On Wednesday morning, the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry will award Dale and Dallas Krapf, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Krapf Group, the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Last week, the Krapf brothers spoke with VISTA Today about growing up in Glenmoore, their parents’ work ethic and unique working relationship, and how their father’s high standards and discipline prepared Dallas’ for a three-year Army stint and third place in a world trapshooting competition.
Dale and Dallas speak of their decision to join the family bus business as a decision neither ever regretted, how automation and regulation are making their business more challenging than their father could have ever imagined, and what they’re doing with their free time now that the next generation of Krapfs are managing the family’s business.
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
Dale: We were both born in West Chester and grew up in the Honey Brook/Glenmoore area. Our parents were operating a service station in Guthriesville and were two years into the bus business at the time of my birth, but moved the family to Honey Brook when I was two, and soon after Dallas’ birth we moved to Springton Road in Glenmoore.
What memories do you have of your childhood years?
Dale: When I was two, Dad purchased a farm in Honey Brook and named it “Honey Dale” heralding my arrival after having three daughters. The Kauffman family lived in half of the double farmhouse, and in keeping with Amish practice, did not have electricity in their section of the home. When Dad decided to build a home on Springton Road, he sold the farm to the Kauffman’s. The family still owns the farm today.
Our formative years were actually spent on Springton Road in Glenmoore. The bus garage was right next door, so as youngsters we spent a lot of time riding on buses with our mother as preschoolers and eventually began following Dad to the shop where he taught us how to sweep out buses and how to wash them – the George Krapf way.
What memories do you have of your parents?
Dale: Mother and Dad worked together as a team. They started operating their service station during World War II, so it was a difficult time and they spent long hours at the station with Dad doing the mechanical work and Mother pumping gas. In 1942, they began the school bus business. Being able to raise 5 children and maintain and grow a fledgling business is a testament to their hard work and dedication. They set high standards for us kids.
When did you start working in the family business?
Dallas: As kids, we were always in the shop. As early as six, each of us had a role and our oldest sister, Millie, was in charge. Dale would sweep out the buses and clean the grease from the shop floors and I scrubbed the bus wheels and the seats. Dad always made sure to pay us, although it was often only a nickel per bus.
I formally joined the business full time in September 1970, after my stint in the Army.
Wasn’t that a tough time to be in the Army?
Dallas: Yes, it was during the Vietnam War, but fortunately, I was never deployed to Vietnam. I have a lot of great memories of the military – it was a good learning and growing experience for me. Growing up in a very loving yet disciplined and hard-working environment definitely prepared me for what the Army expected, so unlike many twenty-year-olds, I was able to enjoy Army life.
Was your dad hard on you?
Dallas: I wouldn’t say he was hard on us, but he did have high expectations and was unbelievably disciplined. However, he had high expectations of everyone, including his employees. He was an excellent teacher and would take the time to show you how to do something right, but then would expect you to do it that way consistently. His motto was to do it right or don’t do it at all. Everyone had a lot of respect for Dad, and the discipline and hard work always paid off.
Where did your father’s discipline and work ethic come from?
Dale: Dad was of German descent and grew up in difficult times. He was very intelligent, had high values, and was very frugal and very driven.
Did your mother soften your father’s approach?
Dale: Mother did somewhat soften Dad’s approach, however, she was a hard driver, too. Nothing softened Dad’s demeanor more than being with his family and friends. He was a great family man and spending time with his children and eventually, his grandchildren was so important to him.
Did either of you inherit your parents’ work ethic?
Dale: Unfortunately, too much of it! We both have been very dedicated to our business for decades and have spent many long days at work over the years. When you love what you do so much and have such a strong bond with your business partner/brother, it is very hard to walk away from it. Although Dallas has semi-retired, at 74, I still spend most days in the office and will continue to do so for as long as possible.
Did you play any sports in high school?
