Peter Pan Bus Lines history

The opening of the Massachusetts Turnpike in 1957 allowed Peter Pan to expand bus service between Springfield and Boston by reducing travel time to only two hours.

In 1963, Peter Pan’s sales soared to $1 million dollars, service was expanded, and a fleet of 28 buses were on the road.

The journey ended for Peter C. Picknelly in January of 1964.

Operations grew steadily and in 1969, Peter L. made the decision to construct a bus terminal in Springfield, MA. It was Peter Pan’s first major bus terminal and the first terminal in the United States to include both Greyhound and Trailways bus service under one roof.

In the 1970’s, it changed its name to Bonanza Bus Lines.

In 1982, Peter Pan established Coach Builders, the only bus body shop in the Northeast, which offered complete repair and restoration services for its own fleet and other fleets as well.

In 1985, Peter Pan doubled its scheduled bus service with the acquisition of Trailways New England.

In 1992, Peter Pan Bus Lines was selected to transport Presidential Candidate Bill Clinton and his running mate Al Gore for the “First 1,000 Miles” of their historic whistle stop bus tour from the convention in New York City to America’s Heartland.

In 2000, Peter Pan Bus Lines’ Chairman Peter L. Picknelly was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs.

In 2001, the company opened new offices and a maintenance facility in Secaucus, NJ serving metro NYC.

Peter Pan acquired Bonanza Bus Lines in 2003.

In 2004, another page was turned and a new chapter began with the sad news that Peter L. Picknelly had passed.

Always a leader in technology, by 2008 Peter Pan was the first bus company in the United States to offer “print at home” tickets sold on the internet.

In 2017, Peter Pan ended its longtime alliance with Greyhound and once again began traveling independently throughout the northeast and Mid-Atlantic States.