trainman8119 Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 We didnt go to the Pace board meeting to say Academy breached its contract!. We were basically standing up for our rights as dedicated bus operators. Trying to get answers on why Academy had not paid us in 6 months! I didn't realize you did that...good for you. I am curious as to what they said to you at the time and since. I suspect they sat there with a dumbfounded look on their collective faces as this was brought out and probably said there wasn't much they could do, but they would look into it. I would think in most cases it would not be taken too seriously, but obviously here, they did. You guys must have made one hell of a presentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 I didn't realize you did that...good for you. I am curious as to what they said to you at the time and since. I suspect they sat there with a dumbfounded look on their collective faces as this was brought out and probably said there wasn't much they could do, but they would look into it. I would think in most cases it would not be taken too seriously, but obviously here, they did. You guys must have made one hell of a presentation. Believe me when I say, It wasant an easy decision to have to do this. I wasant happy with it because I knew what consequences would await, but we had no choice. We had to let Pace know what was going on. No one was listening to us, the company was basically shutting its doors in our faces. We were pressuered into continuing working knowing we would be going home with empty pockets. We tried to keep the faith, we wanted to continue driving the buses. But the company, Academy, wasant holding up its end. So we had to take other measures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Any of them Mark Felt? Seriously, though, any indication about how this is supposed to be handled? As I indicated before, the contractor just can't "give up" the contract, as opposed to 5750 going before the Pace Board to tell them that Academy breached it. Pace also can't simply give up the routes, and while I suppose they could be assigned to Heritage Division, didn't pull the trigger on the OTR procurement, and would have to find another private contractor, and having already gone through Mid America, Colonial, and Keeshin.... Of course, I know of someone here who might want to bid.... I haven't been able to find out who (if anyone) would be assigned the Pace routes. Considering the fiasco CTA5750 just went through, I don't believe Colonial would be in line for those routes. I think Pioneer, MidAmerica, Chicago Classic Coach, and possibly Free Enterprise Systems, could be viable replacements. One scenario which seems unlikely would be to simply transfer the account to Coach USA/Tristate, but considering the extensive deadhead, I would not think it likely unless they could tie it in with their Midway runs. Without any contract work at Keeshin, running Pace would be a money loser In fact, the only way a contract of this nature is any good would be to reuse the coach midday, or in conjunction with another contract (like Keeshin used to). I couldn't find anything on Pace's website, so I guess it's wait and see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVTArider Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 I haven't been able to find out who (if anyone) would be assigned the Pace routes. ... I think Pioneer, MidAmerica, Chicago Classic Coach, and possibly Free Enterprise Systems, could be viable replacements. Would First Group or MV also be potential candidates? I don't know if either has a presence in or near Chicagoland. Around here First operates service for the U of MN and a number of MTS contracted routes, as well as Southwest Transit. MV used to operate some contracted routes as well until they lost the bid to a local contractor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Would First Group or MV also be potential candidates? Up to now, both have Pace feeder and paratransit contracts, although the feeder contracts are through First Student, instead of First Transit, probably because predecessors were school bus companies and ran school buses on the routes. It might have been more likely for the Academy/Colonial routes, except that the reports here is that they are going to be operated directly by Pace. The main question raised by the Keeshin/Coach USA question is who would come in with OTRs if what art says happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Would First Group or MV also be potential candidates? I don't know if either has a presence in or near Chicagoland. Around here First operates service for the U of MN and a number of MTS contracted routes, as well as Southwest Transit. MV used to operate some contracted routes as well until they lost the bid to a local contractor. I would suppose that First Group would be a viable candidate. It wouldn't be much to transfer a few motor coaches from elsewhere (maybe even Minnesota) to run it. Basically that's what Coach USA does (shuffle buses around the country as needed). To my knowledge, MV is strictly paratransit around here, at least to this point, but who is to say what could happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 ... To my knowledge, MV is strictly paratransit around here, at least to this point, but who is to say what could happen? As I said above, they have a feeder contract, i.e. Wheaton-Lombard. (One has to go to pacebus.com, pull down Carrier/Division on the Route Finder, and pull down both MV Transportation and MV Transportation Batavia to get 674, 709, 711, 715). