Academy/Pace operations.....

[Guest]

Have you talked to any Colonial drivers to see if they are in a similar sitation, or is it just Academy drivers? Are you guys unionized and Colonial drivers nonunion? How many, if any, drivers are left over from the Keeshin service acquisition?

Its everyone! drivers, maintenance, even dispatchers. Everyone is affected. A union meeting to address this issue is beginning in DesPlaines this evening at 7pm.

[artthouwill]

Its everyone! drivers, maintenance, even dispatchers. Everyone is affected. A union meeting to address this issue is beginning in DesPlaines this evening at 7pm.

Wow! That is not good. That probably means Pioneer is in the same boat. If I am not mistaken, one brother owns Colonial and another owns Pioneer. How much work is left out there, considering Coach USA got OUT of the charter business and is focused exclusively on contract work. Previous posters indicated what courses of action are possible so I won't repeat, but it certainly looks like Colonial's days are numbered unless they can find a buyer or file bankruptcy. In either case I expect Pace to pull Academy's work soon.

[artthouwill]

Its everyone! drivers, maintenance, even dispatchers. Everyone is affected. A union meeting to address this issue is beginning in DesPlaines this evening at 7pm.

Wow! That is not good. That probably means Pioneer is in the same boat. If I am not mistaken, one brother owns Colonial and another owns Pioneer. How much work is left out there, considering Coach USA got OUT of the charter business and is focused exclusively on contract work. Previous posters indicated what courses of action are possible so I won't repeat, but it certainly looks like Colonial's days are numbered unless they can find a buyer or file bankruptcy. In either case I expect Pace to pull Academy's work soon.

[MetroShadow]

Although it's obviously a little late now to mention, I will since it was on my mind. Apparently, there were some fleet or body shortages at Academy about a week in a half to two weeks ago...they were sending out Northwest division extra board operators with maps to run trips on the 600 606 and 616. One of the girls told me the passengers guided her thru the 616, otherwise who knows where she'd be.

That definitely explains seeing 6000's down Arlington Heights (doing a 616, albeit very late) on more than one occasion.

[west towns]

This does not look good, if NW is already covering some weekday trips and all the weekends already, why not just go for broke and take it all over? Maybe they are waiting on the next pick?

[Guest]

Today was an interesting day at Colonial. There were three wreckers that began towing away some of the junked buses that have been laying around Colonials yard for years. A completely shelled out ex-Pace 35ft Orion that was used for Stroger Hosp. was hauled away along with a 30ft Gillig from Galesburg Transit and one of the ex-Pace Niles Chance buses. Another bus which was ready to be shipped out is one of the three Neoplan ex-Houston Metros artics we have. That bus I believe was sold to another party.

[trainman8119]

Today was an interesting day at Colonial. There were three wreckers that began towing away some of the junked buses that have been laying around Colonials yard for years. A completely shelled out ex-Pace 35ft Orion that was used for Stroger Hosp. was hauled away along with a 30ft Gillig from Galesburg Transit and one of the ex-Pace Niles Chance buses. Another bus which was ready to be shipped out is one of the three Neoplan ex-Houston Metros artics we have. That bus I believe was sold to another party.

Beginning of the end ??

[Guest]

Beginning of the end ??

I dont know about that just yet either! Operations still continue, Im still being asked to work.

I spoke to the company owner recently, he tells me that the company will continue in business, he didnt elaborate further.

[artthouwill]

I dont know about that just yet either! Operations still continue, Im still being asked to work.

I spoke to the company owner recently, he tells me that the company will continue in business, he didnt elaborate further.

What else is he going to say? Basically that means we are in business until we're not in business anymore. Unless or until Pace pulls the plug on your Pace routes, they are not legally obligated to tell you anything unless something definitive surfaces. For instance, if Pace decided not to renew the contracts for those routes, then Colonial could give the 30 day notice of layoffs as required by most union contracts. They could offer severance or a chance to join the charter division. Based on an earlier post that Pace NW had to scramble to fill some of your runs, perhaps they aren't prepared to fully take over your routes, thus Pace is just biding time until either the contract ends OR Academy does such a bad job of fulfilling the contract that Pace is forced to take it away. Based on what you are saying, it seems like the former for now, just barely though.

