plumbed the bus with all pex and installed all new plumbing fixtures. Then we re tiled the shower and the floors and installed all new carpet. We have used the bus all over Alaska in the latter part of the summer. It has been VERY RELIABLE and now has 36,000 on the clock. Next project is to polish the stainless like chrome.



                                          Sponsored by

The Greyhound Group

"A TRIBUTE TO GREYHOUND"

"AMERICA ON WHEELS…A TRIBUTE TO GREYHOUND BUS LINES, INC.

BY ANTHONY CHARLES BLAKE

FORMER GREYHOUND EMPLOYEE AND MOTORCOACH HOBBYIST
It has often been said, Greyhound, the fastest dog on wheels
according to former competitor, Trailways, Inc. now merged into the
Greyhound network. Songs have been written about Greyhound such
as "NOWHERE BOUND WITH GREYHOUND" By country and western singer,
Tommy Hunter. Greyhound Bus Lines has become america's dream to the
open road to any destination I desire and at your service. It could
be long, far and short distance. The fact remains, Greyhound being a
loyal friend to the end and a friendly hand opening the door as the
bus pulls out of the terminal enroute to any destination. What you
do not know, Greyhound bus Lines has a unique history from its
humble beginnings, a bus company you heard of, but really didn't
know much about. It was 1914 in Hibbing, Minnesota, the giant empire
of greyhound was formed and took shape. Two gentlemen Eric Wickman,
a Swedish immigrant and Carl Anderson, an Innkeeper. Between the two
of them, the dream became a reality. Wickman and Anderson ran
commuter runs from Alice to Hibbing, transporting miners to work and
back all for 15 cents. The Greyhound company was starting to
formulate a corporation, but the two pioneers were wondering where
do we go from here. Success story in the making, but wasn't
complete. Two bus companies MESABA TRANSPORTATION AND PICKWICK
STAGES along with partnership of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Mind you
now, the Greyhound name was established, but it wasn't until Wickman
and Anderson went to a hupmobile race known today as a soap box
derby that the Greyhound name took shape. One of the hupmobile's was
painted grey and it was fast as a Greyhound dog. Yes my friends you
guessed it, Greyhound was officially named Greyhound and became the
Greyhound Corporation. The thought of a bus company expanding in the
traveling market where railroads had the dominance, but intercity
bus travel began to surface causing the railroads to derail
operations and even the Pennsylvania Railroad let Greyhound go
because the company being stable was a standalone corporation and
pulled its own weight. Superhighways began to be built and the hound
was seen from city to city, downtown to downtown and around and
about.

The company had stocks and bond and was a Fortune 500 Corporation
ready to prove to investors, Greyhound is a wise choice to invest
your money. Greyhound was much more than just a bus company, it was
a conglomerate of industries such as GREYHOUND TEMPORARY SERVICES,
INC., how I worked at Lord & Taylor, Inc. on Fifth Avenue, Computer
Operations Components, Rent-A-Car Agency, Dial, Travel Agency,
Cruise Ship, Two Airlines: World Airways
And Greyhound Air. All this from one company and with one purpose, a
vision of possibilities with risk involved. The Greyhound
Corporation has been simplified from it's beginnings to Greyhound
Lines, Inc., a subsidiary of First Group in Scotland and England.
Greyhound dominance is also shown on CAROLINA TRAILWAYS, VERMONT
TRANSIT, TEXAS, NEW MEXICO AND OKLAHOMA COACHES, GREYHOUND CANADA,
GREYHOUND MEXICO, VALLEY TRANSPORTATION. Greyhound is also
worldwide in AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH AFRICA. Today, Greyhound is 94
years old and shows no signs of retiring anytime soon.

Greyhound Bus Lines also has their own museum called the `GREYHOUND
BUS ORIGIN CENTER in Hibbing, Minnesota and their website is
WWW.BUSMUSEUM.ORG and GREYHOUND.COM. This writer's nameplate is on
the 1947 Greyhound Silversides and I once worked for Greyhound as
their Package Express and Passenger Revenue Sales Executive while
attending College. I met and received encouragement from the top
management which I knew them by name such as the Former
CEO/President and numerous other senior Management officers. My
nickname is Houndman Cometh. There you have it. Greyhound,
America's bus Line to your dream destinations. The slogan, `GO
GREYHOUND…" LEAVE THE DRIVING TO US." Simply put, "Look, Listen,
Learn and take a little time to ride along. One question though,
Greyhound has not caught that rabbit yet, I guess it's too busy
being the fastest dog on wheels.

