Trailways Traveler - September 2024 Edition

Burlington Trailways: Many Opportunities to Get Out of Town With Ease and Comfort

Getting out of town in posh comfort for a day, a long weekend or an extended trip across the continental US and beyond is a bus ticket away.

The local Burlington Trailways bus service is a privately owned motor coach company, with access to nationwide routes and connections to motor coach providers across the country. Burlington Trailways President Ronald Moore and Carla Meierotto, Burlington Trailways Director of Tours, spoke to the Burlington Noon Rotary Club about the services and travel opportunities available here in Burlington. Read more...

Fullington Trailways Expands Partnership With Megabus

Fullington Trailways, a cornerstone in the transportation industry since 1908, is proud to announce the expansion of its successful partnership with Megabus. This strategic alliance will introduce additional daily service options between Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, State College, and New York City, significantly increasing connectivity within both the Fullington and Megabus networks. Read more...

Lock Haven Athletics Continues Partnership with Susquehanna Trailways; Branded Bus Unveiled

The Lock Haven Department of Athletics has announced its continued partnership with Susquehanna Trailways bus company, and with the continued the partnership, Lock Haven is excited to announce and celebrate the creation of the first Bald Eagle branded bus in Lock Haven athletics history. 

The bus, which is owned, and will still be operated by Susquehanna Trailways will be used by all teams and other organizations at the University when possible. The design features the Lock Haven Bald Eagles, our bald eagle emblem and official logo, social media handles and crisp crimson and white colors. Read more...

Susquehanna Trailways Continues Its Tradition of Servicing the Little League World Series!

Susquehanna Trailways has been providing services for the Little League International organization since the 1980s. As the event has evolved so have the requirements for services. 

What began as transfers to and from airports for a smaller tournament (7 day event), has grown into a 20 team event spanning 10 days. Teams begin arriving a week in advance. In addition to pickups at international airport sites, some US teams are now picked up at regional sites located in Indianapolis, IN and Bristol, CT.  Click here to read more from our past Chair, Amy Brooks!

Mourning Viking Trailways' Gale Webb 

Gale Webb, who owned and operated Viking Trailways from 1971 to 2024, as well as Webb Transportation from 1966 to 2019, where he operated school buses for Seneca School District, Monett School District, Purdy School District, Joplin School District, Verona School District, Billings School District and the Missouri State School for the Handicap recently passed away. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Read his obituary.

FMCSA Drops 4 Devices From List of Registered ELDs

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that it has removed four electronic logging devices (ELDs) from its list of registered devices. The affected devices are CTE-LOG ELD, ELD VOLT, Power Trucks ELD, and TFM ELD. Read more...

FMCSA Drops 2 More Devices From List of Registered ELDs

On August 15, the FMCSA placed the following ELDs on the agency’s Revoked Devices list for failure to meet minimum federal requirements: BLUE STAR ELD and RELIABLE ELD. Motor carriers will have 60 days to replace the revoked ELDs with approved devices. During that time, law enforcement officers are “encouraged” not to cite drivers using these ELDs.

Read more...

ELD Revision Proposal Expected in 2025

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Spring 2024 Unified Regulatory Agenda, FMCSA is targeting June 2025 for a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding electronic logging devices. The notice is expected to propose revisions to the agency’s existing ELD rule. Read more...

FMCSA to Consider Updating Some Guidance Documents, Dropping Others

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is asking motor carriers for advice on whether guidance documents issued by the agency should be updated – or in some cases dropped altogether. Read more...

Getting in Gear: After a Slow Start, Under-21 Pilot Apprentice Program Gaining Momentum

When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced its Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program, a product of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enacted in 2021, the trucking industry breathed a long-overdue sigh of relief. Read more...

Proposal to Include Hair Testing in DOT’s Drug Program Expected by Fall

After a yearlong wait to see potential changes to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s workplace drug and alcohol testing programs, the agencies responsible for those possible modifications are kicking the can further down the road. Read more...

Feds Withdraw Final Rule Regarding Oral Fluid Testing

Following “adverse comments,” the U.S. Department of Transportation is withdrawing a final rule regarding oral fluid testing for transportation workforce drug- and alcohol-testing programs. Read more...

Why a Pre-DOT Audit is Important for Motorcoach Companies

Every bus company should know a DOT audit could come at any time. In fact, the audit is sure to come at least once every three to five years. So, waiting until the last minute to prepare for the Department of Transportation to knock at your door may not be the best idea. Especially when you can ensure your preparedness ahead of time. Read more...

NTSB Flags Concerns Over Proposed Marijuana Changes

The National Transportation Safety Board expressed concerns over a proposed rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act.

The agency warned that the rule change could jeopardize federally required drug testing for those in safety-sensitive positions. Read more...

Real ID is Less Than a Year Away

The clock is ticking for domestic air travelers. There is a May 7, 2025, deadline for Transportation Security Administration officers to require domestic air travelers to present identification that meets the federal Real ID act security standards. That means many people will have to get new Real ID driver’s licenses within the next year if they use their licenses as identification to fly. Read more...

