Birnie Bus Service Providing Diverse Public & Private Transportation
By Harrell Kerkhoff
Busline Magazine Editor
This article reprinted from the
September/October 2011 issue of Busline
Safe, reliable and courteous — important words that 1,400 employees at 17 locations across New York state live by while working at Birnie Bus Service, Inc. Company officials have used these words to help transform the business into a diverse public and private transportation provider.
Although the family-owned company, based in Rome, NY, has grown tremendously from its start in 1947, its core values for success have not changed. Today, Birnie Bus Service operates over 1,000 vehicles, including equipment manufactured by IC Bus.
“The goals of Birnie Bus Service have always been the same — to grow our core businesses; grow our team of valuable employees; take
advantage of ever increasing opportunities such as privatization of school transportation; and grow our charter services across the country,” Birnie Bus Service President Tim Birnie said.
“We have become a very diversified company, providing services for school districts, motorcoach charters, line runs and transportation related to Medicaid.”
Tim Birnie, center, president of Birnie Bus Service, is shown with William Beckman, front, and William Egan. Both Beckman and Egan work in the company’s charter planning division.
Offering public transportation in the form of fixed-route and on-demand response in five upstate New York counties is also a vital part of business for Birnie Bus Service. This includes campus shuttles at several colleges/universities, such as Colgate University, located in Hamilton, NY. Called the Colgate Cruiser, this service is designed to help students and other members of the community travel throughout campus, as well as downtown Hamilton, off-campus residence halls, apartment complexes, and local stores and restaurants.
“Public transportation is an important part of our business and has expanded over the years. We entered this type of work to further diversify, and it’s been a natural fit,” Tim Birnie said.
A line run operation through central New York is another part of the transportation mix at Birnie Bus Service. This fixed-route takes place between Little Falls and Syracuse.
“We transport about 110,000 people on this line per year. Most of these riders are workers going to, and from, their jobs. We also provide a fixed-route to a resort/casino in Verona, NY, on a daily basis. Three to four motorcoaches are used for this service alone,” Tim Birnie said. “Our company transports many college and professional sports teams as well. We continue to expand.”
Finding new riders, and thus new revenue, helps Birnie Bus Service with its growth, even during slow economic times. One avenue of growth has come from the international market.
“We are finding a lot of work with the international traveler. This involves picking up groups and taking them anywhere they want to go, either locally or across the United States,” Tim Birnie said. “Foreign travelers like to come to our country as their money goes further due to the lower value of today’s U.S. dollar.
“We market toward this group, and it’s a growing segment. They use the same type of transportation that we are already providing to other groups.”
A History Lesson Of Dedication And Growth
Being a family-owned and operated transportation company, the evolution of Birnie Bus Service began shortly after World War II when Tim Birnie’s parents, Martin K. and MaryJo Birnie, started working with MaryJo’s brother, who had a small transportation company in place.
In 1953, Mr. and Mrs. Birnie purchased the bus company and formed the corporation in 1960. Thirteen years later, the business underwent a dramatic change in size and focus as it became the major carrier for the Rome City School District, taking 80 percent of all routes and a 5-year contract.
In the fall of 1979, a second generation of the family came aboard as Tim Birnie became a full-time employee, leaving behind a 10-year teaching career.
“I was born into the bus industry. I became a teacher for 10 years after graduating from college, but I continued to work at our family business on weekends, nights, summers, etc. I have always been involved with buses in some way. It’s in my blood,” Tim Birnie said. “I know both sides of the coin when it comes to student transportation, having been an educator of children and now responsible for transporting them.”
Although he is currently the company president, Tim Birnie hasn’t forgotten his roots when it comes to providing hands-on service as he continues to drive a school bus.
“I try to lead by example and feel our employees respect and like to see me continue to drive a bus. I don’t ask our fellow drivers to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself on a daily basis,” Tim Birnie said. “It’s just like running a factory. If you really want to run it right, it’s important to interact with the people who are operating the machinery.
“I talk with our employees every day. This includes mechanics, body shop personnel, dispatchers and drivers. It’s important to keep track of the company’s pulse.”
