The year was 1976, and John Dockendorf was beginning his position as chief of the Urban Transit Division of PennDots Bureau of Public Transportation. Given his job, he thought it would be nice to decorate his office with some model buses, and so began his lifelong passion. What began as an office decorating project turned into a collection of more than 5,000 toy and model buses ranging from 1915 to the present. Dockendorf became one of the foremost authorities on model buses. His collection includes cast-iron, plastic, and die-cast from a variety of manufacturers, including Arcade, Kenton, Marx, Corgi, Dinky, and others. Whats his favorite bus? A 1930 vintage Pickwick Nite Coach. It was the bus industrys attempt to provide a Pullman-type sleeper service. Dockendorf is a member of the AACA Museum Board of Directors and a founding member of the Museum of Bus Transportation, which began in 1995 and recently merged with the AACA Museum. He decided to donate his full collection to the AACA Museum. While not all of these models can be displayed at one time, there are currently several dozen buses on view, and items will periodically rotate so a variety is displayed. Just as important as the material donation, Dockendorf has also committed to providing an annual contribution to help store and maintain the collection. About the AACA Museum Inc. The AACA Museum Inc., a Smithsonian Affiliate, displays beautifully restored or preserved automobiles, buses, trucks, and motorcycles in unique lifelike scenes representing the 1890s through the 1980s on a cross-country journey from New York to San Francisco. As one of the largest automotive museums in the country, AACA Museum Inc. features special exhibits that change several times a year and focus on a variety of eras and types of vehicles. The museum was recently recognized by USA Today 10 Best, Road & Track, and AutoClassics as one of the top automobile museums in the country. The AACA Museum Inc. has been and remains an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, not affiliated with the Antique Automobile Club of America. The museum is in South Hanover Township, just off Route 39 and one mile west of Hersheypark Drive in Hershey, Pa. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day, when the museum is closed. For more information, call 717-566-7100 or visit www.AACAMuseum.org.