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Peter Pan Bus Lines

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Peter Pan Bus Lines
A Peter Pan MCI J4500, photographed in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Founded1933; 91 years ago (1933)
HeadquartersSpringfield Union Station
Springfield, Massachusetts[1]
LocaleNortheastern United States
Service areaNortheastern United States
Service type
AllianceMegabus[2]
FleetMCI D4505, MCI J4500
Chief executivePeter A. Picknelly
Websitepeterpanbus.com
A now-retired MCI 102-A3 coach in Peter Pan/Trailways hybrid livery, 2003; the two companies maintained a partnership from the early 1990s through 2005.

Peter Pan Bus Lines operates an intercity bus service in the Northeastern United States. It is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts. It operates service to and from Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

The company logo is based on an illustration by Roy Best for the Peter Pan Picture Book.[3] Since its founding in 1933, the company has been owned by the Picknelly family. Peter Pan's fleet consists mostly of buses manufactured by Motor Coach Industries.

History

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Peter Carmine Picknelly founded the company in 1933 with two Buick limousines and named it after his son's favorite storybook, Peter Pan.[4] The company's first route operated between Northampton, Massachusetts and Boston through Stafford Springs, Connecticut, costing $1.75 and requiring nearly four hours of travel time. In 1957, the Massachusetts Turnpike was opened and travel time was cut in half.[5] The son of the founder, Peter L. Picknelly, took over upon the death of the founder in 1964 and developed tour packages to the 1964 New York World's Fair.[5]

Peter Pan Bus Lines was affiliated with Trailways Transportation System beginning in the 1990s, but ended that affiliation in 2005. A new partnership was announced May 2024 between Peter Pan Bus Lines and Trailways.[6]

In 1999, an alliance was formed with Greyhound Lines, coordinating schedules, marketing, and ticket sales. Peter Pan and Greyhound had been bitter rivals for most of the 1990s, when Peter Pan expanded outside New England to serve New York City, Washington, D. C., Philadelphia and Baltimore. This partnership was dissolved in 2017.[7]

In December 2002, Peter Pan acquired Coach USA's Northeastern division with 255 vehicles.[8][9][10] In 2004, Peter Pan sold the Maine Line operation in Portland to Cyr Bus Line.[11] The same year, Peter A. Picknelly III took over as CEO after the death of his father.[5] In 2005, Peter Pan closed its Pawtuxet Valley, Rhode Island operations.[12] On August 15, 2024, Peter Pan Bus Lines and MegaBus announced a partnership that will result in Peter Pan taking over all the Megabus routes in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states.[13]

Controversies

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CEO Peter A. Picknelly III has made political contributions aimed at dissuading the development of high-speed railroads in Massachusetts.[14]

References

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  1. ^ Goonan, Peter (January 30, 2019). "Springfield names Union Station bus entrance Peter Pan Way in honor of local company". The Republican.
  2. ^ "Megabus.com and Peter Pan partner to expand bus service". Bus & Motorcoach News. December 21, 2022.
  3. ^ "Peter Pan Picture Book: Shape Book". Barnes & Noble.
  4. ^ Bayot, Jennifer (October 15, 2004). "Peter Picknelly, 73, Chairman of Peter Pan Bus Lines, Dies". The New York Times.
  5. ^ a b c Chimelis, Ron (September 19, 2022). "Next generation taking the wheel at Peter Pan Bus Lines". The Republican.
  6. ^ "Peter Pan Bus Lines and Trailways Form Strategic Partnership to Provide Customers More Travel Options". Trailways. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  7. ^ Vaccaro, Adam (August 29, 2017). "Greyhound, Peter Pan will split up and be rivals again". The Boston Globe.
  8. ^ "Peter Pan buys Bonanza, other bus lines". The Standard-Times. The Associated Press. December 6, 2002.
  9. ^ "Stagecoach negotiates sale of U.S. operations". Metro Magazine. May 1, 2003.
  10. ^ "Peter Pan acquires Bonanza and Pawtuxet Valley Bus Lines". Providence Business News. June 25, 2003.
  11. ^ "ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS RECOGNIZING JOHN T. CYR AND SONS, INC".
  12. ^ "Rhode Island operator returns to coach industry after lengthy sabbatical". Metro Magazine. January 1, 2006.
  13. ^ "Family-owned Peter Pan Bus Lines Takes Over Megabus Routes in Northeast Corridor". Peter Pan Bus Lines. August 15, 2024.
  14. ^ Glaun, Dan (July 29, 2016). "Peter Picknelly lobbied against proposed Springfield to Boston rail study, sending email two days before Gov. Baker's veto". The Republican.

Further reading

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  • Maniscalchi, Denna (2000). Driving Vision: The Story of Peter Pan Bus Lines. Peter Pan Bus Lines. ISBN 9780967949307.
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