One of the basic goals Tim Birnie had when joining the family business full time in 1979 was to expand its product offering.
“Back then, we basically were a one contract type of company. We worked for the Rome school district. That was basically what we did,” Tim Birnie said. “I had a little different vision, one in which we would expand and diversify. We now provide transportation for preschoolers all the way to adults.”
Approval to transport groups and tours throughout the United States was granted by the Interstate Commerce Commission to Birnie Bus Service in 1982. Since then, the charter field continues to show strong growth for the company.
Birnie Bus Service entered yet another market in 1988 when it started to transport people with disabilities in association with the Rome Developmental Center. Over 80 buses are now dedicated to this growing market in several New York counties. In 2008, the company also became an affiliate of the Trailways System.
As the business heads into the future, members of another generation from the Birnie family are starting to make their presence felt. After completing a marketing degree in May 2010 from Providence College, in Providence, RI, and gaining corporate experience in New York City during the past year, Tim Birnie’s daughter, Kait Birnie, has joined the family business. She currently is serving as a consultant.
“I’m loving it so far. Basically, I’m grabbing everybody’s coat tails and trying to learn as much as possible,” Kait Birnie said. “I’m trying to get a feel for everything and have a lot to learn. I also have some new ideas and initiatives that I would like to implement at our company after gaining experience in the corporate world.”
Kait Birnie’s twin sister, Lauren, and younger brother, Brian, also plan to join the company in the future.
“My sister is a graduate of Providence College as well and majored in management. She is currently living in Boston, MA, where she works for a financial firm as she gains experience in that field,” Kait Birnie said. “Lauren is extremely eager to work for Birnie Bus Service in the future. My sister, brother and I are learning as much as possible right now. We are very excited.
“This is a great industry, and hopefully we can help take Birnie Bus Service to the next level in the years ahead.”
As any proud parents would be, Tim Birnie and his wife, Kim, are optimistic about their children’s future with the company.
“Kait, Lauren and Brian had the same advantage that I had growing up. Our children were born into the bus business. Every night at the supper table we talked about buses. Just by osmosis alone they have been able to learn a lot about this industry,” Tim Birnie said. “I feel our children have the same passion that my father and I have had over the years.”
The Value Of Loyal Employees
When all three do eventually come aboard, Kait, Lauren and Brian Birnie will join an employee base that has been credited for helping the company grow throughout its long history.
“One of the main keys to our company’s success has been our dedicated and loyal employees. They play a key role in building strong customer retention,” Tim Birnie said.
With a work force that has reached the 1,400 mark, Birnie Bus Service provides a wide variety of jobs related to bus transportation. This includes CDL licensed drivers, bus attendants, dispatchers, certified diesel mechanics and body shop technicians, human resource specialists, charter and operation division employees, safety and training personnel, road safety investigators, regional managers and numerous support staff.
President Tim Birnie and staff are shown outside
the company’s Rome, NY, headquarters.
“We have the complete business office in place at our headquarters in Rome. This includes accounts receivable, accounts payable, finance and payroll. The positions we offer are very diverse,” Birnie Bus Service Assistant Director of Human Resources Audrey White said. “My background is in hospitality. When I came here, I was in awe of how much it takes to keep the wheels turning everyday.
“The wonderful thing about being a family business is that we like to foster our employees and promote from within. There is room for advancement at this company. We have many employees who have been here for 20 or more years. You come here as a stranger, but you become family and it’s really a second home.” |
Tim Birnie and his daughter, Kait Birnie, of Birnie Bus Service, stand next to two of their IC Bus vehicles. The New York company provides a variety of transportation options.
Tim Birnie agreed, adding that his company looks for people who want a career, not just a job.
“We try to create an atmosphere where every employee is treated the way I would want to be treated myself. This philosophy has been a key to our success,” Tim Birnie said.
Keeping good employees goes a long way in retaining customers. Perhaps no position within any given bus company has greater contact with the customer base than drivers. Therefore, officials at Birnie Bus Service place a high emphasis on driver hiring and training programs that have been in place for years and continue to evolve.
