QUESTIONS:
How long have you been on the Fun Bus Team?
I actually started working at the Fun Bus on November 15, 1996…the very first official day of our incorporation.
What made you want to join the Fun Bus Team?
I have a license in Ohio as a Nursing Home Administrator and after graduating from college I worked in the healthcare field for 7 years. I found that I was not a very good corporate girl and I needed to find a job were I was in control of my own future, make my own decisions (good or bad) and hire my own team. What better way to accomplish that than start your own company? It is 13 years later and I have not missed healthcare for one single day.
How long have you been driving a bus?
I don’t drive the Fun Bus..except for around our parking lot. I hire the professionals for that!
Describe your most memorable/ colorful Fun Bus customer.
We have a sight impaired passenger who used to travel with us on a regular basis. I was always careful to seat him toward the front of the coach so that I could assist him in the unlikely event of an emergency. One day I opened the overhead compartment and a LARGE and HEAVY flashlight had shifted in the compartment and rolled out striking him on the head. I was horrified! I was checking his head for lumps or even bleeding…but he reached over, put his hand on my arm and said, “Honey, don’t worry! I didn’t even see it coming!” I hope I can always be this forgiving.
What is your favorite Fun Bus destination? Why?
My favorite Fun Bus trip is St. Simons Island, GA. I try to arrange my schedule every year so that I can accompany my customers to this beautiful resort town on the Atlantic Ocean just east of Brunswick. I love St. Simons because it
is not crowded or touristy. We book the entire 26 room hotel just for our group so we almost have a private resort. The live oak trees are beautiful and the hotel is located just a few blocks from the downtown pier. The downtown area is full of great restaurants and shops and it is always fun to watch the shark fishing from the pier. I usually rent a bicycle for the 3 days we are in St. Simons because I love to ride on the beach. When the tide is low, the sand is hard enough to ride on. I have gone kayaking on the intercostals and taken a trolley tour of the island. One year I splurged on a massage at the local spa. I travel across the country but St. Simons is my favorite destination.
What has been your best/worst Fun Bus experience?
In the past 13 years I have collected MANY great memories on Fun Bus Adventures. I have traveled with passengers of all ages in 43 states. Not everyday goes as planned. We had a very memorable day on a New England trip in 2008. Our whale watching excursion almost got cancelled due to rough water but just before departure the captain decided that the waves had calmed down enough to proceed. Little did we know that the waves on the Atlantic Ocean were still 6-7feet!! Almost 2/3 of the passengers on the boat got sea sick at some point during the excursion. What a mess! I did learn not to schedule the lobster bake immediately following the whale watch!!
Describe your very best Fun Bus day.
Almost every day is an adventure on the Fun Bus…but I once took 98 high school students and chaperones on a tour of NYC. We rode the subway TOGETHER all day!! The day was very challenging and at the end we were exhausted, but we managed to experience New York City and came back to the hotel with all 98 passengers! GREAT DAY!
What did you do before joining the Fun Bus Team?
I was a nursing home administrator.
What do you like to do when you are not performing your duties for the Fun Bus?
When I am not traveling on the Fun Bus or getting my work done in the office…I love to travel. Believe it or not I spend my free time traveling the country learning about new and exciting destinations for my customers. I love to find those little known places that you would never find if you travled on your own. I research the restaurants that will make eating an adventure..not just a meal and I give hotels the white glove test.
Why do you think passengers should choose the Fun Bus for their transportation needs?
Because we do it right! Bottom line. Unlike some of our close competition, we will not take shortcuts with our passenger safety. We do not fudge logbooks, duct tape repairs or rig our drug testing so that our drivers will qualify. No matter the cost, we do it by the book. A focus on safety is expensive and it sometimes makes us a little more expensive than our competition. Our passengers recognize the difference and that is why we boast an average of 85% repeat business on every Fun Bus trip.
