07/12/11 $500,000 starting bid for Peter Pan's Futureliner! Coach Builders did a wonderful job changing the color and adding the "Parade of Progress" logos! Auction begins July 8 and ends July 18! Click Here: Springfield Republican Article
Click Autoblog
To see the fascinating details or to BID on this piece of History Click: Ebay Link

Bolt Bus will have four nonstop Boston-Phila trips per day starting June 23, 2011. Tickets to introduce this new route are just $1 for June 23-26, 2011. Click: Bolt Bus expands direct Boston-Phila

Headlines & Headlights
by Marshall Lewis E.B.O.
June 18, 2011

Brothers and Sisters of Local 1512 let me begin by wishing Mr. Dennis Flynn farewell and happy retirement to a loyal worker and great friend to our union and myself. We wish him well and all the best.

We want to recognize and give our Safety Department a big “HOORAY” for getting the non smoking signs on our gates in Springfield, making our work area smoke free. Kudos to Safety Department!

Also thanks to all of you who have given us your Email addresses. This will be the beginning of it being used. You will be receiving Emails from the union and me to inform you about what's going on, and how you can be of help.

Mr. Tolgyes lost his leg, we hope he will make a full recovery and whatever he does after, may it be a success, and we wish him well.

Our broad election is now over, some members were re-elected, and some member weren’t and they will be missed. We have a new Vice President, Mr. Andy Woods, I am sure he will get the job done. In the end of Mr. Mike Dise's term I've seen a change in his method in handling the Vice Presidency which was good; throughout these contract negotiations he has made some good suggestions.

Mr. Phil LaBranche lost the election for Vice President, not because he wasn’t qualified to do the job, but because Mr. Woods was just as qualified and we all know he has been on the board for many years, Phil has gone to bat against management, and fought for the drivers pay adjustments, and has won those battles, he will be missed.

In this election we lost Mr. Dave Kollisch, we can only hope our new financial secretary will do as well, Ms. Mary Davila. We want to welcome Mr. Charlie Myers and Mr. Wayne Curtis and this union will go on.

We are in the midst of contract negotiations and your selected members are working hard to see that you will receive a fare contract, there’s not much I can say at this time about the negotiation process. Quoting a company manager “we must hunt where the ducks are” that is what we are doing. Thank you for letting us know how you felt about the 8 to 9 hours off.
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In an astonishing admission, FMCSA said today they cannot randomly pull over tour busses on our nation's highways. They must first tell State Police, and there has to be a suspicion of wrongdoing before they can randomly inspect a bus or bus company.

FMCSA is asking for more authority, more enforcement officers, and more money to properly supervise the nation's intercity bus and tour bus industries.

Click: FMCSA says their hands are tied!!

A bus line in Michigan was shut down yesterday for allowing passengers to ride in the luggage compartments with mattresses and pillows, the FMCSA said yesterday. Haines Tours, of Gladwin, Michigan was ordered to cease commercial operations. Click: ABC-TV (Michigan affiliate)

Meanwhile, Sky Express had attempted to repaint their busses with 108 Tours and 108 Bus as their name. FMCSA quickly discovered the new operation and shut it down last week.

Click: FMCSA shuts down 3 bus companies

Miguel Claudio won his 3rd term in office as President/BA of ATU Local 1512 beginning July 1, 2011. Andy Woods won his 1st term as Vice President.

Incumbent Dave Kollisch was beaten by Newcomer Mary Davila with 60% of votes for Financial Secretary.

Karol Birdsall remains as Recording Secretary.

The following Results for the next term (July 1, 2011-June 30, 2014) are as follows:

President
Mike Claudio 85 (81%)
Mike Dise 20 (19%)

Vice President
Andy Woods 83 (80%)
Phil LaBranche 21

Financial Secretary
Mary Davila 61 (59%)
Dave Kollisch 43

Recording Secretary
Karol Birdsall (Unopposed)

Executive Board
George Schneider 82
Roland Rich 81
Frank Lapomardo 77
Marshall Lewis 75
Reuben Somar 70
Wayne Curtis 66
Charlie Myers 60
Eddie Mackey 45

Total Ballots Recieved: 110

May 31, 2011-Driver fatigue is cited by State Police as the cause of an bus accident involving a Sky Express bus with 57 passengers. The motorcoach overturned off the right hand shoulder, flipping over onto its side. There are four confirmed fatalities, and many injuries.
Click: Sky Express bus flips 30 miles north of Richmond, VA

Driver charged 4 counts involuntary manslaughter
Driver arraigned
View from International Times ABA Peter Pantuso and overview of curbside operators

New York State prosecutors - using new facial identification technology - has now arrested almost 200 bus drivers for falsifying license information and holding multiple licenses at once, some which were suspended due to motor vehicle and other violations. Many of the drivers, and some mechanics, are being held before going to trial for felony crimes.

The effort to close in on these renegade CDL drivers was initiated by Governor Cuomo with many police and prosecutor departments and including the US Customs and Immigration agencies, as a response to the March 12, 2011 Bronx accident where the driver was found to have several aliases on his driving record!

Click here for the latest on this story: NY crackdown on bus drivers continues

(May 8, 2011) A TraveLynx tourbus (based in No. Carolina) struck and killed a 29 yr. old Philadelphia man in midtown Manhattan at 10:30 PM Sat. evening. The bus was travelling on 9th avenue between 46th st and 47th st. Nearby pedestrians stopped the bus after it had dragged the man several feet under bus. The motorcoach operator was arrested for DWI after testing 0.08% in breathalyzer, later charged with vehicular manslaughter. He allegedly was drinking coffee laced with vodka, according to police officials. The tourbus was just finishing a nightime sightseeing tour with asian tourists. Click: Bus-Pedestrian accident