“Next to having a clean driving record and background check, our bus drivers must possess solid customer service skills and be flexible,” Tim Birnie said. “This is important because every day in the bus business can be different. There are constantly new challenges to deal with, such as changes in weather, passenger behavior, road conditions and detours. A good driver is able to think fast on his/her feet.”
White added that driver training at Birnie Bus Service is conducted in-house.
“We meet and exceed state standards with our training programs. This includes refresher courses given to existing drivers,” White said. “It’s important that their driving skills stay sharp.
“In the interview process, we give potential employees a three-page questionnaire. We look at their responses and body language to see if they are a good fit for our company. When hiring a driver, we try to find out if that person would be best driving students, motorcoaches or for those with disabilities. It’s a pretty intense program that we put our drivers and monitors through.”
Officials at Birnie Bus Service try to be creative as well when providing training.
“One of the new things we did this year was bring in a guest speaker during one of our training programs. The speaker provided some new ideas and ways of looking at things. The response we received from our employees was very positive,” Tim Birnie said. “Finding good drivers is tough, but keeping good drivers is easy because we treat them right. It’s the same philosophy we use for all of our people.”
According to Tim Birnie, his company has been blessed over the years by being located in an area where people tend to possess strong work ethics and appreciation for the local climate.
“One of our biggest challenges as a company is dealing with the winter weather in upstate New York. A large majority of the people we have working for us have been brought up in the northeast. They are used to dealing with winter weather and winter driving,” he said.
Different Equipment
For Different Uses
With over 1,000 vehicles in its fleet, Birnie Bus Service has built quite a cross section of equipment to fit the different needs of the company’s customer base. This includes full-size motorcoaches and mini-coaches as well as school buses and vans.
“In our charter division, we have recently implemented new IC Bus HC Platinum Series vehicles with luxurious amenities. Our company has a number of these buses on the road and they have been successful for us. They include luxury seating, restrooms, luggage racks, reading lights, DVD players, stereo systems and storage. Our charter fleet also includes such amenities as Wi-Fi and satellite TV,” Tim Birnie said. “For some of our college shuttle, transit and demand-response work, we’ve made a commitment to IC Bus and its new commercial AC Series small shuttle. And we continue to purchase school buses from IC Bus as part of our school transportation fleet.
“All in all, we have a very diversified fleet.”
He added that officials at Birnie Bus Service have found success over the years working with IC Bus.
“We feel they put together a good product and believe their service is excellent,” Tim Birnie said. “As a Trailways affiliate, the new buses that we use have the right green technology which allows us to reduce our carbon footprint. In addition, other technologies have improved safety and security. For example, we take full advantage of a GPS tracking system in place. This allows us to know where our vehicles are located anywhere in the United States and Canada. We also know the speed of which these vehicles are traveling as well as any excess in idling that is taking place.”
According to Tim Birnie, the riding public always wants the best that they can receive when it comes to equipment.
“Obviously, the more amenities that you can provide the more these amenities become part of the standard operating procedure,” he said. “We try to take advantage of technology as it presents itself.”
This includes the use of a four-point camera system installed in the company’s school buses and some college shuttles. This system aids bus drivers by helping with safety and student management.
Besides technology, keeping vehicles in clean and working order remain high priorities at Birnie Bus Service.
“We recognize that safety and cleanliness go together. Repeat customers are the key to business. Our focus on ‘safe, reliable and courteous’ transportation helps keep our customers coming back. Cleanliness is part of this focus,” Tim Birnie said.
Another advantage Birnie Bus Service has enjoyed over the years has to do with the number of locations in New York state that the company maintains. This number has grown to 17.
“We own the majority of these facilities, while some are leased. There are around 25 buildings that are part of our company structure,” Tim Birnie said. “We are currently planning for another facility to be located in southern New York state.”
The company’s headquarters, meanwhile, remain in Rome, a city with a population of 34,950 residents and located approximately 35 miles east of Syracuse. Birnie Bus Service’s main corporate facility can be found on the former Griffiss U.S. Air Force Base, which closed in 1995.
