Anchor Trailways & Tours Blog » Motorcoach Safety

Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Writes Accolades

Molly — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:20:07 +0000

We recently received the following recognition from the Office of the Under Secretary of the Defense: “Congratulations on your outstanding performance. You received a top rating of “1″ on your Facility, Terminal and Equipment Inspection … Your rating indicates Anchor Trailways is doing an outstanding job maintaining compliance with both the Military Bus Agreement and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation. We commend the performance of you and your employees and look forward to continuing our partnership to provide the best service and safest transportation for Department of Defense travelers.” We are honored and humbled to be chosen to transport our military and we do so with honor.

Young Marines Ride Anchor to DC

Molly — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:13:00 +0000

This summer, 20 Young Marines, along with 8 adults traveled to Washington, DC aboard an Anchor Trailways motorcoach. The group pays for the trip through donations and fundraisers throughout the year and had planned to travel by vans, as they have in past years, to save money. Through a donation from a generous supporter and parent, the group was able to charter an Anchor Trailways & Tours motorcoach and travel together in comfort. Many groups make the choice to travel in vans and don’t realize how you risk the safety of the group as a result of the drivers trying to keep track of each other and being distracted by the activities in the vehicle. When groups travel on an Anchor Trailways coach the driver focuses on only one thing – getting the group to/from their destination safely. As a Department of Defense certified transportation company which qualifies us to work with the military, it was only fitting that the Young Marines travel with us also! The group’s ambitious schedule included a visit with the Marine Corps Drum & Bugle Corps, a tour of Quantico, a visit to the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the Washington Monument, the Korean Memorial, Mount Vernon, a tour of the Capital with Marsha Blackburn, a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Monument and a visit with Tennessee Marines stationed in DC. The Young Marines is not a recruiting tool for the military, rather it is an organization for young adults that promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. To learn more, visit the Music City Young Marines’ webpage. An adult associated with the group wrote us: “Thank you so much for your generous donation of a bus and driver for the Young Marines to go to our Nation’s capitol. My nephew loved the trip and especially loved Mr. Tom the busdriver. The kids learned so much about our capitol and our country, and it may not have been possible without a donation of the bus and driver, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

Anchor Trailways Receives #1 DOD Rating

Molly — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:42:11 +0000

We have once again qualified for our #1 DOD rating – the highest rating possible which qualifies us to transport our troops and we are so honored to be able to do so. Not all motorcoach companies can undergo the scrutiny of this qualification and you should always ask a company what their DOD rating is before deciding to work with them. The ratings run from 1 (satisfactory) to 5 (unsatisfactory) and if a company is not rated at all it means they either do not qualify or do not want to submit themselves to this rigorous assessment.

Sober Ride Assures Revellers A Safe New Year!

Molly — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:18:30 +0000

Anchor Trailways & Tours is pleased to donate a motorcoach and driver for Sober Ride, coordinated by the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. Started in 1983 with just a few volunteers providing free rides to people on New Years Eve who had a few too many drinks, the service has grown to well over 200 volunteers who give up their New Year’s Eve to make sure individuals who have had too much to drink have a safe way home. Last year over 1700 individuals in Nashville received a free and safe ride home on New Years Eve.

When you are ready to go home, call 615-862-RIDE (7433) between 10 p.m. New Year’s Eve and 2 a.m. New Year’s Day for a free, safe, and sober ride home – no questions asked. Volunteers will take you home, not to another party. Reservations not accepted.

Sober Ride is celebrating 26 years of service and have taken 25,000 people home over the years. Congratulations Davidson’s County Sheriff’s Office and all the volunteers for such a great service to keep Nashville safe.

July is Family Reunion Month

Molly — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:00:08 +0000

Did you know that July is Family Reunion Month? While your reunion should be filled with laughter, there is nothing funny about being safe and we take your safety seriously. The greatest number of on-road accidents occur because drivers are tired or distracted. Our drivers adhere to a strict set of requirements regarding number of hours per 24 hr period they can drive to assure they are always fully rested. And with our drivers driving, all adults in your group can join in the fun while you travel. Don’t miss out because you have to drive, hire Anchor Trailways & Tours to drive your family or group to your next get-together or great adventure like going to Pigeon Forge, Holiday World, Six Flags (in GA or KY), Washington, DC or anywhere else your family fun takes you. The details of family reunions take years to plan, don’t skimp on the details of whose going to drive. If you’ve got the group, we’ve got the transportation. As a Department of Defense certified motorcoach company – you know you’re safe with us.

New Uniforms for Our Drivers

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:10:37 +0000

Anchor Trailways & Tours’ drivers now have a uniform look! Their new uniforms reflect the Anchor Trailways & Tours corporate colors with white button-down shirts, black pants, and a black tie embroidered with our logo.

If your driver isn’t wearing the Anchor Trailways & Tours uniform, then you are not riding with the company designated as among the safest in Nashville. Here are a few important factors to consider when selecting a motorcoach provider for your group travel:

1. Are they Department of Defense approved?
Safety is important when selecting a motorcoach company for your church, school, team or family group travel. Knowing before you step onto the bus that you are riding with a government-approved provider will put your mind at ease long before the trip begins. If our military men and women ride Anchor Trailways because of our D.O.D.certification, shouldn’t you?

2. Do they have a traceable GPS system?
Anchor Trailways & Tours is proud to utilize the Trailways Voyager GPS Tracking System provided through a grant from the Department of Homeland Security and awarded by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). This system makes it possible to track our buses at any time via the Internet. In the event of an emergency we are able to instantly provide help for any bus in need. The Trailways Voyager GPS Tracking System enables us to assure your group’s safety.

At Anchor Trailways & Tours, we pay attention to all the details, right down to uniforms for our drivers, to assure you a great trip!

Department of Defense Inspection

Molly — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:16:00 +0000

Anchor Trailways and Tours just completed another Department of Defense Inspection. It is so amazing the amount of detail the inspectors look at when doing one of these inspections. It is no surprise to me that out of the more than 4000 motorcoach companies that have a Department of Transportation approval to operate, only about 400 have been able to pass this inspection.
Beyond looking at the safety of the vehicle, the Department of Defense inspectors look at the full maintenance system, the driver qualification files, and all operations paperwork. Thankfully, Anchor Trailways and Tours has been through this inspection numerous times and our experienced personnel were ready once again to show all. We have a Number One rating currently. We await the results. However, as a consumer, it is important to note that using even the lowest rated D.O.D approved carrier is still better than one who has never been through this detailed inspection. Ask any carrier to show you their Department of Defense Certification Letter, before you ask about price or the age of the company’s motorcoaches.