View source for Peter Pan Bus Lines

{{Short description|American intercity bus operator}}
{{Infobox bus company
| name            = Peter Pan Bus Lines
| logo            = Peter Pan Bus Lines.svg
| logo_size       = 200
| image           = Peter Pan Bus Lines 2013 MCI J4500.jpg
| image_size      = 250px
| image_caption   = A Peter Pan [[MCI J-Series#J4500|MCI J4500]], photographed in [[Silver Spring, Maryland]].
| company_slogan  = Connecting People & Places...for over 75 years
| parent          = 
| founded         = {{start date and age|1933}}
| headquarters    = [[Springfield Union Station (Massachusetts)|Springfield Union Station]]<br>[[Springfield, Massachusetts]]<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/08/springfield_names_bus_entrance.html | title=Springfield names Union Station bus entrance Peter Pan Way in honor of local company | first=Peter |last=Goonan | work=[[The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts)|The Republican]] | date=January 30, 2019}}</ref>
| locale          = [[Northeastern United States]]
| service_area    = [[Northeastern United States]]
| service_type    = {{plainlist|
* [[Intercity coach service]]
* [[Bus charter]]}}
| fleet           = [[MCI D-Series#First Generation (Legacy)|MCI D4505]], [[MCI J-Series#J4500|MCI J4500]] 
| ceo             = Peter A. Picknelly
| alliance = [[Megabus (North America)|Megabus]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.busandmotorcoachnews.com/megabus-com-and-peter-pan-partner-to-expand-bus-service/|title=Megabus.com and Peter Pan partner to expand bus service|date=December 21, 2022|website=Bus & Motorcoach News}}</ref>
| website         = {{official url}}
}}
[[File:Bus Peter Pan Massachusetts USA.jpg|right|thumb|A now-retired MCI 102-A3 coach in Peter Pan/[[Trailways]] hybrid livery, 2003; the two companies maintained a partnership from the early 1990s through 2005.]]
'''Peter Pan Bus Lines''' operates an [[intercity bus service]] in the [[Northeastern United States]]. It is headquartered in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]. It operates service to and from [[Connecticut]], the [[District of Columbia]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Maryland]], [[New Hampshire]], [[New Jersey]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[Pennsylvania]], and [[Rhode Island]].

The company logo is based on an illustration by [[Roy Best]] for the ''Peter Pan Picture Book''.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/mobile/w/peter-pan-picture-book-roy-best/1139519559?ean=9781595838940 | title=Peter Pan Picture Book: Shape Book | publisher=[[Barnes & Noble]]}}</ref> Since its founding in 1933, the company has been owned by the Picknelly family. Peter Pan's fleet consists mostly of buses manufactured by [[Motor Coach Industries]].

==History ==
Peter Carmine Picknelly founded the company in 1933 with two [[Buick]] limousines and named it after his son's favorite storybook, [[Peter Pan]].<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/15/obituaries/peter-picknelly-73-chairman-of-peter-pan-bus-lines-dies.html | title=Peter Picknelly, 73, Chairman of Peter Pan Bus Lines, Dies | first=Jennifer | last=Bayot | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=October 15, 2004 | url-access=limited}}</ref> The company's first route operated between [[Northampton, Massachusetts]] and [[Boston]] through [[Stafford Springs, Connecticut]], costing $1.75 and requiring nearly four hours of travel time. In 1957, the [[Massachusetts Turnpike]] was opened and travel time was cut in half.<ref name=generation>{{Cite news | url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/09/next-generation-taking-the-wheel-at-peter-pan-bus-lines.html | title=Next generation taking the wheel at Peter Pan Bus Lines | first=Ron | last=Chimelis | work=[[The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts)|The Republican]] | date=September 19, 2022}}</ref> The son of the founder, Peter L. Picknelly, took over upon the death of the founder in 1964 and developed tour packages to the [[1964 New York World's Fair]].<ref name="generation" />