“We are located in a former vehicle maintenance building that was once part of the air force base. We completely renovated this facility about 10 years ago, and now have a very nice corporate office and a rather large maintenance shop in place,” Tim Birnie said. “We also installed an up-to-date, state-of-the-art painting facility. There was already a painting facility here that we used for a number of years until we decided our company needed an update. The old painting facility then became our sand blasting booth, while we built a new facility that can handle any vehicle from a small bus to a 45-foot motorcoach.”
Painting buses has become a niche offering that Birnie Bus Service now specializes in for the surrounding transportation industry.
“Many places rely on us due to current regulations for operating a painting facility. We not only provide our own painting work, but we paint vehicles for other bus companies as well as school districts,” Tim Birnie said.
Today’s Challenges And Future Goals
In the wake of recent serious bus accidents that have taken place in different areas of the United States, today’s transportation operators are facing new challenges that must be addressed in order to remain competitive. These accidents have brought additional scrutiny to bus operators from government regulators as well as members of the pubic.
Pictured is a staff meeting at Birnie Bus Service.
The company provides diverse transportation options
for people in New York and beyond.
“You have to take what is going on within the bus industry seriously regarding these accidents. As a company, however, we are not against extra scrutiny because we run a top-notch service,” Tim Birnie said. “In today’s world, you have to cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i’ as our industry is under the microscope. It’s been an interesting challenge for the industry as a whole.”
Another challenge for bus operators is today’s high cost of fuel and related expenses. To help soften the blow of higher fuel prices, officials at Birnie Bus Service pre-buy fuel at opportune times as well as purchase the most efficient equipment that is available. The company also makes sure current buses remain in fine working order to help reduce fuel usage.
He added that high fuel prices could actually provide a benefit as it pertains to public transportation use.
“Our business stays fairly consistent. If there is another fuel crisis, however, it could influence ridership in a positive manner. More people may want to leave their own vehicles at home,” Tim Birnie said.
Regarding school transportation, he added that there are more school buses running in New York than in any other state. This is due, in part, to the state’s population, ranked third highest in the country, as well as the historic dependence on this form of travel among New York educators and residents.
Birnie Bus Service officials have been busy over the years trying to promote the benefits of school bus privatization.
“Obviously, I come with a prejudicial point of view on this subject, but we feel school districts from around the country that provide their own bus transportation could save a lot of money by going to privatization — letting private bus companies provide the bus service for them,” Tim Birnie said. “This is not to be negative about the bus drivers who work for school districts because they are good and dedicated people.
“However, we have a different philosophy on transportation than some, and believe school districts can save millions of dollars through privatization. This saved money can then be used for education purposes in the classroom. There is a trend in place for more privatization, but we would like to see this trend move a little quicker.”
As for the overall future of his company, Tim Birnie is optimistic that Birnie Bus Service will continue to grow its core businesses, continue to foster strong relationships with customers and employees, and take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves.
“Our industry touches the lives of almost everyone — from school transportation to transit to charter service,” Tim Birnie said. “We at Birnie Bus Service look forward to the future by continually meeting the needs of customers through ‘safe, reliable and courteous’ transportation.”
Contact: Birnie Bus Service, Inc.,
248 Otis St., Rome, NY 13441.
Phone: 800-734-3950.
Email: info@birniebus.com.
Website: www.birniebus.com. |
Top Leaders And Organizations Honored By APTA
The American Public Transportation Association announced the individual and organizational winners of the 2011 APTA Awards in New Orleans during its annual meeting and EXPO. APTA spokespeople say these annual awards are given to those individuals and public transportation systems that have shown great leadership and advanced the state of public transportation in North America.
“As the ‘best of the best,’ the 2011 APTA Award winners serve as role models of excellence to everyone in the public transportation industry,” said former APTA President William Millar. “Their work in public transportation has made lasting contributions, not only for transit riders, but for the entire public transit industry.”