Dallas: Not really. I ran cross country for one year but typically worked in the shop after school. However, I love sports, especially basketball and always supported Coach Ross Kershey and the Coatesville team by attending all the games. In our free time Dad, Dale and I used to go trap shooting and hunting. For Dad, though, it was more about the family time together than the hunt itself.
Dale: In high school, I ran cross country for three years and was on the wrestling team for two years.
You’re big Penn State football fans, right?
Dale: Dallas is the biggest Penn State supporter!
Dallas: Our family has had a wonderful affiliation with Penn State. Our sisters Millicent and Marcia both graduated from PSU and Dale went there for one year. My love for Penn State started when Dale obtained football tickets in the early 1970s. I was hooked after one game and have attended nearly every game since! For home games I sponsor a motorcoach ride, a tailgate party, and game tickets which I share with family and friends.
Dallas, did you graduate high school and go right into the Army?
For two years I tried to “find” myself at college and even attended Lycoming College for one year. However, in 1967, instead of going into the Army through the draft program I enlisted for three years.
Dale, you went to Penn State for a year?
I attended Penn State for one year then transferred to Lycoming College in Williamsport. I am a proud graduate of Lycoming and have been a trustee for over twenty-five years. To this day, Dallas and I both have strong ties to Lycoming.
What was it about Lycoming that drew you away from Penn State?
Dale: I felt like I needed to be in a smaller setting with smaller class sizes. I was overwhelmed and possibly not mature enough to function in the larger Penn State setting. I loved the PSU football team and the big-time athletics, but also felt lost and certainly wasn’t having any fun. One of my friends from trapshooting attended Lycoming and suggested I transfer. Dad and I visited Lycoming, and the rest is history.
Your father was supportive of you going to college, even though he didn’t go himself?
Dale: By all means! Dad wanted all of us to go to college, especially since he did not have that opportunity himself. He aspired to be a lawyer, but came to realize that the family’s financial situation during the depression era would not afford him that opportunity. Our older sister, Millicent was the first in our family to graduate from college.
Dallas, was he supportive of your decision to enlist?
Dallas: He was. Many of the men fought the system, but thanks to my upbringing, I was able to be the perfect soldier. After completing basic training at Fort Bragg, I was transferred to Fort Benning in Columbus, GA. and became a Staff Sargent within 16 months.
Your father must have been proud of you?
Dallas: He was! I was very involved with the trapshooting team and if Dad could break away from work he would travel with me to some of the major competitions. Those trips were probably his first vacations from work, and were only made possible by everyone pitching in to work a little harder so that he could have some breaks.
Dale: Dallas is being modest about his time in the military. He was an excellent Olympic trapshooter and received a number of accolades as such. One of his teammates, Ray Stafford, will probably go down as one of the greatest trapshooters that ever lived.
Fill in some of the details of your time in the Army, Dallas.
Dallas: As young men, Dale and I did a lot of shooting with Dad. Each summer we would go to the Grand American Trapshooting competition, and I remember in 1965 and 1966, the Army had a team competing at this event. Once I joined the Army, Dad supported my decision to try out for the Army trapshooting team. I made the team and competed with them for the next three years.
One year our team went to Europe and competed against Russian, Czechoslovakian, and Romanian trapshooters. It was during the Cold War, so it was very important to the US government that the Army team prevail, and we did. I had a great ride. In 1970, I placed third in the world championship.
At Fort Benning, I oversaw the Army Marksmanship Training Unit (AMTU) for a year, which I am very proud of. Fellow shooter, Ray Stafford and I taught shooting clinics all across the country and competed against the Marine, Air Force and Navy teams.
Dallas, what brought out your competitive side in the Army.
Dallas: Competitiveness is an inherent trait in the Krapf family, right down to the fourth generation. Dale and I were both pretty good shots and on Saturdays and Sundays Dad would take us to many different championships in PA, DE, VA, NJ, NY, MD, and DC. Dad was so proud of us and loved to see us win at these competitions.
What kind of music were you listening to back then?
