It’s amazing how quickly the years roll by. It wasn’t that long ago that METRO and its parent company, Bobit Business Media, launched BusCon, the mid-sized bus equipment and technology show. Or at least it doesn’t feel like it was long ago. But the fact is that this year’s BusCon, expected to be one of the biggest ever, will commemorate the show’s 10th anniversary. And it’s fitting that the event will be in Las Vegas, where it started in 1995. Over the past 10 years, we’ve tailored the show to the interests of the industry, moving it around the country to cities such as Chicago, Atlanta, Baltimore, Orlando and Cleveland. We’ve got a special place in our hearts, however, for Las Vegas, since it’s the city of origin. Better than ever
This year’s event, scheduled Nov. 8 to 10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, promises to be among the best yet, although it will be hard to top last year’s BusCon in Chicago that drew a record number of attendees. In an attempt to improve on last year’s attendance and to build upon its successes in the workshops and on the trade show floor, we’ve adopted a “laser focus” theme that hones in your need to stay abreast of the latest developments in the small to mid-sized bus industry. To that end, BusCon’s rich educational sessions will be even richer this year, with sessions divided into tracks such as Maintenance, Technology and Equipment, Operations and Management and Best Practices in Safety. The speakers who will address the topics within these tracks will provide practical, insightful information that you can take back to your operation and apply right away. Here are some of the topics we’ll be covering at the conference: Trends in Spec’ing, Bus Body Makeovers, Ideas for Recruiting and Retaining Good Drivers, Life-Cycle Costing, Bus Tracking Technology, Tapping the Boomer Markets and Tire Safety. We’ll also continue our series of campus transportation roundtables, which have become a fixture at BusCon because of the active interest in this challenging operational arena. New this year will be a roundtable for parking lot operators that focuses on their shuttle bus strategies. We believe these roundtables provide a forum that don’t exist elsewhere. That’s what makes BusCon so special — its ability to meet the needs of public and private bus operators with unique interests and challenges. Learn from the pros
And don’t forgot the educational opportunities out on the show floor. With more than 130 exhibitors displaying their products and services, you’ll have the chance to get a ground-floor view of the newest, most technologically advanced equipment in the industry. Whether you work in public transit, paratransit, tour and charter, shuttle bus operations, airport transportation, limousine service or any other bus-related enterprise, you’ll have the chance to learn more about the equipment that is so critical to your day-to-day success. In addition to the opportunities to enhance your knowledge base in the educational sessions and on the trade show floor, we also provide networking opportunities such as our opening night reception. Whether you’re seeking recommendations for a new low-floor bus, a bus-washing system or an air-conditioning unit, the folks who attend BusCon can provide you with valuable input. Just listen and learn. For more information about BusCon, call our Events Department at (310) 533- 2556 or visit www.busconexpo.com. I hope to see you there.