[IMAGE]BusCon-5.jpg[/IMAGE]Marking its 15th year, BusCon 2010 rolled into Chicago's Navy Pier Sept. 29 to 30, with 58 vehicles on display while also hosting more than 140 exhibitors.

Hosted by Bobit Business Media with METRO Magazine as its lead sponsor, this year's BusCon continued "Paving the Road to Success" by offering a wide array of new products to attendees on the show floor, while technical sessions and speakers addressed topics including alternative fuels, driver fatigue, securing grant funding and shop safety.

Transit Sales International also sponsored the popular University & Transit Track, which tackled subjects such as how to implement a new or revamped university transit system and how to boost campus ridership.

Bauer's Intelligent Transportation's Gary Bauer displayed the new Solar Hybrid Bus Powering System, which consists of four thin film solar panels that run the length of the bus and charge an onboard battery bank. When the bus engine is off, the batteries power the air-conditioning and wireless connectivity equipment, enabling the buses to effectively meet anti-idling standards without compromising passenger comfort.

Other debuts taking place on the 60,000-square-foot-plus show floor included new vehicles from Foton America, Ameritrans, MV Sales & Leasing and Goshen Coach.

Bob Crescenzo of Lancer Insurance Co. spoke to attendees about the importance of developing, implementing and testing a serious incident response plan during the breakfast and general session. "If you think it won't happen to you or you don't need it, think again," stressed Crescenzo, who added that his company has put together a training DVD package on the subject called "The First 24 Hours: How to Conduct an Accident Response Simulation."

Attendees also got the chance to net-work while listening to Cadillac Dave & His Chicago Red Hots at the REI-sponsored Welcome Reception at the Hyatt Regency Chicago's Regency Ballroom. An additional networking reception took 400 attendees to the Upper Terrace Suite at U.S. Cellular Field to watch the Chicago White Sox square off against the Boston Red Sox. The silent auction held during the game raised more than $12,000 for the Les Turner ALS Foundation.

BusCon 2011 will return to Chicago's Navy Pier Sept. 13 to 14.

(Expanded BusCon coverage will be published in the January issue of METRO Magazine).