The Old Greyhound Bus Terminal

 

 

Washington Deco: The Old Greyhound Terminal

 

The stretch of New York Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets NW is a wonderfully open urban space—a broad, divided east-west avenue with a triangle of parkland and busy north-south streets on either side. The spot could make for a handy transportation hub, and that is just what it did for almost half a century, hosting the Greyhound Bus Lines Super Terminal on the south side of the avenue. Thanks to the valiant efforts of the D.C. Preservation League, the Art Deco Society of Washington and the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, the former terminal, completed in 1940, survives today nearly intact as the entrance pavilion to a modern office building at 1100 New York Avenue.

The terminal is a classic art deco (or  moderne) landmark with a streamlined 1930s look that epitomizes the promise of the industrial age as the hope for the future and the savior of civilization. The stepped central tower, a typical "ziggurat" design, exudes freshness and optimism with its clean, triumphal lines. The smoothed corners and streamlined look of course also suggest the speed with which Greyhound's Super Coaches were to whisk you to your destination. The building's architect, Louisville-based William S. Arrasmith, designed over 50 streamlined bus stations for Greyhound in the 1930s and 1940s, and this Super Terminal may be his finest. The building's exterior is faced in Indiana limestone and neatly rimmed along its upper edges with glazed black terracotta coping. Aluminum trim and glass-block accentuate the entrance. Inside is a large, round central waiting room with stores on either side. The floor was a jazzy checkerboard terrazzo. The walls were originally partially finished in walnut and trimmed in burnished copper. Large photo murals of scenic places throughout the United States were on the upper portions of the walls. Formica in dark red, brown, and gray was used for wainscoting, columns, and counter tops.

Greyhound got its start on the back roads of Minnesota, where Carl Eric Wickman began a jitney service for iron miners in 1914. The company grew rapidly through a series of mergers and acquisitions, becoming one of the largest in the United States by 1929. The company's expansion mirrored the growth of the industry, which was so rapid that cities like Washington struggled to deal with the congestion it created. The city's newspapers from the 1920s and 30s are filled with articles about new bus services and decisions by the Public Utilities Commission to try to limit their takeover of city streets. While stations were located at various spots downtown, New York Avenue was a particularly attractive location because it connected directly with highways to the east. Greyhound had built a restrained art-deco terminal near the northwest corner of 14th Street and New York Avenue in 1933. Called an "imposing addition to the architectural beauty of the city," by The Washington Post, that terminal could accommodate just 12 buses, with 2 loading and unloading lanes. It lasted only five years before the company decided to build the much larger Super Terminal two blocks to the east.

The new station opened to great acclaim in March 1940. On opening day, 25,000 gawkers filed in, admiring the stylish decor, all the leather and aluminum. A swing band played, and some people danced where they could find room. Each guest was given a "souvenir," the newspapers tell us, although what it was we do not know. The $1 million, fully air-conditioned new building seemed to impress everyone to no end.

The waiting room in 1943 (Source: Library of Congress)

The timing of the opening was propitious, coming just before hordes of servicemen and other government workers began inundating the city to fuel the war effort. The terminal was quickly overrun with business. In May 1943, Wilson Scott wrote in the Washington Times-Herald of his impressions of the wartime bus station. He noted that "On Sunday nights in addition to the regular buses, almost 2,000 service men are transported back to camp between the hours of 6 p.m. and 12 midnight... I have often seen a long line of soldiers, sailors and sweethearts on Sunday night wrapped around almost three full sides of the block on which the terminal stands and waiting seats." Ever present were military police and shore patrolmen along with their Black Marias and patrol wagons, ready to nab any troublemakers or servicemen who had gone AWOL. On a more poignant note, Scott  found a civilian cop trying to comfort a bedraggled young boy who had run way from home two days before. "Dressed in a gray sweater and corduroy knickers extending practically to his ankles and looking out with timid, forlorn eyes on a cold, cold world, the little lad was too frightened to talk." After trying his best to communicate with the child, the cop finally called a police wagon to take him away, which I'm sure did much to settle the young boy's anxiety.