[Busjack]

... perhaps they aren't prepared to fully take over your routes, thus Pace is just biding time until either the contract ends OR Academy does such a bad job of fulfilling the contract that Pace is forced to take it away. Based on what you are saying, it seems like the former for now, just barely though.

Subject to the caveat that I'm not on the inside, and most of the rest of the posters here are or were, and I don't know how dire the financial straits are...

As I previously indicated, once a Pace division takes over, I'm sure that's permanent as the union contract for that division undoubtedly does not allow farming work out.

Hence, Pace may be holding out (1) to see if another contractor in the O'Hare area steps up, sort of like what Colonial did when Keeshin-O'Hare went out of business, or (2) doesn't have the room at the NW garage to take on another 15 buses. It's one thing to send out a couple from the extra board, and another to assume the service.

However, since Pace did take back 326, 610, 696, and weekend 606, and doesn't seem that interested in running 616, one can see the direction this is going.

[cta_44499_FG]

Pace Northwest Division assumes full operation of the 600,606, and 616 effective with the start of their new pick on 06/12/2011.

[Guest]

Pace Northwest Division assumes full operation of the 600,606, and 616 effective with the start of their new pick on 06/12/2011.

Yes, they will!! Pace officials apparently werent too happy to hear that Academy drivers were operating Pace buses without pay. They got wind of the situation at Academy and took these drastic measures. Colonial/Academy was threatened with a shut down, a strike, one individual actually threatened to go to the media. With the loss of the Pace contract, now Academy management is trying to place blame on the drivers who informed Pace.

[rotjohns]

2 things:

1. I just read the passenger notices that there's construction at the NW Trans Ctr until tomorrow. Did they fix the potholes and other issues there?

2. What does the fact NW is taking over 600, 606, and 616 mean for the existing Nabis over at Academy? Because there's no question Pace is sending Eldos to the 616 and will probably monitor 600/606 to see if any more could head over there. Looks like we may see some more 6000s heading to NW from West. But the Nabis could end up anywhere at this point if Pace moves them unless they stick w/the Nabis for now until a solution is in place?

UPDATE: Some of Pace's NW buses are already running on 606 this morning. Wow.

[New Flyer]

I feel sorry for everyone who didn't get paid and may now be out of a job, but I told you so.

[Busjack]

With the loss of the Pace contract, now Academy management is trying to place blame on the drivers who informed Pace.

That seems typical for anything in Illinois these days--don't take responsibility.

At rotjhons points out, and has been noted before, Pace NW already has to send out extras to cover the runs. I previously noted that the business was going to fall apart. How much longer did management think it could cover up the situation? [Rhetorical question.]

[Guest]

I feel sorry for everyone who didn't get paid and may now be out of a job, but I told you so.

We finally recieved all our backpay last week. But it took a lot of hard work by Local 1028 and our represenative.

They did a phenomenal job in making sure we got our issue resolved. Its a shame that it has to end like this, but those of us who worked there know it all came crashing down for one reason! Incompetent, greedy and selfish management at Academy!.

[Busjack]

... but those of us who worked there know it all came crashing down for one reason! Incompetent, greedy and selfish management at Academy!.

I don't know about the management personally, but I figure that something was fishy, unless there was proof that Pace was not paying on the contract, which I find unlikely.* Unlike, say, running a casino bus, or chartering to whomever clicks on the reservation webpage, Academy knew what it was getting on the Pace contract.

_________

*Anything is possible, but the reason I say it is unlikely is that when the money crunch hits, Pace cuts the routes. Now, the only contractors it could conceivably short are Keeshin on 755/855 and those having the DuPage feeder contracts.