Three public transportation agencies, competing in three different categories based on annual ridership, were honored as the best public transportation systems in North America, based on their achievements from 2008-2010. The 2011 winners of the Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement awards are:
• Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, Santa Monica, CA (Category: Providing more than 20 million annual passenger trips.)
Despite the challenges facing every U.S. transit system in the current economic environment, the Big Blue Bus successfully increased ridership and implemented new service strategies and innovative, sustainable transit solutions for its community over the past year. These accomplishments were even more notable because, less than 18 months ago, the system faced a structural deficit that threatened to cause the Big Blue Bus to operate at a loss for the first time in its history. With creative thinking, a philosophy of continuous improvement, and some long hours, the Big Blue Bus staff was able to bridge the operating funds gap while continuing to build an infrastructure for improved service in the future. The Big Blue Bus completed a state-of-the-art maintenance facility that has greatly enhanced operations and has added its first 16 articulated buses to its fleet. With a strong customer service focus, the Big Blue Bus integrated bus routes and schedules into Google Transit and opened an online store;
• Sun Metro, El Paso, TX (Category: Providing more than 4 million but less than 20 million annual passenger trips.)
Sun Metro has seen a 21 percent increase in ridership at a time when an economic downturn caused national ridership figures to decline. In the last three years, Sun Metro saw the completion of four new transfer centers, a partnership with Google Transit, the installation of nearly 200 new shelters, the arrival of eight new vehicles, and began developing the Rapid Transit System. New facilities with amenities such as free Wi-Fi, real-time display monitors have been built and these were also built with energy savings, water efficiency and carbon emissions reductions. Beyond green buildings, Sun Metro’s entire fleet is powered by clean natural gas and is equipped with bike racks; and,
• Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, Inc., Ithaca, NY (Category: Providing 4 million or fewer annual passenger trips)
Today, the 124-employee organization serves a semi-rural, albeit cosmopolitan community of 100,000, which clearly embraces public transit. From 2008 to 2010, TCAT’s annual ridership jumped 7.8 percent from 3.31 million to 3.58 million trips. TCAT operates 34 routes, 22 hours a day and 360 days a year. TCAT’s 55-bus fleet includes eight hybrids kept in the best condition possible through an aggressive preventive maintenance program.
The past few years have been particularly ambitious for a small and lean organization with a $12 million annual budget. The Center City Project started with the 2007 rehabilitation of the Seneca Street bus shelter and the 2009 opening of TCAT’s flagship Green Street Station.
Safety, work force training, and cooperation among management and TCAT’s 82 bus operators and 19-member maintenance crew are all paramount to TCAT. Customer service inquiries are answered rapidly, typically within one hour.
This year APTA gave a first-time award called the Special Recognition for Extraordinary Recovery which honored the Regional Transportation Authority of New Orleans, LA, for the agency’s tremendous comeback after Hurricane Katrina. The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) lost most of its bus fleet, and its streetcars, facilities, offices, and technology systems were heavily damaged. It faced a myriad of operational, financial, and administrative problems, challenges no other transit system in the country had encountered.
Despite severely depleted resources and the departure of many employees from the city, RTA leaders and employees worked tirelessly to implement partial bus service within 60 days of the hurricane, and partial streetcar service six months later. The transformation of the RTA and its contribution to the economic renewal of New Orleans are remarkable. The RTA now has completely new fleets for both bus and paratransit. Bus routes were revised to match resettlement patterns. Passenger information was greatly improved and a new state-of-the-art RTA website to improve customer service was created. Notably, quality has greatly increased, while costs have not. Due to its sound financial management and system-wide focus on efficiency, operating costs have been held flat for three years despite a 44 percent increase in passenger miles and a 22 percent increases in ridership in 2009 and 2010.
The Innovation Award is an award given to public transit agencies that demonstrate innovative concepts in the provision of public transportation services. The recipient of the 2011 Innovation Award is Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Boston, MA. In November 2009, instead of trying to build its own smartphone apps, the MBTA decided to give its data to third parties whose expertise is in building these tools. |
Third parties, such as small software developers and large media companies, already have the resources and skills to build excellent applications. Within an hour, the first real-time bus app was released. Over the following months, more than 30 apps have been launched at no cost to the MBTA. Third parties continue to make regular updates and improvements to these terrific customer services apps, helping to ensure T riders have access to up-to-date information.
