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HISTORY | SAFETY | FLEET | AFFILIATIONS | FUN FACT
THE HISTORY OF THE TRANS-BRIDGE COMPANIES
Trans-Bridge Lines, Inc. was founded in 1941 by A. J. Ferraro and other members
of his family. The company operated local transit service as well as charters and tour excursions
from Port Colden, New Jersey to Easton, Pennsylvania, serving Washington and Phillipsburg, New
Jersey and eventually Allentown, Pennsylvania. Ferraro founded his Phillipsburg based lines
when he took over the New Jersey Interurban Coach Company. In 1923 this company had purchased
a trolley company the Northampton, Easton, and Washington Traction Company which was established
in 1906. New Jersey Interurban eventually replaced its trolley cars with coaches which first
operated on February 7, 1925. A. J. Ferraro had many years of experience in the bus business,
beginning in 1915. He was a driver, manager, consultant, partner and owner of various bus
companies in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
In 1981, Trans-Bridge Lines and Tri-City Coach Lines, an additional family owned charter coach
company based in Bethlehem, merged and moved to a new facility in Bethlehem's Lehigh Valley
Industrial Park. The second generation now owned and managed the companies.
Over the years the business grew to include daily service to New York City, Atlantic City and
Newark and JFK Airports. After the acquisition of West Hunterdon Transit Company in 1991 and
Jim Thorpe Transportation (Lehigh Valley Motorcoach) in 1997, the service area now covers the
entire Lehigh Valley, New Hope, Doylestown, and Quakertown, Pennsylvania; Clinton, Flemington
and Lambertville, New Jersey regions.
An affiliate company, Trans-Bridge Tours, Inc., started in 1969 as Holiday Tours, conducts
retail tours through the United States and Canada. The tours include one-day motorcoach
excursions to Atlantic City, sporting events, shows and overnight trips to such destinations as
Florida and Tennessee. Vacation airline and cruise packages to Las Vegas, Hawaii, and California
offered by such names as Apple Vacations, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Perillo Tours, Carnival
Cruise Line, Collette Tours, Travel Impressions and Go-Go Tours are also featured. Trans-Bridge
Tours operates three branch offices in Whitehall, Phillipsburg, and Clinton and is also an agent
for Trans-Bridge Lines, selling tickets for the regular route service.
Another affiliate company is Delaware River Coach Lines, Inc., operates local transit service
between Easton and Phillipsburg. This company began operations in 1943. Trans-Bridge, Inc. is
the holding corporation for Trans-Bridge Lines and Lehigh Valley Motorcoach and also provides
services such as management, payroll and accounting for Trans-Bridge Lines, Inc., Trans-Bridge
Tours, Inc. and Delaware River Coach Lines, Inc. The companies are moving into the family's
third generation of ownership and management.
SAFETY
Not all motorcoach companies are equally safe. While there are stringent safety regulations in place at the federal
level, they represent minimum safety requirements for a commercial motorcoach carrier of passengers to remain in business.
At Trans-Bridge Lines, equipment and passenger safety has been a priority since our start in 1941. An aggressive preventive
maintenance program and continuous in-house inspections of equipment is the norm. We hire only highly qualified mechanics and
continue to upgrade their skills by sending them to training classes.
Both the PA Depart of Transportation and the NJ Department of Transportation complete an annual safety inspection of all our coaches.
The US Department of Defense (DOD) also regularly inspects our facility and equipment. Trans-Bridge Lines is a certified and approved
military carrier authorized to transport troops during times of emergency. In 2009, we received a "ONE" rating from the DOD
again for our equipment, facility and terminal. "One" is the highest rating a carrier can achieve!
Driver safety is also a high priority at Trans-Bridge Lines. Many of our drivers have ten, twenty, thirty and more years of safe
driving records. Several of those drivers have driven over one million miles without an accident. One million miles of accident-free
driving equals 12 consecutive years of driving, which is about 6 trips to the moon!
FLEET
The modern fleet consists of 72 vehicles and a large percentage are manufactured
by Motor Coach Industries. Trans-Bridge Lines was the first company in North America to order
and take delivery of the first new Renaissance coaches. The Renaissance coach features a patented
spiral stairwell for ease of passenger entry and exit, tiered seating, large curved-sash
passenger windows for improved views, contemporary overhead, enclosed parcel racks for increased
storage capacity, and easy-to-reach individual reading lights and air vents, six video monitors
and a 38-speaker AM/FM/CD/PA entertainment system, among many other innovative improvements.
Trans-Bridge Lines Inc., has eight Renaissance coaches, five of which seat 56 passengers. Also
available for charters are 55, 47, and 40 passenger buses. Many of these coaches are
equipped with VCRs, AM/FM cassettes, CD players, curtains and window shades.
Tour coaches used for Trans-Bridge Tours multi-day trips have these amenities plus more leg room
and a mini galley to serve coffee, sandwiches, etc. Two of our Renaissance coaches have also
been outfitted for touring with a rear galley area in which tour directors are able to dispense
hot and cold beverages as well as snacks.
Lower priced 49 passenger over the road coaches without restrooms are also available for your transportation needs.
All of the fleet are air conditioned.
AFFILIATIONS
Trans-Bridge Lines Inc. is a member in good standing of the American Bus Association,
International Motorcoach Group, Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association, Pennsylvania Bus Association and the Better Business
Bureau of Eastern Pennsylvania.
Trans-Bridge Tours Inc. is a member in good standing of the National Tour Association, an
organization of nearly 4,000 North American tourism professionals. NTA serves as a consumer
advocate through membership requirements and education.
Trans-Bridge Lines and Trans-Bridge Tours Fun Fact
If you have ever driven behind a Trans-Bridge Lines' bus, then you must have seen
painted on the rear window, a picture of HI-YO in all his splendor. HI-YO, an Indian Chief, has
been adopted as the mascot of Trans-Bridge Lines. He is also the Mascot of the Fugowees Jazz
Club founded in 1962, who gave Trans-Bridge permission to use Hi-Yo over 40 years ago. And so
it is said, Trans-Bridge drivers are never lost, as long as they have Chief HI-YO to guide them.
Next time you travel, "Take the Bridge" ® to where you want to go!
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