Dear Mr. Picknelly,

What an amazing day! About 1,000 hardworking volunteers packed Tyler Street on April 27 to help give 25 homes a facelift at the Green-N-Fit Rebuild. Thanks to you, more than 70 sponsors and donors, and 1,000 volunteers, we were able to rebuild the homes of 25 families, all on one block, in one day!

On behalf of the Springfield affiliate of Rebuilding Together, I would like to express our gratitude to you and Peter Pan Bus Lines for providing the Bus Shuttle Service to volunteer parking lots. We greatly appreciate your provision of this much-needed service to us on April 27! We would also like to thank Karol Birdsall, who donated her time to drive the bus for the day.

Because of you, 25 Tyler Street families have safe, energy-efficient homes on a clean, beautifully landscaped street. You helped rebuild a sense of community and civic pride in a downtrodden neighborhood. You reminded everyone in Springfield and beyond of the power of good people who are willing to help their neighbors. Thank you for your support, because it means so much!

In the past year, Rebuilding Together completed 71 other home repair, modification and rehabilitation projects, continuing our pursuit to assure warm, safe homes for people in need in the City of Springfield. With the support of generous donors like you, families with children, elderly citizens, military veterans and disabled homeowners have a place to turn to when home repairs are out of reach.

Sincerely,

Colleen Loveless
Executive Director

Peter Pan joins all of New England in congratulating the Huskies on another great season.

The Republican newspaper’s Patrick Johnson reported on the excursion, interviewing several fans who sang the praises of taking Peter Pan to the park. “You can relax on the bus,” said Enfield’s John Unghire. “You don’t have to worry about driving back afterward.” And of course, taking the bus means not dealing with game day traffic in The Hub. What’s more, as reporter Johnson noted, the ticket package through Peter Pan Sports is less than the cost of purchasing a ticket, paying for gas and paying for parking. It all adds up to an enjoyable, carefree day on Yawkey Way.

To read the full story of the opening day journey to Fenway Park on the MassLive website, click here.

By Correspondent Taryn Luna – Boston Globe.

Photo by Matthew Cavanaugh for the Boston Globe

The bus industry has come under scrutiny with the recent shutdown of local discount carrier Fung Wah Bus Transportation Inc. and two deadly crashes on the West Coast. Peter A. Picknelly, chief executive of Peter Pan Bus Lines in Springfield, recently spoke to Globe correspondent Taryn Luna about bus safety, his company’s relationship with Greyhound Lines Inc., and Peter Pan’s role in a Springfield casino proposal.

How has the negative attention on the bus industry affected your business?

There’s been a positive impact. Our ridership is up in many markets. In Boston, where Fung Wah have been closed for the last couple weeks, our business has been up significantly. For too long these rogue carriers have been operating underneath the radar. The government is recognizing that now and doing the right thing.

What does Peter Pan do to ­ensure your buses are safe?

Every single night they are completely serviced, inspected, cleaned and we have other inspections based on miles. We have a network of garage locations throughout our service area where the buses are completely inspected. Our drivers are in strict compliance with hours of safety regulations.

Why did you begin requiring customers to have trip-specific tickets?

The industry is evolving. People now want the security of knowing that they have a reservation on a particular bus, and we’ve gravitated our model to that. Our industry is very nimble and flexible and that’s what makes us appealing.

Why do you partner with Greyhound?

So we could offer our consumers more choice in scheduling. Prior to our pooling arrangement [in 1999], we ran a 9 a.m. and they ran a 9 a.m. [Now] we’ll run a 9 a.m. and they’ll run a 9:30. We’ve coordinated our schedules to give the consumer more options. And because we’ve been able to save some miles together, we’ve been able to lower our price. Our fares are lower today than they were in 1999.

Why didn’t Greyhound and Peter Pan increase the Bolt Bus routes instead of creating the YO Bus line when Fung Wah was taken off the road?