America's Companies Are Being Forced to Reveal Your Salary

In a growing number of states across the country, employers are being required to disclose salaries when posting job applications. Read more...

Second US Judge Blocks FTC Ban on Worker Noncompete Agreements

A federal judge in Florida has temporarily blocked a U.S. Federal Trade Commission rule that would ban agreements commonly signed by workers not to join their employers' rivals or launch competing businesses, becoming the second judge to rule that the ban is likely invalid. Read more...

Employers Plan 3.5% Raises for 2025, Payscale Data Reveals

U.S. employers are planning for 3.5% raises in 2025, according to Payscale’s most recent salary budget survey.  The anticipated salary increase rates vary by industry, Payscale found. On the upper end, government, and engineering and science workers will see raises above 4.5% and 4.2%, respectively. Read more...

Green Hydrogen Could Power the Future of Passenger and Freight Transportation

Green hydrogen is emerging as an important potential solution for decarbonizing transportation, but new energy efficiency findings indicate that it should be used strategically in heavy-duty road, rail, aviation and marine transportation, a University of Michigan study shows. Read more...

The High Cost to Electrify Commercial Vehicles Will Impact Consumers

We are now embarking on a transition so large, so all-encompassing, that it touches every single consumer and business in the country. That is the change that is currently being forced upon our supply chain as regulators at the state and federal levels press forward with competing mandates to electrify the nation’s medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets. Read more...

When It Comes to Bus Breakdowns, Do You Have a Plan?

When the Bus Fairy attacks, you’ll fair better if you have a plan. If you’re on familiar turf, things usually work out fine. You, or your driver, know who to call. One of the things that makes the charter business “challenging” is that often you're not in friendly territory.

Your plan should include training drivers. Who in your company should they call? How do you want them to handle passengers? When is it appropriate to leave the coach, as opposed to staying on board? What repairs can a driver attempt? A bit of discussion now may prevent a bad decision on the side of the road. Read more....

Coach USA to Auction 2 New Jersey Bus Terminals

Paramus-based Coach USA is auctioning off two bus terminals — one in Elizabeth and one in Paulsboro — after the private bus company filed for bankruptcy two months ago. Read more...

New York Assembly Approves GPS Systems Requirement to Show Bridge, Tunnel Heights

Vehicles hitting bridges and elevated structures that have low height restrictions is an ongoing problem in the Empire State. A law enacted a year ago called for a statewide bridge hit enforcement campaign. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office reported that during a recent two-year period, there were more than 800 bridge strikes across the state. The Assembly voted 143-1 last month to advance a bill that would go further to address the issue. Read more...

After Threatening Cuts, MTA Now Has Faith Gov. Hochul Will Fill $15B Congestion Pricing Hole

MTA leaders said on Monday that they will take New York Gov. Kathy Hochul “at her word” when she promised to restore the $15 billion she cut from the transit agency’s construction budget through her last-minute pause of congestion pricing last month. Read more...

MTA to Begin Issuing Bus Lane Violations for Blocking Bus Stops and Doubling Parking

Vehicles blocking bus stops or double parking will no longer be warned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) starting Aug. 19. Offenders will receive summonses in the mail starting at $50 and scaling up to $250 for repeat violators. This is in addition to existing enforcement of cars blocking bus lanes on 14 bus routes equipped with Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE) that captures vehicles violating bus lanes and bus stop rules, double parking and bus stop rules in real-time across four boroughs, with Staten Island to be added later this year. Read more...

Pennsylvania Adopts 12-Year Transportation Program

The Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission (STC) recently adopted the 2025 12-Year Transportation Program (TYP), which will take effect October 1. Read more...

Open Road Tolling Coming to the PA Turnpike

In 2025, Open Road Tolling (ORT) will begin along the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Eastern and Northeast Extension. By the time this significant infrastructure upgrade is deployed across the entire system in 2027, it will improve access, safety, mobility, and sustainability across the Commonwealth.  Read more...

ABA & Motorcoach Industry Oppose California’s Clean Fleet Regulations at EPA Hearing

ABA and many of its motorcoach members, along with representatives from the trucking industry and others, raised substantial concerns about the ACF regulations. The key point emphasized by ABA and its members was the inadequate and arbitrary nature of CARB’s decision-making process in formulating the ACF regulations, particularly in regards the private motorcoach sector. Read more...

ABA Announces New CEO

Trailways presented Peter Pantuso an “Outstanding Industry Support” Award at our 2024 Annual Conference. We wish him all the best in his retirement!  

The American Bus Association (ABA) is announced the appointment of Fred Ferguson as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 29, 2024. Ferguson brings over 15 years of extensive experience in public policy, strategic communications, and leadership within the government, non-profit, and private sectors. Read more...

IMG Announces New President

The International Motorcoach Group (IMG) announced Phelps Hope as the new President, effective September 3, 2024. Read more...