This year’s 2011 APTA Awards also recognized five individuals whose contributions have greatly advanced public transportation:
• Outstanding Public Transportation Manager Award – Stephanie Negriff, General Manager, Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, Santa Monica, CA
As the Director of Transit Services for Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, Negriff oversaw transit service delivery to over 22 million customers a year and a system that spans 52 square miles across the most densely populated area of Los Angeles County. In the past decade under her leadership, the Big Blue Bus has become a leader in environmental sustainability, systems innovation, and alternative fuel technology.
She directed a period of rapid growth that has seen significant expansions of both the fleet and transit facilities. Negriff also oversaw the development of new transit services that reach new and diverse markets, greater community involvement through public outreach programs, and the further adoption of green technologies and operations policies. During her tenure at the Big Blue Bus, she was active on the national level serving on numerous APTA committees;
• Outstanding Public Transportation Business Member Award – Sharon Greene, (Principal, Sharon Greene + Associates, Laguna Beach, CA)
Greene’s knowledge, expertise, and skills were recognized by APTA’s leadership and led her to be selected for key special assignments, including membership on the APTA Presidential Search Task Force, charged with selecting APTA’s new president. She currently serves on the APTA Executive Committee and in the past year, she served as the chair of the Business Member Board of Governors (BMBG). Greene also served as co-chair of the APTA Governance and Committee Structure Task Force, which led to the reshaping of APTA’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors, providing new opportunities for members within APTA’s leadership. Reflecting the wide range of transit issues she is interested in, Greene has been an active member of six other APTA committees and five BMBG committees;
• Outstanding Public Transportation Board Member Award – Crystal Fortune Lyons (Board Chairman, Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority, Corpus Christi, TX)
Crystal Fortune Lyons joined the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Board in 2004, when the City of Corpus Christi appointed her to serve as the city’s appointee “designated to represent the interests of the transportation disadvantaged.”
She immediately took a leadership role within the board by being appointed chair of the Operations Committee in 2005. Then in 2007 she was elected board chair and won subsequent re-elections.
Looking to the future of the RTA, Lyon’s foresight steered the Corpus Christi RTA Board of Directors to an exciting future that includes an alternative fueled fleet, implementation of a long-range system plan, development of a modernized and multi-use Customer Service Center, and the full utilization of GenFare technology on board RTA fixed route vehicles.
• Local Distinguished Service Award – Cameron (Cam) Beach (former member of San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors)
APTA posthumously honored Cameron Beach, who died in March 2011, with the Local Distinguished Service Award, for his four decades of work in the transportation industry. A consummate transit professional, he worked for local, suburban, and intercity bus services; a Class One railroad; a private bus charter and leasing firm; and an airline. Considered the father of Sacramento’s highly successful light rail system, he oversaw the design and construction of the original 18.5-mile train line, which began operating in 1987, and later took on responsibility for all transit operations.
In addition to serving on the MUNI board, Beach’s committee and board memberships included serving as chair of California Operation Lifesaver, chair of the APTA Light Rail Committee, and vice chair of the Committee on Public Safety. He was also a member of APTA’s Alternate Fuels Committee, Heritage Streetcar Subcommittee, and Light Rail Transit Technical Forum; and,
• Hall of Fame Award – Roger Snoble (former CEO of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) Roger Snoble is distinguished as a leading expert and practitioner in the transportation sector. From his beginning days as a planner for the Akron Metro Transit District to leading the transit systems in Dallas and San Diego, he went on to an unprecedented eight-year term as chief executive officer of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority — one of the largest transportation agencies in the nation.
Under his leadership, the agency garnered top national awards for excellence. During his eight years as CEO at Metro, Snoble was responsible not only for bus and rail operations that transported more than 1.5 million boarding passengers on an average weekday, but also for the construction of new transportation projects and county-wide programming of local, state, and federal transportation funds.
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