Christmas Rush in 1941 (Source: Library of Congress)

The Washington Star reported in July 1945 about a war-bereaved father from Newark, New Jersey, whose son had gone missing in the Pacific. After drinking heavily one night, the man walked into the Greyhound terminal and shot an apparently total stranger, then turned the gun on himself. The stranger, hit in the stomach, survived; the distraught father died later that night at Emergency Hospital.

The terminal in a postcard view from c. 1960.

The station stayed busy for several decades after the war. In 1973, Henry Allen wrote a wonderful profile of the now-old Greyhound terminal for The Washington Post, finding not stylish elegance but "that bus station smell...the stale, sweet, sooty urban smell of cigar smoke, cold sweat and carbon monoxide; the tart, grimy smell of winos, and the starchy air of the cafeteria, like the mess hall of a troop ship." The station had changed. Instead of sumptuous benches upholstered in leather, Allen noted the "plastic seats with bolted-on TV sets that nobody watches." About the architecture, Allen noted with a jaundiced eye that "the downtown Greyhound station epitomizes the march-of-progress school of architecture that scattered its sculptured monuments around the country before World War II"--a futile and naive gesture, he seemed to be thinking. And it was hard not to be jaded at that point, surrounded by the assortment of "pimps, pickpockets. winos, junkies, whores, transvestites, Murphy men, pushers, all-round hustlers and restroom commandos" that populated the terminal on a semi-permanent basis. There were still plenty of servicemen moving through the station, but now they were mostly prey for the hustlers. "These guys go down to the pet store on H Street, buy three-quarters of an ounce of catnip for 51 cents. It makes a good-looking ounce of marijuana. You sell it to these GIs," Allen learned. Finally Allen talked to a young woman sitting in the station's restaurant: " 'You want to know why I hang in here?' she asks.... 'I'll tell you,' she says with sudden ennui, 'I just don't know myself.'"

The old terminal's art deco ebullience, it seems, had become almost an embarrassment on the mean streets of downtown in the 1970s. Greyhound execs must have thought so when they decided in 1976 to box the whole thing up. Architect Gordon Holmquist came up with a renovation based on installing concrete asbestos panels and a squat-looking metal mansard roof around the entire building. The resulting look was buttoned down but awkward and ungainly. In retrospect, it's hard to fathom what the Greyhound people were thinking, but they weren't the only ones architecturally adrift in that Bicentennial year. At the same time the National Visitors Center opened, a horrendous multimedia pit dug into the center of Union Station. Soon recognized as a pointless failure, the Center was shut down within two years. It was not a good moment for transportation architecture.

The re-packaged terminal in 1977 (Photo courtesy of the D.C. Preservation League archives)

Buses parked at the rear of the terminal in 1977. (Photo courtesy of the D.C. Preservation League archives)

By the mid 1980s, the Greyhound terminal had reached the end of the road, so to speak, at least as a bus station. Real estate in the old downtown was beginning to turn around, and the property was quite valuable. Greyhound sold the property for $21 million in 1985 and, after acquiring rival Trailways in 1987, consolidated bus operations at Trailways' new terminal behind Union Station.

Led by Richard Longstreth of the Committee of 100 and Richard Striner of the Art Deco Society of Washington, a coalition of preservationists rallied in the early 1980s to get the old terminal designated as an historic landmark. Their efforts were complicated by the fact that the original facade was covered over and its condition unknown. The developers at first thought to just incorporate elements of the station's facade in their new monster office building, but the preservationists wanted the entire building saved and mounted a sophisticated campaign to do so. Finally, a breakthrough was reached in 1988 when the developers and the future owners of the office building agreed to a 10 percent decrease in total office space that would allow the entire terminal to be saved as a gateway to the new  building. The handsomely-restored bus station cum office building opened in 1991. It includes a striking permanent exhibit on the history of the bus terminal, complete with life-size plaster casts of historic buses standing precisely where their bays would have been at the back of the original terminal.

The terminal as it appears today.

Featuring Hemmings Motor News

A few of them are still out there. Ghostly. They're among the most iconic American motor vehicles of the 1950s, but the Scenicruiser has been gone for so many years now, a casualty of changing public tastes in long distance travel, that the sight of one on today's highways will spin heads for sure. 

Greyhound commissioned General Motors to build 1,001 examples of the high-decked, three-axle PD 4501 intercity coach, the bus it named the Scenicruiser, beginning in 1954. The coach is the long-distance bus industry's most memorable, and arguably the most successful, effort to capture riders as the nation's transportation metric was being bent by unforeseen post-war forces: a gradual erosion of passenger rail service, the emergence of jet travel, and the hand-in-glove boom of auto production and the Interstate highway system during the 1950s. 