Dale: I was never a music buff, but there were certain groups and songs that I liked. When I studied, though, I always listened to classical music.
Dallas: I never really got into music either. It just serves as background noise for me.
Was there ever a time you considered not going into the family business or working for your father?
Dale: Never. It is the only thing I ever dreamed of or wanted to do.
Dallas: I’d have to agree with Dale. Our father did not encourage us to get into the bus industry. There was a point in his life where he would have been happy for us to go in a different direction. Because it was such hard work, he thought we’d be better off doing something else.
Has there ever been a time that either of you regretted the decision to work in the family business?
Dallas: Never. I am a people person and have met many, many wonderful people in this business. When I was more active in the day-to-day operation, I thrived on learning a little about each and every employee and their family and was always amazed at how determined they were to do right by us and to be good employees. Dale and I have also made some very strong friendships within the industry as a whole, as well as within the communities we serve. It’s a good feeling when you can make someone feel special and cheer up their day. Hopefully, the next generations have the same type of relationships.
What are the challenges and opportunities in front of you as individuals and as a company?
Dallas: Employees! There are not enough people who will drive school buses or motorcoaches. They are not out there looking for these jobs. Recruiting new employees is difficult. Our employees are what have always made us successful. We’ve had second and third generation family employees driving for us. Today it is tough to find qualified, loyal employees.
Why is finding good employees so challenging?
Dale: I heard a statistic recently that the trucking industry is 80,000 drivers short. I’m not sure what the future holds for our industry. Over the next ten years, we will see an uptick in technology which will hopefully solve the driver problem. The people who drive school buses for us go through more training requirements than airline pilots do! They’re not just school bus drivers, they’re operating a vehicle that’s carrying our most precious cargo. There’s so much more to this job!
There’s a lot of talk about autonomous vehicles. I can’t see that in the school bus industry, but I’m glad I’ll be 85 at that time so someone else can figure it out!
Dallas: The training to become a school bus driver is very intense and even involves learning a lot about the mechanical side of a school bus, which is very difficult for candidates. The state and federal governments have imposed many regulations for these drivers, and regardless of age or gender, everyone has to go through the same training.
It’s a great talking point for legislators to say that they’re going to pass stricter regulations requiring drivers to do this and that, and they will introduce a bill that passes into law adding one more unfunded regulation to our business. They just make it very hard to recruit candidates to drive for us. Additionally, we have zero tolerance for DUIs, even if it occurred forty years ago. All of this has led to a shortfall of drivers in all of our operations, and I don’t see a solution in sight.
What are you spending your free time on? What’s on the horizon for you personally?
Dale: I enjoy skiing and love to race marathon canoes. I also love to climb a mountain or two a year and have climbed several of the seven summits. Hopefully, I will do a few more before I get too old! I like to travel. My partner and I raise horses on the side, so that’s fun as well.
Dallas: Dale and I went in entirely different directions there. He’s the physical guy, and I’m not. I like to play golf here and there. I married a Jersey girl, so we spend a lot of time in Ocean City, NJ as well as Florida. I worked in the business for almost 50 years and had open heart surgery in 1993. I’m just happy that I’m here and able to do what I’m able to do.
Finally, Dale and Dallas, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Dale: My father used to always say, “In this business son, do the very best you can. Train your drivers well. Put money back into the busses and run the best fleet of busses you possibly can. Give back to your community and don’t worry about the profit line; that will come.”
He used to love to say that, and we never worried about the profit line until we got into this century. We ran our business for the first thirty years not worrying about the profit line. Everything went back into the business.
Dallas: I will echo what Dale said and just add, it’s all about the employees. Treat them fairly, with respect, and support them. They’re the ones that make you successful. They make financial decisions for you every moment of the day.
My wife and I never had any children, so we’ve been able to give back to the community in a greater way than my dad would have imagined. We try to support different organizations that I know he would have liked to have supported, but wasn’t able to.
