Peter Pan Bus Lines Kicks Off 90th Anniversary with High-mileage S.T.A.R. Awards

SPRINGFIELD — Feb. 26 was the official 90th anniversary of Peter Pan Bus Lines. The celebration kicked off at the company’s Annual S.T.A.R. Awards & Safety Banquet on Feb. 28 in Worcester to honor employees who have gone the miles for ‘Super Team Achievement & Recognition.’ This year’s spotlight shone on 11 of Peter Pan’s 1 million-, 2 million-, 3 million-, and 4 million-mile motor-coach operators.

“This is the night we celebrate our team’s outstanding performance, superior dedication, positive attitudes, and safe driving,” Peter Pan CEO Peter Picknelly said.

The brightest star at the 2023 S.T.A.R. Awards was Everette Anderson, who has been a Peter Pan motor-coach driver for 53 years, since May 1970. Anderson is the second motor-coach operator in the history of this country to be inducted into the National Safety Hall of Fame for driving 4 million miles without any accidents. The first inductee was Peter Pan motor-coach operator Ed Hope in 2017.

Picknelly described 4 million miles as 4.2 trips to the moon, or 40 times around the earth. “It’s an amazing accomplishment, and I cannot say enough about the dedication and professionalism that Everette Anderson has had behind the wheel. There have only been two drivers in history to achieve 4 million miles without an accident, and both have worked for Peter Pan. This really demonstrates our commitment to safety, and we are very pleased to honor these distinguished drivers.”

Motor-coach operators honored at the S.T.A.R. Awards also included Thomas Reckner and Paul Boie for 3 million miles; Phillandor Knight, Dave Kollisch, Wayne Soloman, and Anthony Wilson for 2 million miles; and Syed Bukhari, Edward Caouette, Frederick Perry, and Horace Wright for 1 million miles.

Peter Pan’s S.T.A.R. Awards marked the first stop for a year-long anniversary celebration. Presenting sponsors for the event were MCI, Transcor Data Services, and Bridgestone Firestone.