We saw YO Bus as Chinatown specific. There’s great demand from people who want to go to Chinatown. YO goes from New York’s Chinatown to Chinatown in Philadelphia and to Boston now. Bolt Bus is city center to city center.

Will your company move to Springfield’s Union Station after the $75 million renovation is complete?

We’ve expressed an interest to move into Union Station. We want to see it happen. We need to work with the city on two things. We need to know how much the rent is, and we need to work with the city on a proper reuse of our property. The last thing Springfield needs is another vacant piece of property.

What is your relationship to Penn National Gaming?

I am partners with Penn National on bringing an $807 million casino to downtown Springfield. If we’re fortunate enough to be licensed, the casino would reuse the current Peter Pan property. Our family has been pursuing this casino opportunity in Springfield for the better part of 20 years and we believe it to be the absolute best spot in Springfield.

Will you move to Union Station if the city’s casino contract goes to MGM and not Penn National?

We need to figure out a viable reuse for this property. We’re not saying you have to have a casino, we’re saying you have to reuse this property. We believe a casino is certainly an ideal reuse.

Every CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines has been named Peter Picknelly. Were you groomed for the position since birth?

I can certainly tell you that as a youngster, I never wanted to be a Boston Red Sox player or a fireman. All I’ve every wanted to do was to work at Peter Pan and follow in the footsteps of my grandfather and father. I wake up every day and I’m a bus guy.

Do you take the bus? When was the last time?

I do. I met my wife on a Peter Pan bus in 1988. It was from Springfield to Hartford to be specific. The last time I rode the bus was a couple months ago.

By Brittany-Marie Swanson, Associate Editor – Metro Magazine.

Peter Pan Bus Lines, which will celebrate its 80th anniversary in April 2013, has come a long way since Peter Carmine Picknelly started providing service from Northampton to Boston using just four 1933 Buick Jitney buses.

Now, the operator provides charter bus rental, college and corporate shuttles, transit to sporting events and more. Its new express service allows passengers to travel non-stop between destinations.

“With Peter Pan Express, you can reach your destination by traveling from point A to point B without any stops in between on most routes, and with only one rest stop on longer routes,” says Kimberly Bolduc, marketing manager for Peter Pan Bus. “There is capacity management and reserved seating.”

To promote the service, Bolduc says, Peter Pan has launched advertising on various travel sites and behavioral searches, college print ads, terminal signage and during grassroots events, as well as on radio stations and billboards. They also promote the service through email blasts and on their website.

During Thanksgiving, the operator targeted Boston college and university students – who can take Peter Pan’s campus shuttle to parking, housing, sports facilities, events, or local businesses and attractions in the areas surrounding campus – by putting out a print ad that offered a free sandwich at Cheese Boy when students purchased a side or drink and had a Peter Pan bus ticket.

“Boston is full of college students, which make up a large number of our ridership in the Boston market, so this particular promotion was around students only,” Bolduc explains. “We wanted to give them a nice perk and added value for riding with Peter Pan.”

The marketing campaign received some attention on the social media site Twitter, she adds.

Among its many services, Peter Pan runs Coach Builders, a full service bus, truck and trailer facility.

“Peter Pan’s Coach Builder business has over 30 years in refurbishing, maintenance, repair and graphics applications for Peter Pan’s fleet as well as private intercity and public regional transit organizations,” Bolduc says.

Customers can commission vehicle decals and full wraps, repair or restoration, and a bevy of other services performed by the operator’s highly trained team of specialists.

The operator also demonstrates a commitment to its customers by providing its drivers with a minimum of six weeks of training, which includes customer service training. The drivers undergo daily and weekly evaluations for the duration of the program, which also covers American with Disabilities Act training, emergency evacuation and counter-terrorism techniques, and defensive driving.

