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.

SPRINGFIELD — Pan Bus Lines is planning for the future and creating a new generation of leaders to drive the 90-year-old bus company to new levels. CEO Peter Picknelly recently announced five major promotions in management, including a promotion to chief operating officer awarded to an employee who started as a bus driver 18 years ago. Other promotions include vice president of Operations, vice president of Planning and Revenue, senior director of Marketing, and senior director of Maintenance.

“We’re planning for the next generation of leaders at Peter Pan,” Picknelly said. “These are very well-deserved promotions.”

Frank Dougherty started as a bus driver and has now been promoted to chief operating officer. According to Picknelly, Dougherty sent him a 20-page letter about everything that was wrong at Peter Pan Bus Lines more than 18 years ago. Picknelly asked him to join the team to help correct the situation. Dougherty was a driver, and he will now be leading the company.

Don Soja has been named vice president of Operations. He has been with Peter Pan for more than 20 years. According to Picknelly, Soja knows all aspects of the bus company, including charters, line runs, finance, and technology. Picknelly hopes he will lead the way for decades to come.

Timothy Grabowski has been promoted to vice president of Planning and Revenue Management. Picknelly said Grabowski brings a skill set that allows Peter Pan to continue strategic growth, and that he makes Peter Pan stand out among other bus companies and keeps Peter Pan moving forward.

Danielle Veronesi has been promoted to senior director of Marketing. If there’s a special project, Picknelly said, Veronesi is the one to rely on, and she’s always the one to volunteer. He added that Venonesi has made a big difference in the company.

Joseph Picknally has been named senior director of Maintenance for Peter Pan. Picknelly said Picknally has done an exemplary job in realigning the Maintenance department, and that he has big shoes to fill in the company; Picknally’s father, Thomas, was the company’s vice president of Maintenance for decades until his passing in 2021.

SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines’ Peter and Melissa Picknelly announced that their son, Peter Picknelly IV, has been promoted to director of Safety & Security.

While in high school and college, Peter IV has worked in both Operations and Customer Service. He recently graduated magna cum laude from Western New England University with a degree in business management. He joins his sister, Lauryn Picknelly-DuBois, who was recently named controller for Peter Pan Bus Lines.

SPRINGFIELD — Travelers heading to see relatives for the holidays between Maryland and New York City, or to do some sightseeing north or south, can now find Peter Pan Express service from Greenbelt, Md. to New York City in both directions.

This new Express service will give travelers a sigh of relief since the same route was abandoned by two other bus companies. As travelers get rolling again during the pandemic, Peter Pan offers safe and sanitized rides according to CDC protocols and contact-free boarding to key destinations. This could be a big deal for those who have stayed home because of the pandemic.

This service includes other stops along the way, running through Washington D.C.; Silver Spring, Baltimore, and Greenbelt, Md.; and New York City.

Tickets must be purchased in advance via the free Peter Pan mobile app at www.peterpanbus.com/app or online at www.peterpanbus.com. Information for the Greenbelt Metro Station can be found at www.peterpanbus.com/locations/maryland/greenbelt.

Peter Pan offers guaranteed reserved seating, mobile boarding instead of paper tickets, free onboard WiFi, multi-pass options for frequent travelers (www.peterpanbus.com/multipass), and 15% senior discounts (call 800-237-8747, ext. 1022).

SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines buses will be back on the road serving major cities along the Northeast corridor starting today, June 5, and the company has developed a new cleaning process to keep both customers and employees safe.

“Shutting down was one of the hardest things we have ever done,” said Peter Picknelly, chairman of Peter Pan Bus Lines and third-generation leader of the family-owned company. “We also know that our customers have been through a lot as well. So, we are happy to be back on the road, serving our customers again, but now using the best cleaning and sanitizing practices in the transportation industry.”

During the shutdown, Peter Pan Bus Lines continued to improve its contactless boarding procedures and technologies. The company also made a significant investment in its bus cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Currently, Peter Pan Bus Lines is the only bus company using CDC-approved PermaSafe to continuously kill viruses, including COVID-19, bacteria, germs, and mold on contact. The non-toxic product also purifies passenger cabin air while making the interior surfaces antimicrobial and self-sanitizing. The company also uses state-of-the-art Victory electrostatic handheld sprayers, together with the powerful BruTabS6 sealant, to sanitize and disinfect. The virus-killing sprayer is used over the bus. Peter Pan Bus Lines cleans all its coaches every day, with some of them being cleaned mid-route.

“No-contact boarding means that, once they have purchased their ticket online or through our app, all passengers have to do to board is to simply walk up to the bus and give the driver their name,” Picknelly added. “In terms of safety and sanitizing, we are leading the industry with our CDC-approved approach. In fact, a hospital recently asked us to clean their staff buses.”

In addition, passengers are required to wear a face mask at all times while boarding, traveling, and exiting the coach; the first row of seats behind the driver will not be open for passengers; while the bus is occupied, fresh air will be continuously circulating; and employees have been issued personal protective equipment, including face masks and hand sanitizer, to follow CDC recommendations.

Routes and schedules are still changing frequently, so customers should visit peterpanbus.com for the latest information.