Enduring relics of the grand, but short-lived, age of premium buses still gather on a not-quite-formal, nearly ad hoc basis. More exist than you might expect: Tom McNally, who helped put together this spring's SceniCruise 2010 in Amarillo, Texas, said that about 230 of the old Greyhound lions still exist. At one time, they could be had for virtually nothing, which partly explains why many were converted into homemade RVs. Those who remember spent quality time along old Route 66, hallowed blacktop ruled by Scenicruisers a lifetime ago. 

They visited highway landmarks, plus the town of Adrian, Texas, located at the midpoint of 66: It's west of Amarillo, and exactly 1,139 miles from both Chicago and Los Angeles. Ten of the Scenicruisers made the trip to Amarillo; their trips originated in Baltimore, California and the Midwest. Several, as you might expect, were conversions. Other days-gone coaches also make the run. These numbered one produced in the 1960s by Prevost of Sainte Claire, Quebec, Canada; and a later high-deck GM bus, the PD 4107, built from 1966 through 1969.

 One of the Scenicruiser's competitors also showed up, a three-axle 1971 Silver Eagle once run by Trailways. Historically speaking, the Scenicruiser was the first significantly successful 40-foot-long intercity coach before the industry switched en masse to buses that long. Tom, who lives in Peoria, Illinois, has traveled an uncommon, challenging route with his Scenicruiser. 

He restored the 1956-built PD 4501 to full Greyhound specifications from that year, including the proper seats. Tom found it in Weeds-port, New York, having been converted into a coach for a gospel choir and then, a church bus. ''I restored the outside and the interior. It still had the correct 8V-71 diesel and four-speed transmission. We had another Scenicruiser at the meet: Toward the end or their use, Greyhound converted about 100 of them to what they called combo cars, with an extra partition and an extra door at the rear, which hauled freight. 

They had a rear door on the side where a conveyor was connected so the packages could be removed. ''I've been into muscle cars for years. I still have two Pontiac GTOs, but I just wanted something different,'' Tom said. ''I guess it all started because my wife and I had two former racing greyhound dogs. Then my wife surprised me with a birthday trip aboard a Greyhound bus, and gave me a Greyhound book that had a Scenicruiser in it. 

On the trip, I saw that one was for sale in Hemmings Motor News. That was when I started really looking for one.''

FMCSA’s (HOS) Hours-of-Service

 

FMCSA’s Hours-of-Service regulations take full effect July 1; Motorcoach rules unchanged

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will begin enforcing the totality of the motorcoach hours-of-service regulations for commercial passenger carriers on Monday, July 1. Any motorcoach company that operates across state lines will be bound by the current existing motorcoach HOS rules.
The new regulations for passenger-carrying commercial vehicle drivers are summarized below:

• 10-Hour Driving Limit
  Drivers may drive a maximum of 10 hours after 8 consecutive hours off duty.
• 15-Hour On-Duty Limit
  Drivers may not drive after having been on duty for 15 hours, following 8 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time is not included in the 15-hour period.
• 60/70-Hour On-Duty Limit
  Drivers may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days.
• Penalties
  Driving (or allowing a driver to drive) more than 3 hours beyond the driving-time limit may be considered an “egregious” violation and subject to the maximum civil penalties.

To see a full breakdown of the new hours-of-service regulations, as well as reference materials and news releases, visit the Department of Transportation’s Hours-of-Service page at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos/index.htm

The Greyhound Group

"About Operator's Reaction Time"

                  

A discussion about bus operator reaction time will no doubt bring many different opinions on its definition. There are formulas to come up with reaction time and, maybe I'm the lone wolf on this subject, but breaking down the science of reaction time for bus operators is something I did not spend much time doing. Allow me to share with you something that I feel is of greater importance, the "Adverse Reaction Tip Off!" 

As training professionals, we don't believe that collisions, knockdowns and on-board injuries just happen. For every incident on the road, there is usually a warning or a tip-off. Identifying this tip-off comes with experience. There are many of them, but let's look at a few:

1) A vehicle stopped at the intersection to the left of the bus with front tires pointed a bit to the right and/or the driver of that vehicle looking to the right at the cross street.