To be able to offer the best quality service to its customers, Peter Pan Bus Lines purchased new MCI J4500s “to add to its modern fleet of buses to assure that its passengers will be among the first on the block to enjoy the model’s cutting-edge good looks, legroom and a smoother ride,” Bolduc explains.

The new coaches have clean-diesel engine technology to help reduce emissions and burn less fuel. They are also equipped with free Wi-Fi, large seats with expansive legroom and power outlets for passenger use. MCI has added a SmartWave integrated tire-pressure monitoring system with new, always-on sensors and an Amerex fire-suppression system and engine compartment fire detection to the new model. The J4500s are also equipped with a Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 210 load-compliant seat track and mounting system with infinite adjustability.

“We’re very impressed with the new bus model,” said Peter Pan Bus Lines CEO/Chairman Peter A. Picknelly. “MCI, leading manufacturer of intercity coaches, has taken what is already a terrific vehicle and modernized it further. We are very pleased to be the first recipient and feel it will further enhance our passengers’ overall travel experience.”

By David Hubbard – BusRide.

Peter Carmine Picknelly started with a small transit operation in East Orange, NJ in 1920 and eventually founded Peter Pan Bus Lines in 1933. No guessing about the name, Peter Pan  by J.M. Barrie was the favorite bedtime story of the Picknelly children, who grew – and are growing – to keep the dream and the family business growing successfully through four generations for 80 years. Upon his death in 1964, he left the company to his son Peter L. Picknelly. He opened the Springfield Bus Terminal, current headquarters of Peter Pan Bus Lines, and his son Peter A. Picknelly serves as chairman and CEO.

President and CFO Brian Stefano began his career with Peter Pan Bus Lines as a controller 23 years ago and served as chief financial officer. Last year the company promoted him to president and CEO, the first time in the 80-year history that someone from outside the Picknelly family has served as president.

BUSRide spoke with the principals, who also include Joe Picknally, director, inventory control and fleet maintenance, and Christopher Crean, vice president, safety and security, on the state-of-the-company and how Peter Pan remains a vibrant industry leader.

Fleet operations and services

Peter Pan Bus Lines runs an all-MCI fleet of 200 modern motorcoaches. The relationship between Peter Pan and Motor Coach Industries (MCI), Schaumburg, IL, an 80-year old company as well, dates back to the 1970s. As a partner with Greyhound since 1998, the two companies launched BoltBus in 2007 with 85 Prevost X3-45s. Northeast Express came four years later, a first class bus service with guaranteed seating, custom coaches with specially designed interiors and special guest services in private waiting areas in the terminals.

This past December, Peter Pan and Greyhound took a lesson from the street corner operators to introduce YO!, a Chinatown-to-Chinatown service operating out of New York City. “These operators showed us a niche that needed to be filled, but they went about it so poorly, with no regard for safety,” says Peter Picknelly. “YO! applies the model correctly. We offer modern coaches and remove the chaos from the curbside experience. Customers can buy a ticket online and board in groups of 10 in an orderly manner.”

Brian Stefano says obtaining a permit for curbside service has become more stringent. “We worked over a year to secure our curbside location for YO!,” he says. “That is probably not bad in the long run. It was getting out of hand with so many shadowy carriers not properly permitted.”

Peter Pan is using web-based technology to analyze customer demands and equipment needs in real time and implementing dynamic pricing. “For instance, a few years ago we left ourselves open to provide unlimited seating at one price,” says Picknelly. “We have since moved from one regulated price into internet-based yield management.” Stefano adds that Peter Pan is operating much more like an airline, where the price of a seat can fluctuate with every trip by the day by the hour. He attributes the success to smart shoppers who purchase tickets well in advance. “But not every area is the same,” he says. “While the Boston internet market is strong, Philadelphia still caters primarily to walk-up customers who pay at the counter. Our policy is to let the customer tell us how they want to buy, and we accommodate their preferences.”

Safety and security

Christopher Crean attests to the power of the internet in the search for the most qualified individuals to hire as Peter Pan coach drivers, saying the new system actually delivers higher quality candidates.

