Bieber Transportation Group

Bieber Transportation Group was an American bus company based in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, operating intercity commuter buses, charter buses, and tours. The company provided bus service from the Reading and Lehigh Valley regions of eastern Pennsylvania to Philadelphia and New York City. The company was founded by Carl R. Bieber in 1946. Bieber ended operations on February 8, 2019.

Bieber Transportation Group
Founded1946
DefunctFebruary 8, 2019
HeadquartersKutztown, Pennsylvania
Service areaEastern Pennsylvania, New York City
Service typeIntercity bus, charter bus, tours
Websitearchived page

Service
Bieber bus in Philadelphia

Prior to ending operations in 2019, Bieber Transportation Group provided intercity commuter bus service from points in eastern Pennsylvania to the Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal in Philadelphia and the intersection of 8th Avenue and 39th Street in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. Service was provided daily along a route running from Reading and the Lehigh Valley to Philadelphia and a route running from Reading and the Lehigh Valley to New York City. Bieber offered one-way and round-trip tickets along with commuter books offering multiple tickets for commuters to use in a 30-day period.[1][2] Bieber also offered tour bus service to domestic and international destinations, including casino excursions to Atlantic City.[3][4] The company offered charters for groups for single-day or multi-day trips along with weddings, airport transfers, casino excursions, and cruise ports.[3][5]

Stop locations
City Stop location(s) Source
Allentown, Pennsylvania Allentown Bus Terminal [6]
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania LANTA Metro Mart [6]
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem [1]
Hellertown, Pennsylvania Top Star Exxon (tickets)
Hellertown park and ride (bus stop)		 [6]
Kutztown, Pennsylvania Bieber Bus Terminal [6]
New York City 8th Avenue and 39th Street [6]
Philadelphia Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal [6]
JFK Boulevard between Broad and 15th streets (pick-up only)
30th Street Station
Quakertown, Pennsylvania Top Star Exxon (tickets)
Quakertown park and ride (bus stop)		 [6]
Reading, Pennsylvania Inter-City Bus Terminal [6]
Wescosville, Pennsylvania Charcoal park and ride [6]

Fleet

Bieber Transportation Group had a fleet of 54 buses, which included several luxury coaches. The fleet consisted of tour buses manufactured by Motor Coach Industries, Prevost, and Van Hool that can seat between 33 and 56 passengers. Amenities on the buses included heating and air conditioning, restrooms, PA system, DVD players, and AM/FM CD stereo.[7]

Partnerships

Bieber Transportation Group served as the exclusive motorcoach carrier for sports teams such as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and the Reading Royals. The company also provided transportation to the sports teams of Muhlenberg College and DeSales University. Bieber formerly maintained a transportation relationship with Kutztown University athletics.[7]

History

Carl R. Bieber Sr. opened a trucking company in Kutztown in 1928. He gradually added buses to his fleet; in 1946 the company began charter bus service from the Lehigh Valley.[8] In 1976, Bieber's son Carl R. Bieber Jr. took over the company. Company founder Carl R. Bieber died in 1991. In 2001, Bieber Jr. sold the company to Steven G. Haddad, who kept the Bieber name. Bieber Jr. died on June 10, 2005 at the age of 62.[9] Bieber acquired competitor Capitol Trailways in 2008.[10]

In October 2016, Bieber suspended service on a route from Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville, PA to Reading and Philadelphia.[11] In March 2018, Bieber ended bus service along a route connecting York, Lancaster, Pottstown, Limerick, and Norristown to New York City.[8][12]

In 2017, Bieber paid a $20,000 settlement to the U.S. Department of Justice for failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In 2018, the Internal Revenue Service filed a $915,736 lien against Bieber while the state of Pennsylvania filed a $187,143 lien against the company. In May 2018, a Berks County judge ordered Bieber to pay First National Bank of Pennsylvania $450,968 as part of a lawsuit.[8] Bieber put their bus terminal in Reading up for sale in 2018.[13]

On July 28, 2018, the Bieber bus stop in New York City moved from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to 383 Madison Avenue at East 47th Street due to an unpaid $214,000 bill to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for use of the terminal.[14] Bieber had previously missed payments to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and was threatened with termination notices in 2008, 2010, and 2012; with the termination in 2018 being permanent.[8] Trans-Bridge Lines took over Bieber's gate at Port Authority Bus Terminal and implemented service from Wescosville and Hellertown to New York City.[14] On August 20, 2018, the stop in New York City moved to West 31st Street between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue.[15] Starting August 27, 2018, Bieber buses heading toward New York City ran to the Weehawken Port Imperial ferry terminal in Weehawken, New Jersey, where a New York Waterway ferry provided a connection across the Hudson River to New York City; the ferry ride was included in the price of the bus ticket.[16] On November 6, 2018, Bieber buses resumed direct service into New York City with a stop at the intersection of 8th Avenue and 39th Street, with service to Weehawken Port Imperial discontinued.[17]

On February 8, 2019, Bieber abruptly cancelled all bus service and later announced that the company was going out of business after 72 years due to decreasing ridership and increasing expenses. In recent weeks, employees of the company were having trouble getting their paychecks. In addition, employees were seen packing up their belongings at the company headquarters in Kutztown.[13]

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References
  1. "Daily Bus Service to Philadelphia, PA". Bieber Transportation Group. January 8, 2017. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  2. "Daily Bus Service to New York City, NY". Bieber Transportation Group. January 8, 2017. Archived from the original on February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  3. Staff (April 19, 2013). "Innovative Operator Profile: Diverse Service, Strategies Bring Success". Metro Magazine. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  4. "Travel Tours". Bieber Transportation Group. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  5. "Charter Bus". Bieber Transportation Group. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  6. "Bus Stations". Bieber Transportation Group. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  7. "About Us". Bieber Transportation Group. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  8. Coughlin, Matt; Wagaman, Andrew (July 21, 2018). "Port Authority on booting Bieber buses: 'It's final'". The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  9. Solomon, Wendy (June 13, 2005). "Carl Bieber, former owner of bus company, dead at 62". The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  10. undefined (2008-12-31). "Capitol Trailways sale approved". PennLive.com. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  11. "Bieber to end Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven bus runs". WFMZ. September 28, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  12. Mekkel, Tim (July 27, 2018). "New partnership restores daily bus service between Lancaster and NYC". LancasterOnline. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  13. "Berks-based Bieber bus line out of business after 72 years". Allentown, PA: WFMZ-TV. February 8, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  14. "Bieber sets new pick-up, drop-off point in New York City". Allentown, PA: WFMZ-TV. July 27, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  15. "Bieber changes drop off and pick up locations in New York City". Allentown, PA: WFMZ-TV. August 17, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  16. "Ferry ride to become part of Bieber's trip to New York City". Allentown, PA: WFMZ-TV. August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  17. "Bieber Tourways set to resume direct service to New York City". Allentown, PA: WFMZ-TV. November 5, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
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