[Guest]

I don't know about the management personally, but I figure that something was fishy, unless there was proof that Pace was not paying on the contract, which I find unlikely.* Unlike, say, running a casino bus, or chartering to whomever clicks on the reservation webpage, Academy knew what it was getting on the Pace contract.

_________

*Anything is possible, but the reason I say it is unlikely is that when the money crunch hits, Pace cuts the routes. Now, the only contractors it could conceivably short are Keeshin on 755/855 and those having the DuPage feeder contracts.

Well, we found out personally that Pace was paying the company. Where the money was going once it changed hands to Academy, is another mystery. I know for a fact, I witnessed this, that certain personnel in management had made arrangements with a couple of drivers whereby the harder working drivers would be compensated for their extra work put it while others would not see a dime. So there is something seriously wrong there! The company was repeatedly keeping the office doors closed and locked so that no one could come in to challenge the owner of the company and ask where our money is at. Anytime we challenged our paychecks to the office they would shut the door, turn us away, use any stall tactic they could think up.

[New Flyer]

So the question is why the hell would you all stay there, and why didn't somebody call a lawyer, or the labor board.

[BusHunter]

I don't know if this means anything, but Pace west division does seem to be parking Orions on the east side of the garage. Like they may be holding them. (saw this yesterday when I was over there) Seems to me the Academy buses would head to west and the west orions would head to NW.

[MetroShadow]

Pace Northwest Division assumes full operation of the 600,606, and 616 effective with the start of their new pick on 06/12/2011.

This whole situation explains a lot.

Now, to why I rode an Eldorko on the 606 in the middle of Rush Hour today is another mystery.

[Busjack]

This whole situation explains a lot.

Now, to why I rode an Eldorko on the 606 in the middle of Rush Hour today is another mystery.

That question assumes a lot, including why you would ride 606 at all. It would have been much worse if you were waiting for CTA5750 to pull up wearing his Pace contractor patch.

But, as to assumptions, that probably was all that was available on short notice. As I noted earlier, and rotjohns's and BusHunter's surmises indicate, NW is going to have to come up with 15 buses and where to store them in a hurry.

[Guest]

So the question is why the hell would you all stay there, and why didn't somebody call a lawyer, or the labor board.

Its all been was done!!! We called Local 1028, they came down on the company. We got a labor atty. involved. Why do you think this happened?.

[New Flyer]

They are asses who don't care about anything or anybody, I tried to explain that to you but you didn't believe me. Just because people laugh and smile in your face and act like they care about you doesn't men they won't screw you.

[artthouwill]

Pace Northwest Division assumes full operation of the 600,606, and 616 effective with the start of their new pick on 06/12/2011.

As noted earlier, we knew the handwriting was on the wall for this to happen.

A bigger issue to me is the demise of charter bus company operations in the Chicagoland area. If you didn't already know, Coach USA is slated to terminate all of its contract services around July 15th ( I would assume that this includes Pace), and basically will operate only the Megabus service. Apparently there was too small of a profit margin (if any) to justify operating (especially newer equipment). The company already bailed oout of charter services last year. The last remaining contract drivers will be laid off.

With regard to Academy/Colonial, not being on the inside but having been through a similar situation before, that company is losing money. They have allof those nice expensive Setra coaches, but with the exception of the baseball teams they carry in summer, you really don't see Colonial or Pioneer coaches around, save for convention shuttle business. I believe they were using the Pace payments to help offset some of the expenses the parent company couldn't absorb, hence the Academy drivers getting the short end of the stick. I honestly believe Colonial wanted out of that contract as it was a money loser. If I am not mistaken, this was not a contract tehy bidded on, it was an axquisition of the Keeshin operation at O'Hare, and the profit margin was slim there. Keeshin could absorb it better because it had other contracts around O'hare AND did supplemental charter work from theparent office. While at another company, the owners weren't putting any money into the company and losing business, but they pocketed what little the company did make to the point it was bouncing checks. At that time, I went straight to the bank where their checks were issued to cash mine. Needless to say it wasn't long before they went out of business.