The process begins with an online-only employee character analysis and initial testing. “We make our selections and invite them in for a face-to-face interview,” says Crean. “Those who score high and make it through the interview enter our training program.” He says the initial screening eliminates those with only the mechanical skills and who are unfamiliar with the technology required in modern bus operations. The interview is more personal. The conversation assesses the candidate’s comfort level and preferences such as availability for work weekend work and holidays, and typical reactions in stressful situations -  traffic congestion, schedule delays and irritable and irate passengers.

“Our HR professionals have been conducting these interviews for a long time,” says Crean. “Anyone can put on a good show, but my team knows what questions to ask a candidate to draw out the true response and present the most accurate profile.” Crean says Peter Pan drivers come from all walks of life. Some have years of driving experience, some have none. “We can teach the requisite driving skills, but we are looking for the individual with the potential to become a professional Peter Pan motorcoach operator,” he says.”That person is a quality individual who is not only the safest driver possible, but also an affable tour host, parent and psychologist who can do it all with a smile.”

Training for Peter Pan

The six to eight-week Peter Pan performance-based driver training program prepares drivers to for all conditions and circumstances, and thoroughly verses them on the rules and regulations for passenger carriers and public roadways. “We operate in a generation that relies heavily on technology such as GPS,” says Crean. “We train our drivers not to become too dependent and to do their own homework on the routes they travel. We want Peter Pan drivers to know all the landmarks and to be especially aware of all clearance restrictions such as bridges and tunnels. The old fashioned way will always work. Problems arise when they fall into bad habits or the habits of others,” he adds.”Then we have to work to correct them”

Crean says the FMCSA’s Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) system has changed everything. “What was acceptable five years ago is no longer,” he says.”No variance, no tolerance. Every aspect of an operation is now coming under greater scrutiny.” He says the company is updating its onboard surveillance with the installation of six-camera systems on each of the 200 Peter Pan coaches by the end of this year.

MCI maintenance training

“As everyone knows, motorcoaches has evolved into more of a process of electronic diagnosis as opposed to mechanical,” says Joe Picknally. “Our mechanics and technicians must show their commitment learning and relearning new technologies through continuous training and education.” Peter Pan will be sending five of its top mechanics to the MCI Technical Training Institute in Louisville, KY. “MCI is able to teach and train in areas our mechanics can’t get anywhere else,” says Picknally.”They will come back as our ‘super trainers’ to share what they learned with the rest of the crew in the six Peter Pan maintenance locations.”

Social media in play

The power of social media is not lost on Peter Pan. Case in point: the drivers, who in Picknelly’s mind are the most important people in the company. “The number one compliment we receive on Facebook, Twitter and our website concerns our drivers,” he says. “The number one complaint is for our drivers. It shows how important they are in the mind of the customer.”

Peter Pan marketing and HR monitor all social media sites daily and respond, taking action in real time when a situation needs immediate attention. “Every senior manager receives a weekly social media report revealing the good, bad and ugly,” says Picknelly. “They use the comments to gauge trends positively or negatively and shore up customer relations. Social media is a powerful indicator if used properly. If a business is not on top of this phenomenon, it can sink the company.”

Future just ahead

Picknelly says the focus is just ahead at what Peter Pan is doing at this time. “Our company is perfectly sized for our geographic location,” he says.”There is so much opportunity in our current footprint. We will simply continue to refine our efforts and see where they take us.”

Under the guidance of coach William Shepard, the boys achieved a dramatic 50 – 48 overtime win against Eastern Massachusetts champions Mansfield. “We’re bringing this back to Springfield,” said the coach. “As a city, we can build on this to continue to do good things for Springfield.”

Doing good things for Springfield has been an 80 year tradition at Peter Pan Bus Lines. Peter Pan was proud to be there for Putnam as they accomplished this momentous achievement for the school and for the city