Peter Pan Bus Lines was affiliated with [[Trailways Transportation System]] beginning in the 1990s, but ended that affiliation in 2005. A new partnership was announced May 2024 between Peter Pan Bus Lines and Trailways.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Peter Pan Bus Lines and Trailways Form Strategic Partnership to Provide Customers More Travel Options |url=https://trailways.com/news/peter-pan-bus-lines-and-trailways-partnership/ |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=Trailways |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1999, an alliance was formed with [[Greyhound Lines]], coordinating schedules, marketing, and ticket sales. Peter Pan and Greyhound had been bitter rivals for most of the 1990s, when Peter Pan expanded outside New England to serve [[New York City]], [[Washington, D. C.]], [[Philadelphia]] and [[Baltimore]]. This partnership was dissolved in 2017.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Vaccaro | first=Adam | title=Greyhound, Peter Pan will split up and be rivals again | url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/08/29/greyhound-peter-pan-will-split-and-rivals-again/NUe8YqNnDgxpsPjHhn2HWO/story.html | work=[[The Boston Globe]] | date=August 29, 2017 | url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In December 2002, Peter Pan acquired [[Coach USA]]'s Northeastern division with 255 vehicles.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/business/2002/12/07/peter-pan-buys-bonanza-other/50330156007/ | title=Peter Pan buys Bonanza, other bus lines | agency=[[The Associated Press]] | work=[[The Standard-Times (New Bedford)|The Standard-Times]] | date=December 6, 2002 | url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.metro-magazine.com/10009039/stagecoach-negotiates-sale-of-u-s-operations | title=Stagecoach negotiates sale of U.S. operations | work=[[Metro Magazine]] | date=May 1, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://pbn.com/peter-pan-acquires-bonanza-and-pawtuxet-valley-bus-lines12602/ | title=Peter Pan acquires Bonanza and Pawtuxet Valley Bus Lines | work=[[Providence Business News]] | date=June 25, 2003}}</ref> In 2004, Peter Pan sold the Maine Line operation in Portland to Cyr Bus Line.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2012-pt5/html/CRECB-2012-pt5-Pg6695-2.htm | title=ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS RECOGNIZING JOHN T. CYR AND SONS, INC.}}</ref> The same year, Peter A. Picknelly III took over as CEO after the death of his father.<ref name="generation" /> In 2005, Peter Pan closed its Pawtuxet Valley, Rhode Island operations.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.metro-magazine.com/10008632/rhode-island-operator-returns-to-coach-industry-after-lengthy-sabbatical | title=Rhode Island operator returns to coach industry after lengthy sabbatical | work=[[Metro Magazine]] | date=January 1, 2006}}</ref> On August 15, 2024, Peter Pan Bus Lines and [[Megabus (North America)|MegaBus]] announced a partnership that will result in Peter Pan taking over all the Megabus routes in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 15, 2024 |title=Family-owned Peter Pan Bus Lines Takes Over Megabus Routes in Northeast Corridor |url=https://peterpanbus.com/megabusannouncement/ |publisher=Peter Pan Bus Lines}}</ref>

==Controversies==
CEO Peter A. Picknelly III has made political contributions aimed at dissuading the development of high-speed railroads in [[Massachusetts]].<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2016/07/peter_picknelly_lesser_rail_bi.html | title=Peter Picknelly lobbied against proposed Springfield to Boston rail study, sending email two days before Gov. Baker's veto | first=Dan | last=Glaun | work=[[The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts)|The Republican]] | date=July 29, 2016}}</ref> 

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Maniscalchi |first=Denna |date=2000 |title=Driving Vision: The Story of Peter Pan Bus Lines | publisher=Peter Pan Bus Lines |isbn=9780967949307}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|}}
* [https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/query.asp?searchtype=ANY&query_type=queryCarrierSnapshot&query_param=MC_MX&query_string=61016 Peter Pan Bus Lines Inc. Company Snapshot] at the [[Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration]]

{{Massachusetts-Rhode Island transit agencies|state=collapsed}}
{{New Hampshire transit agencies}}
{{NYC surface transit}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1933 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1933]]
[[Category:Bus companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Companies based in Springfield, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Economy of the Northeastern United States]]
[[Category:Intercity bus companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Transportation companies based in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Transport companies established in 1933]]
[[Category:Yellow Cab Company]]
[[Category:Peter Pan]]