[PRCo] Re: Question for Harold G. or anyone

[Harold Geissenheimer]

Greetings
The top 7 I named had the highest wages.  Several negotiated together
and took joint strikes.  (Brentwood, Oriole, Penn, ?)

Community was non union but we matched the other's wages.

Community President was Dave Brown who brought Harley
Swift to Pgh..

Community was the new comer.  Started in 1950 when Dave took
over the Penn Bus route to Bridgeville and Hickory (PAT 31/33 D, E)
He purchased the West Penn buses from Connelsville.  Bridgeville
drivers were stockholders

In 1961 he expanded and applied for and received new PUC rights
and formed the Allegheny Valley Division at the Tarentum Garage
(ex West Penn).  I became Manager.  We hired many of the former
Harmony drivers but we were non-union.  Followed the Harmony work
rules and Bridgeville pay.  Bridgeville used Blue Ridge rules.

Community was all GMC diesel (as was Harmony and Penn Transit)
We purchased the first 40' new looks in Pgh.

Dave did not hang out with the other bus owners.  Never a strike, always
the highest wages..  Dave started as a Penn Bus/Bridgeville driver, then
union leader, then Blue Ridge manager, then Community President, and
lastly PAT executive.  He favored the merger, most of the other owners
did not.  Dave was responsible for establishing PAT driver seniority..every
driver in order of date of hiring.  Never a legal question and it worked
well because it was fair.  Even Carnegie Coach Leonard Bruno kept
his seniority.  Dave prevented Division 85 operators riding over all the
other men.  Remember, the other drivers were almost half.

Dave Brown was one of the finest men I ever worked for.  I met him
when Community started and kept intouch for 10 years.

In the 1950's I would go around on Saturdays and visit with
the other operators.  Every one worked on Saturday.  Made
good friends with Harold Norris and the others.

When Swift came to Pgh, he hired me thru Community part time
to identify the routes, etc.  Thats how I became PAT's
planning director

Now the question is.  Which company was #1.

You can fill in the name....and CTS did not spell Cleveland Transit System.

We had the best buses, the best maintenance and the highest morale
and levels of service.  And we made a profit.

Harold Geissenheimer
for most of the Harmony local rights

Derrick J Brashear wrote:

>On Mon, 23 Feb 2004, Fred Schneider wrote:
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>>One of the five best.  The other four?  Brentwood?  Deere Brothers?  Bigi?  Oriole?
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>C'mon Fred, you knew he had to list Community in the top 5 ;-)
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