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Centennial Year for Two Pennsylvania Bus Companies

 
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Dieseljim
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Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 548
Location: Perry, NY

PostPosted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 1:55 pm    Post subject: Centennial Year for Two Pennsylvania Bus Companies Reply with quote

The year now ending has been a Centennial year for two Pennsylvania bus companies, both of whom operate regular line service, one is Fullington Trailways of Clearfield, and the other is Martz Trailways of Scranton-Wilkes Barre. Martz put out a real nice commemorative calendar that I have had on my wall much of the year. Each page shows a different bus scene from the company's early years to the present. Commemorative timetables have also been issued this year and I happen to have two of them in my files. The commemorative logo depicts the little bus that started it all for Frank Martz and his successors way back in 1908. Mr. Martz even ran an airline in conjunction with his bus operation for a time.. Martz, like most Trailways companies used GMC diesel buses for many years and began the switch to MCI coaches in the early 1970s. Martz is the last founding Trailways member still in business and much of their line service is between Scranton-Wilkes Barre and New York City, though they do run a few trips to Philadelphia as well, plus Atlantic City service. Martz Lines is still owned by the same family that founded it way back in 1908. The same holds true of Fullington Trailways of Clearfield, and Springfield, MA's Peter Pan Bus Lines. These are pretty good sized family owned carriers, which are ample proof that at least some parts of the American Dream are still alive and well. I must salute the Fullington,Henry, and Picknelly families for their outstanding service to their communities and the nation. Same goes for other family owned bus lines still in business.
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Mr. Linsky
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a little Martz Nostalgia from 1930.

One of the gentlemen proudly posing in the photo, which depicts their joy in receiving a shipment of new White Parlor Coaches, was probably Frank Martz himself.

Photo courtesy of the Motor Bus Society.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

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Dieseljim
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Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 548
Location: Perry, NY

PostPosted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:01 pm    Post subject: Nearest to the Century Mark Reply with quote

Greyhound Lines is the nearest bus company to the century of service mark outside of the Fullington and Martz lines. Even though Greyhound is not family owned like it used to be, it is one of the oldest bus companies still operating and the only nationwide system, though it is not what it should be. Lakeland,Peter Pan, Martz, Fullington, DeCamp,and Academy are among the few large family owned bus lines still operating though Academy is newer than most, it is still family owned. And unlike Greyhound, all are very well run bus companies. Not sure if Bieber is still owned by the Bieber family. That Martz and Fullington have been around as long as they have and are still going strong is a tribute to the founding families and the work they put into these companies, plus a strong sense of ethics.
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metrolinecoach111




Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Posts: 18
Location: Atlantic City, NJ

PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To dieseljim: Beiber was sold in 2005 or 2006 to Steve Haddad, a venture capitalist, who in turn officially changed the brand name to Beiber Tourways - also I agree with your observation on the family owned major carriers - the DeCamp family has done an incredible job considering their uphill battle with NJT with the Montclair Connection and MidTown Direct, the sisters who own Lakeland have kept quality and consistency first and foremost in their business, the Tedesco brothers have done their father a great deed in the way Academy has blossomed into what it is today, and they happen to have the most complete motor coach firm of anyone in the industry today, the Martz and Fullington firms also are operated by great families who take great care in customer service.
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Dieseljim
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Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 548
Location: Perry, NY

PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:38 am    Post subject: Three more formerly famly run bus companies Reply with quote

Three more formerly family run bus companies that are no longer with us today are: Blue Bird Coach Lines of Olean,NY founded and operated by the Magnano family, D&F Transit of Fredonia/Buffalo,NY by the Swanson Family, Empire Trailways, founded by Max Cowan and run by the Hicks family until Christiane Park bough the company from William E. "Red" Hicks and gradually ran that company into the ground, to the point that she had to sell off buses and other assets just to pay the bills. Ms. Park wanted Empire to concerntrate more on charters and tours rather than regular line service at which Empire Trailways was best at much like Blue Bird, which emphasized its charters and tours for years, though it had a substantial regular route system. Gene Berardi, a descendent of Adirondack's founder John G. Van Gonsic came to what was left of Empire Trailways and cleaned up the mess that Mrs. Park had made of Empire Trailways and its tour company, Alexander Tour and Travel. In other words, Mrs. Park destroyed the whole complex mostly by the fact that she was clueless of how to run a bus company and I have talked with a number of insiders who were in the know on that subject. I could almost write a book on HOW TO DESTROY A BUS COMPANY. The FRENCH FRY way. Empire Trailways, once a fine company I rode alot during the mid 1970s was that company.
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