Complete Coach Works (CCW) is giving the spotlight to an often-overlooked segment of public transportation—fleet maintenance professionals—with the debut of a new podcast and video series, Bus Tech Talk.
Hosted by Mark Hollenbeck, CCW’s National Business Development Manager and a seasoned transit industry veteran with more than 27 years of experience, the series offers honest, practical conversations about the complex challenges facing maintenance departments today.
Real Conversations for Real Maintenance Teams
At its core, Bus Tech Talk is designed to give voice to the people working behind the scenes to keep buses safe, sustainable, and road-ready. The podcast creates a peer-driven platform where fleet managers and technical staff can exchange insights, tackle shared challenges, and explore evolving technologies impacting their day-to-day operations.
Each episode centers around timely, high-impact topics such as alternative propulsion systems, technician recruitment, facility planning, and the realities of working with limited budgets.
A Closer Look at the Launch Episode
The premiere episode features a thoughtful conversation with Charlie Busse, Director of Maintenance at Connect Transit in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. He joins Hollenbeck and Alex Roman of METRO Magazine to explore how his agency is navigating the shift toward electric vehicles while juggling staff development and operational efficiency.
“We’re not just replacing diesel buses with electric ones,” Busse says. “We’re transforming how we train staff, plan facilities and maintain reliability across a mixed fleet.”
Busse details how Connect Transit is adapting its training models and workflows to support the agency’s long-term sustainability goals—all while maintaining the reliability that riders depend on.
Behind the Microphone: Mark Hollenbeck on His Mission
In a follow-up interview with Bus & Motorcoach News, Hollenbeck shared what drew him to the project and why it matters:
“I’ve spent over 27 years working with transit agencies across the country, while at CCW, Metro Magazine, and Proterra,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed building relationships and sharing knowledge with people in the industry, so when the opportunity came up to co-host this podcast, it felt like a natural extension of what I love to do – connect, learn and help others learn too.”
When asked why CCW launched Bus Tech Talk, Hollenbeck emphasized the critical importance of maintenance to the success of any transit operation.
“Transit maintenance is such an essential piece of public transportation – it’s truly the backbone of every agency,” he said. “The goal is to share expertise, highlight best practices, and offer transit professionals a platform to learn from one another.”
What Listeners Can Expect
Upcoming episodes will feature maintenance leaders, technicians, and industry experts offering unfiltered insights into real-world operations. Listeners can look forward to discussions on topics like:
- Fleet refurbishment strategies
- Preventative maintenance practices
- Technological adoption and integration
- Parts sourcing and vendor relationships
- Workforce retention and mentorship
“We want every episode to deliver at least one actionable takeaway,” Hollenbeck noted. “Whether it’s a better maintenance workflow or a new idea for technician training, we want our audience to walk away with value.”
A Collaboration Built for the Transit Community
The podcast is a joint initiative between Complete Coach Works and METRO Magazine’s Alex Roman. According to Hollenbeck:
“It’s a collaboration… We see it as a service to the industry—a way to build community and promote knowledge sharing that benefits everyone involved in transit maintenance.”
Bus Tech Talk is now streaming on YouTube. The first episode—“Maintenance Insights from Connect Transit’s Charlie Busse”—is live and available for viewers seeking grounded, real-world strategies for public fleet upkeep and innovation.
Source: Bus and Motorcoach News
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