When Doug Wright stepped in as President of Forest River Bus & Van in March 2025, his goal was clear — take a strong company and make it even stronger. In this conversation, METRO Executive Editor Alex Roman talks with Wright about Forest River’s journey so far, what’s driving its successtoday, and his vision for the future.

Topics include:

·        COVID’s Impact on the company and industry.

·        Transporting the most vulnerable members ofsociety.

·        Controlling customer service.

·        Issues facing bus manufacturing now.

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Julie Chalmers was recently named one of METRO’s 2025 Women in Transportation. Recently, Executive Editor Alex Roman had a chance to talk to Chalmers, GM at Hotard Coaches Inc. in New Orleans, about being a leader in a historically male-dominated industry, providing mentorship to other women, career milestones, and much more.  

Topics include:

• Getting her start in the motorcoach industry. 
• Hurdles faced as a woman in transportation.
• How Hotard has evolved over the years.
• Attracting women into the motorcoach industry.

With COVID splitting the number of motorcoach operatorsessentially in half, the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) is working on ways to boost new entrants. Scott Michael, President and CEO of the UMA, joins METRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman to discuss what the association is doing toincrease the number of operators, the state of the UMA in general, and much more.

Topics include:

·        The impact of COVID on the motorcoach industry.

·        Creating relationships with state and federallegislators.

·        Evolving post-pandemic business models.

·        Who is currently entering the market?

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Josh Stoddard is the Director of Vehicle Maintenance at Spokane Transit Authority (STA), a role he has held sinceat least April 2025. In this capacity, he oversees the maintenance operations for STA's fleet, ensuring the reliability and safety of the vehicles that serve the Spokane community. ​Topics include:

·        Spokane Transit’s growing fleet and bus facilityneeds.

·        The opportunities for technicians to growthrough the use of technology.

·        Information sharing at the state and federallevel.

·        Choosing the right team to support youthroughout the entire process.

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Recently, the American Bus Association (ABA) released its“Motorcoach 2025 Sustainability and Innovation Report,” affirming what industry leaders have long championed: “motorcoach travel is the most energy-efficient and environmentally responsible mode of passenger transportation in North America.” Michelle Petelicki, president of New Jersey’s Panorama Tours, joins METRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman to discuss how the motorcoach industry is in fact sustainable, the impact of the ABA’s report, and much more.

Topics include:

·        Why motorcoaches aren’t typically viewed as“green.”

·        How operators can capitalize on the report’sfindings.

·        Creating relationships state and federallegislators.

·        Motorcoach operators’ role in major specialevents, including 2026’s World Cup.

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Charlie Busse is Director of Maintenance at  @connecttransit  (Connect Transit), the public transportation provider for Bloomington-Normal, Ill. Charlie is the driving force behind Connect Transit’s fleet operations. He ensures that every bus on the road is safe, reliable, and running at peak performance. But, his role goes far beyond just keeping wheels turning — Charlie is a key player in the agency’s forward-thinking initiatives, including integrating electric buses and developing cutting-edge charging infrastructure. Through his leadership, Connect Transit is not only maintaining service standards but also paving the way toward a more sustainable and efficient future in public transportation. Find out more in this first edition of Bus Tech Talk.Topics include:• How Charlie got his start in the public transit industry.• The challenges of being part of a small agency from a maintenance perspective.• Recruiting, retaining, and training today’s technicians. • Embracing new tech in the shop.Make sure you're signed up for the METRO Express newsletter, so you don't miss another METROspectives.Sign up for the METRO newsletter: https://www.metro-magazine.com/newsletter-signup?utm_source=formcms&utm_medium=email_subscriptions_optins&utm_campaign=met_website_100#transit #transportation #leadership #publictransit 🚚 Visit Metro Magazine for all the latest transportation news and information ➡ https://www.metro-magazine.com/ 🤝 Follow and connect with Work Truck on social media! Metro on LinkedIn ➡https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/metromag/ Metro on Twitter ➡ https://twitter.com/METROmagTweet Metro on Facebook ➡ https://www.facebook.com/MetroMagTimestamps00:00 Intro01:30 How Charlie Started in Public Transit02:50 What Fueled His Growth?05:01 Shared Knowledge in the Transit Industry07:02 Challenges/Benefits of being at a Small Transit Agency10:42 Recruiting New Techs in Normal, Ill.15:05 Working to Create a Heavy-Duty Training Program16:32 Additional Training Opportunities20:45 Working with New Technologies in the Shop23:00 Embracing New Tech, including AI25:00 The Learning Curve when bringing in New Vehicles

Since 2022, Flix North America CEO Kai Boysan has led thestrategic direction of FlixBus and Greyhound, major players in long-distance bus travel across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. METRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman spoke to Boysan, about how the FlixBus model works, the company’s worldwide success, and much more.

Topics include:

·      The state of the intercity bus line industry.

·      The current state and future of Greyhound fouryears after the FlixBus acquisition.

·      Policy updates that would help the intercity busflourish.

·      Motorcoach successfully taking on some airlinetrips.

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The LA ART aerial gondola project aims to ease congestionand cut pollution in the Los Angeles region by connecting Union Station to Dodger Stadium. When completed, the gondola will serve underserved communities, including El Pueblo, Chinatown, Mission Junction, and Solano Canyon, and offer ADA-accessible cabins with space for strollers and bikes. METRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman to David Grannis, Executive Director of Zero Emissions Transit, about the project and its current timeline, its sustainability benefits, the impact it could have on the community, and more.

Topics include:

·      What an aerial gondola system is.

·      Building community support when pitching aforward-thinking project.

·      The project’s aggressive proposed completiondate.

·      The room for innovation in public transit

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Beginning as a small, minority-owned startup in SanFrancisco in 1975, MV Transportation is celebrating its 50thAnniversary in 2025. METRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman had a chance to talk to MV’s Chief Customer Success Officer Gary Coles about the company’s milestone and much more.

Topics include:

·      The company’s humble beginnings and its growthinto a national company.

·      How MV is helping transit agencies adapt newservice models.

·      Identifying new technologies to help theindustry operate safer and more efficient systems.

·      MV’s next 50 years.

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One of the top five largest contractors in the nation, WeDriveU recently rebranded from its previous name National Express. In our latest edition of METROspectives, WeDriveU’s President/CEO Erick Van Wagenen joinsMETRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman to discuss the reasons for the rebrand, the company’s recently launched engagement initiative and much more.

Topics include:

·        What’s next after the rebrand.

·        Mobility trends in the industry.

·        Addressing workforce issues from bus operatorsto management and everything in between.

·        Public Transit’s current set of distractions.

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