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 We didnt go to the Pace board meeting to say Academy breached its contract!. We were basically standing up for our rights as dedicated bus operators. Trying to get answers on why Academy had not paid us in 6 months! Well, if it was the May Minutes, I guess I was double wrong. It didn't go up until today, instead of Thursday or Friday like I thought. Unless you are the Garland Armstrong family (and we know you aren't), or concerned with SB 2194 or the new tagline, I guess you didn't get mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 The official word is up, although the Passenger Notice was only linked to 616 at this moment.* Anyway, it says "Effective Monday, June 13, Routes 600, 606 & 616 weekday trips will be operated by Pace River and Northwest Divisions." Maybe that explains some of the reports of Westmont NABIs going to River, or of drivers with River Division patches. _______ *Links on some instances of 600 and 606 showed up a minute later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 The official word is up, although the Passenger Notice was only linked to 616 at this moment.* Anyway, it says "Effective Monday, June 13, Routes 600, 606 & 616 weekday trips will be operated by Pace River and Northwest Divisions." Maybe that explains some of the reports of Westmont NABIs going to River, or of drivers with River Division patches. _______ *Links on some instances of 600 and 606 showed up a minute later. This was going to happen sooner or later. Colonial Coach's owner was anxious to do away with the Pace contract routes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 This was going to happen sooner or later. Colonial Coach's owner was anxious to do away with the Pace contract routes. This seems sort of a strange comment from you, in that you said that he wasn't paying his help, and you went to the Pace board to complain. Also, as posted here for the last month or so, he couldn't cover his runs. Maybe you can explain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 This seems sort of a strange comment from you, in that you said that he wasn't paying his help, and you went to the Pace board to complain. Also, as posted here for the last month or so, he couldn't cover his runs. Maybe you can explain. Whats strange about it?? For the last year we kept hearing that Colonial/Academy wanted to eliminate the Pace contract, they got their wish! As for us, we had not paid since November, we complained to management, no one at Col/Acad. would listen to us, we were being given the run around yet myself and others who worked there continued to keep the buses out on the street knowing we were going home with pockets empty, we believed that this would be resolved quickly, but were finding out that this situation was carrying out far too long. Everytime we were issued a paycheck we were being told there was no money in the account to cash it. No one at Col/Acad. would tell us anything, not once did they ever issue a memo or request to meet with employees to tell us of the situation with the company. Had management brought it to our attention, we wouldve not taken the actions we did. But they just assume we would continue to work despite not getting paid. I also witnessed a text from an operator by management that he would be allowed to get paid if he performed extra work for the company. When I found that out, I was infuriated. It turned out the company did have the funds available to make payroll but for some odd reason it wasant happening. It turned out that some operators were getting paid while others were not. We went to ATU for help and brought this to their attention. Thats when things began to heat up and increase pressure on management to explain why all its employees werent getting paid. Our ATU rep made repeated visits to Col/Acad. to demand that they pay us. When the May Pace board meeting was announced, we were encouraged to attend and voice our frustration of all this that was going on. Apparently Pace was not aware and I believe this was when the decision was made to pull the contract. We were not trying to be whistleblowers, we were basically standing up for what was right. We gave the company more than enough time to come up with a solution, but that never happened. I for one was very patient, I was confident that this be resolved but it was not happening. Im not happy that it had to come to this but we had no other options. Now I find out the company put out a memo basically blaming us for the loss of the contract and the loss of jobs, which was all b.s.! Not once did they address the payroll issue. The company was in the wrong and they knew it! Were we wrong for doing this??? I say no! We all have responsibilities to take care of. And when a company you have been loyal to for the last four years stabs you in the back, you have the right to take whatever actions are necessary! For me personally, whether Im driving a bus or fighting a fire, I expect to get paid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 I guess you missed the point of my prior post. I have no objection to what you said in your post immediately above. In fact, based on that, your rather blase comment that "This was going to happen sooner or later. Colonial Coach's owner was anxious to do away with the Pace contract routes" was the one I was questioning. That comment would be similar to "I don't like my condo anymore, so I won't pay my taxes, mortgage, or monthly assessment, let someone foreclose and evict me, and say that I didn't want to live there, anyway." You didn't like my characterization of your statement to the board as a "breach," but it sure didn't sound (especially from your last post) that the owner of Colonial just "turned over the keys" and told Pace to have the routes, because he didn't want them anymore, and Pace agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 I guess you missed the point of my prior post. I have no objection to what you said in your post immediately