2) A pedestrian walking right-side same direction of bus wearing headphones or talking on the cell phone.

3) A curbside pedestrian waving his or her hand in the direction of the bus.

4) A ball rolling into the street.

5) Visible exhaust, brake lights, or a front tire moving left or right from a parked vehicle.
These are just a few that student/veteran operators must identify. Why not add to this list and compile them into a nice handout for distribution to your operators.

Case #1: The operator failed to read the tip-off and accelerated with the auto rather than pause two seconds to allow the vehicle to turn from left to right across the path of the bus. Avoid the abrupt braking and on-board injuries, and expect the left-to-right move by the vehicle whenever in this position.

Case #2:  If the operator has not created a space cushion between the curb and his/her bus and fails to cover the brake in anticipation of a 'step out' into the roadway by a pedestrian, he or she has not identified the tip-off. Sounding the horn is not the solution; it won't reduce the speed of the bus. Sounding the horn can have purpose as a communication tool after you have removed your foot from the accelerator and placed it over the brake pedal should a stop be necessary.

Case #3: The person waving his or her hand may be hailing a taxi that may be not yet be visible to the operator. Read this waving hand by the pedestrian as a tip-off alert that momentarily there may be a vehicle making an abrupt stop in the bus path. The immediate actions that should occur include
taking the foot off the accelerator, placing it over the brake and checking the mirrors.

Case #4: The easiest of all to identify — a ball rolling into the street, possibly being followed by a child.

Case #5: There can be several 'parked' vehicle-related tip-offs to identify. Increased 'eye lead' time will make this possible and give the operator the edge to see it early, and then react early.
What do you think? Am I a lone wolf, or do you share my views? Let me know. Share your own tip-offs here in the Comments section and we will see if we get enough for you to copy and paste as a student handout.

           Published by Wyatt Olsen

The Greyhound Group

Five Easy Steps to Stay in Shape

 

 

When it comes to exercise, it’s hard to know where exactly to start. Should I focus on my diet? Should I exercise more often? Just what exactly should I be doing. Those are all great questions, but the answer is fairly easy. I made a list of 5 easy to follow steps to help you get in shape and stay in shape. With this list, managing your weight and staying in shape will be easy as 1,2,3….4, and 5.

1. Drink Water

Consuming water throughout the day will keep you feeling refreshed. Our bodies are mainly made up of water, so in order to go about our day we need to make sure we are properly hydrated. Water has been shown to increase our metabolism, which helps us lose weight. Start by carrying a water bottle (20-24 oz.) with you throughout the day and be sure to fill up at nearby water fountains.

2. Eat to satisfy

Here is one of the main culprits to weight gain: overeating. Generally, your average individual will eat 2-3 times a day. Most, if not all, of those meals are huge in portion size and eaten as though it’s our last meal. The best weight loss diet includes the key to staying in shape which is eating the main course (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and snacks (2-3 per day) only till your satisfied. Eating only to the point where you say, “that was really satisfying.” This is the point at which your body is telling you that it’s refueled for the rest of the day. Enjoy your food and take your time eating as it takes the body about 20 minutes to realize its full!

3. Get moving

Just get out there and move! One of the best things you can do for your health is be proactive. In whatever you enjoy doing, walking, dancing, or bike riding, just keep moving. High activity is related to a healthy body. Find a hobby or outdoor activity that gets you moving. Not only will you be enjoying gardening or shooting hoops, but you will actually be helping yourself in staying in shape.

4. Find a partner

Having someone there to help support and walk through the same battle with you is one of the biggest motivators. Grab a buddy at your next neighborhood meeting or a co-worker that goes to the same gym as you. Having a partner has shown to improve your health and keeps you accountable to one another. There’s nothing better than looking forward to going walking with Amy and talk about fashion!

5. Take notes

Lastly, take notes everyday in a journal or diary. Record your daily eating, thoughts, emotions, or whatever is on your mind. This can be one of the best tools that can help keep you focused such as, what got you moving today or did you drink enough water. Keeping a journal of what you ate or how you felt when you ate allows you to reflect on how you are keeping with your goal of staying in shape.

As you can see, staying in shape isn’t rocket science. The key to staying in shape is you! Not your coworker. Not your boyfriend. Not the free samples at the grocery store. Just you. With the five easy to follow steps, you will be well on your way of staying in shape and maybe even some else’s.

The Greyhound Group