Patricia Cowley and her firm PC Management Services have joined Team Trailways to assist with the organization’s activities, including social media marketing, event management, database management and member communications.
Cowley started her own business a few years back to help nonprofit associations manage their businesses and drive value to their members. She is well-versed in nonprofit board governance and transportation, as she currently serves as the Executive Director for the Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association and the Pennsylvania Bus Association. Cowley’s team also serves The New Jersey School Bus Contractors Association.
Amy Brooks, Chairwoman of Trailways, said she is happy to have Cowley and her team assisting with the marketing and promotion of Team Trailways.
“I, as well as other board members, are familiar with Pattie and her capabilities,” Brooks said. “She is well-known in the industry, and her efforts on our behalf will be beneficial for the organization. We are lucky to have her on board.”
Already active in motorcoach industry
With more than 30 years of finance and operational experience, Cowley has been a controller, chief financial officer and treasurer at the corporate level and a financial adviser to nonprofit organizations. She now spends much of her time advocating for the bus industry, and her efforts have been recognized by the motorcoach community. Recently, she was honored for her achievements during this year’s American Bus Association’s Marketplace with the Women in Buses Operational Excellence Award.
She engages in all regulatory and legislative concerns on behalf of her members, both at the federal and state levels. In 2020 and 2021, she dedicated a significant amount of time to secure CERTS funding with the “Gang of 11” – a group of operators and vendors across the country who worked together to educate legislators on the value of the private motorcoach industry.
Recently, Cowley was appointed to the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Council and served on the Pennsylvania Transportation Revenue Options Commission. Her input on behalf of the association helped stop the tolling of bridges in Pennsylvania, where a state court ruled that PennDOT failed to follow proper procedure in pursuing the bridge tolling initiative.
“I believe keeping members abreast of issues that affect their businesses and creating action plans are the keys to effective grassroots advocacy,” she said in a statement that announced her contract with Trailways.
Cowley is also a member of the Bus Industry Safety Council, where she recently presented an educational session titled “Best Practices for Capturing Near Misses and Avoiding Accidents in the Future.” Using her operational background and love for technology, she has implemented an association management system for the Pennsylvania Bus Association (PBA) in February and the Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association (GNJMA) in June. This effort has streamlined operations, reduced costs and given the members control over their information and easy access to other members. Lastly, she has been asked to chair quarterly meetings across the country for the American Bus Association.
“We are honored to be part of a national organization with a strong brand and rich history. We look forward to serving the needs of the stockholders and partner members,” Cowley said.