above. In fact, based on that, your rather blase comment that "This was going to happen sooner or later. Colonial Coach's owner was anxious to do away with the Pace contract routes" was the one I was questioning. That comment would be similar to "I don't like my condo anymore, so I won't pay my taxes, mortgage, or monthly assessment, let someone foreclose and evict me, and say that I didn't want to live there, anyway." You didn't like my characterization of your statement to the board as a "breach," but it sure didn't sound (especially from your last post) that the owner of Colonial just "turned over the keys" and told Pace to have the routes, because he didn't want them anymore, and Pace agreed. For some reason the owners or now "owner" of Colonial Coach, I cant elaborate more than what Im telling you here, but he wanted to do away with the contract anyway! We basically just sped up the process! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjohns Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 I get River division getting these routes, but what buses will end up there? Will they take the Nabis and send them off to their garage specificly for these routes? Or will they just end up somewhere else and they send their El Dorados over there? Is it even warranted to run 40-footers during the week? I guess Monday we will find out for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 As noted earlier, we knew the handwriting was on the wall for this to happen. 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. As you can tell, I agree with the notion that Col/Acad wanted out from under the Pace contract for the above reason. Perhaps CTA 5750 can better explain the ownership situation over there, as it seems that he was hinting at an ownership change or buyout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 What a freakin' mess !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 What a freakin' mess !! This could all have been avoided had the owner of C/A had not acted with such incompetence! Last night should have been the last day of operations for Academy/Pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 The official word is up, although the Passenger Notice was only linked to 616 at this moment.* Anyway, it says "Effective Monday, June 13, Routes 600, 606 & 616 weekday trips will be operated by Pace River and Northwest Divisions." Maybe that explains some of the reports of Westmont NABIs going to River, or of drivers with River Division patches. _______ *Links on some instances of 600 and 606 showed up a minute later. Unless there is some interlining with the 554, it would seem to be a very long deadhead for River, even if using the toll road. I would've thought Pace Evanston or Pace West were better options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Unless there is some interlining with the 554, it would seem to be a very long deadhead for River, even if using the toll road. I would've thought Pace Evanston or Pace West were better options. Evanston wouldn't have made any sense. Of course, assigning 619 to it doesn't either. On the other hand, since 616 has basically become a reverse commuter, it is 50-50 whether at River or NW, given that it starts or ends at Itasca. I wouldn't be surprised if more 600 or 606 runs end in Schaumburg. There is, of course, what Pace intends to do with the proposed 544-554 combo, but that won't be in time for Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjohns Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Evanston wouldn't have made any sense. Of course, assigning 619 to it doesn't either. On the other hand, since 616 has basically become a reverse commuter, it is 50-50 whether at River or NW, given that it starts or ends at Itasca. I wouldn't be surprised if more 600 or 606 runs end in Schaumburg. There is, of course, what Pace intends to do with the proposed 544-554 combo, but that won't be in time for Monday. I would agree, Evanston wouldn't have worked well, but West would've been a better choice because its already sending 757 to start at NW Trans Center during certain trips. It could've also left the Rosemont CTA and go straight to the garage, similar to what 332 does during late nights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjohns Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 So far, most of the buses running Academy's former routes are coming out of NW. 2716 is also out there this morning (from Elgin). 6669 is also out there, but I don't know where that bus originates now. Matter of fact, I wonder where they sent the rest of the Nabis? 5750 might know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busfan2847 Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 So far, most of the buses running Academy's former routes are coming out of NW. 2716 is also out there this morning (from Elgin). 6669 is also out there, but I don't know where that bus originates now. Matter of fact, I wonder where they sent the rest of the Nabis? 5750 might know. 6669 was a West bus as was 6055 which is on the 606 at 11:45am with 2716 & 6027. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 6669 was a West bus as was 6055 which is on the 606 at 11:45am with 2716 & 6027. There seem to be some transfers into NW, including 6111, which I have seen personally and virtually. Basically, the question is whether NABIs, including 6669 (also 6648) are now River. The former Academy ones aren't showing up on the subject routes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjohns Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 No surprise 6055 and others are from West, we knew that was coming. But 6111 is news to me. I wonder if SW is doing some swapping now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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