MCI Commuter Coach

Commuter Express Coaches are Designed for the Highway D4500 & D4000

The most important coach on the road today. See why more and more people choose the MCI D over lowfloor and articulated buses for highway applications

772 D Coaches

Head to new Jersey Save Money.

MCI Commuter Express Coach offers lower total operating costs than other vehicle alternatives while improving ridership and satisfaction.

Agency case studies: NJT, Denver, Pace

MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES / 2015

HIGH FLOOR VS. Low FLoor The difinitive answers you need.

High vs. Low Floor/

MCI Commuter Coach holds the edge...

Total Cost of Operation/

Value-minded buyers see the comparison...

NJ Transit Buys 772/

NJ finalizes contract to purchase 772 MCI coaches to upgrade fleet...

The New D/

Specifications of the new D series coach ...

MCI D Series Commuter/

Denver RTD Goes MCI/

Style to fit your fleet....

Denver’s Flatiron Flyer bus service to feature the MCI Commuter Coach.

The Workhorse/

MCI D Series Commuter/

MCI D Series gets a facelift and other important upgrades...

Style to fit your fleet...

80+ Years and Growing/

Most people familiar with MCI history know the major milestones...

Bus-On-Shoulder Service/

Faster deployment, lower costs. This may be the future of commuter service.

The birth of a D/

Watch a D Coach being built from the ground up.

At MCI we live our Reliability Driven philosophy / We’re proud of what we’ve built. Proud of our engineers who are driven to create the most reliable coaches, of our safety record, and of the trust that customers, drivers and passengers place in us every day. We continue to be the leading supplier of motor coaches to the combined public and private sectors in the U.S. and Canada. We’re honored that the D-Series ranks as the top-selling coach of 2014, the most popular ever. And we’re just as honored that the J4500 holds the top private-sector sales position for 2014, making it the leader for 11 consecutive years.

We’re also proud of where we’re going. Thanks to the great support of our customers, we are stable, profitable and able to reinvest in our product, factory and people. The latest generation of MCI coaches is a testament to our world-class manufacturing processes, our quality suppliers and our culture of reliability. With improvements including tighter turning, better-handling IFS (Independent Front Suspension), easier-to-service brakes with more progressive automotive feel, sturdier components that better resist corrosion, lower operating costs, better fuel efficiency, more impactful curb appeal and a comprehensive

warranty including our Super 60 five-year warranty, it’s clear that our past is pointing toward our future.

That future now includes Setra coaches that redefine North American luxury travel; Quality at Source processes that are transforming MCI manufacturing and service; and after-sale support like no other, including unparalleled field support and new online technician training. We continue to invest heavily where operators see the most tangible benefit: in our products, in our parts, in our service network and in our people.

We have long been the North American industry leader. Today, with our Daimler partnership and a firm financial footing, we are better positioned than ever to be long-term partners in our operators’ success.

And that’s something we can all be proud of.

Thanks again for your support, we are glad to share our progress with you.

Rick Heller MCI CEO

FIND US Questions and feedback: 200 East Oakton Street Des Plaines, Illinois 60018 Phone: 866-MCICOACH Email: info@mcicoach.com www.mcicoachcom

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It’s official: NJTransit to buy 772 MCI coaches New Jersey’s public transit board has officially approved a $395 million contract to purchase 772 commuter coaches from Motor Coach Industries.The coaches will be delivered to the transit agency over six years.

NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey’s public transit board has officially approved a $395 million contract to purchase 772 commuter coaches from Motor Coach Industries.

The contract, one of the largest between New Jersey Transit and MCI, calls for the coach manufacturer to supply the transit agency with the 45-foot, clean-diesel, cruiser-style coaches over six years, beginning in 2016.

The agreement also includes parts, service and support, and training for drivers and mechanics.

The contract price works out to an average price of $495,037 per coach, according to New Jersey Transit.

The transit agency selected MCI over two other bidders, Prevost/ Volvo and ABC-Van Hool. Although exact figures were unavailable, they reportedly bid $540,000 and $570,000 per coach, respectively.

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MCI has been supplying New Jersey Transit with buses for the past 33 years, giving the company a leg up on the competition. The transit agency, the nation’s third largest behind New York City and Los Angeles, said that based on a combination of technical specifications and cost, “Motor Coach Industries was determined to offer the best value and advantageous proposal.”

“We are tremendously honored that New Jersey Transit has once again selected MCI,” said MCI President and CEO Rick Heller. “Our commuter coach has been the mainstay in its express service capabilities for decades.

Today’s announcement for 772 additional vehicles marks another milestone in an important customer relationship centered on coach performance and innovation.”

New Jersey Transit said it is purchasing two different configurations of the 45-foot cruiser bus: 712 of the

We are tremendously honored that New Jersey Transit has once again selected MCI, buses will not be equipped with lavatories and will seat 57 passengers; 60 of the buses will be equipped with lavatories and will seat 55 passengers.

All of the buses will be equipped with Detroit diesel engines, Allison transmissions, three-point seatbelts and a vehicle stability system. They will be Wi-Fi capable.

The new buses also will have wheelchair lifts and will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and will incorporate Diesel Exhaust Fluid to reduce exhaust emissions as prescribed by the latest Clean Air Act amendment.

The new buses will replace 772 older (2000 to 2008 model year) MCI coaches in the agency’s fleet, many of them with more than 500,000 miles on them.

The new buses will replace 235 45-foot and 360 40-foot cruisers operated by New Jersey Transit and 177 45-foot cruisers operated by private carriers. The transit agency said replacement of the older buses will improve service reliability and the customer experience and will reduce operating costs.

The agency said replacing the 40-foot buses with 45-foot models would increase the seating capacity of its cruiserbus fleet by 6 percent.

Patrick Scully, MCI’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, said about 40 percent of the company’s business is with the public sector. MCI, North America’s leading motorcoach supplier, has far and away been the dominant supplier of commuter coaches to New Jersey Transit.

MCI won its first contract with New Jersey Transit in 1982 for 700 MC-9 cruiser buses, and the agency purchased another 415 in 1987. In 2000, the agency gave MCI the biggest public transit order in North American busindustry history at the time with a 1,400-vehicle purchase.

New Jersey Transit also was the first U.S. public transit agency to purchase new-model CNG-powered MCI commuter coaches, starting with a 50- coach order as part of a 1999 pilot program and adding 27 more units the following year.

It replaced those models with 177 MCI CNG-powered coaches delivered in 2014 and 2015.

“This new procurement is very significant for us and for New Jersey Transit,” Scully said. “We are very excited about it. From our perspective, our proposal represents the best overall value for New Jersey Transit.” www.MCIcoach.com

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Broward County Transit prepares first five of 14 MCI Commuter Coaches for Express Routes Broward County Transit (BCT) hosted a “New Rides” bus showcase Feb. 10 at the Governmental Center building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that showcased one of BCT’s five MCI Commuter Coaches, part of a 14-coach order to be completed by fall. BCT will use the coaches for its 95 Express service starting this spring. The service is named for its route along I-95, connecting Southwest Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

Representatives from BCT, the Board of County Commissioners, the Florida Department of Transportation, South Florida Commuter Services, the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization, MCI and the media attended the event.

BCT provides fixed route, express, community bus and paratransit services, completing nearly 40 million rides annually within Broward County as well as to Miami and connecting with neighboring transit agencies.

Designed for safety at highway speeds, the MCI Commuter Coach offers low ownership cost; a lower per-seat cost with 42% more seating capacity than a typical 40foot transit bus; and an excellent MDBF rate, with the fewest failures per vehicle among all bus types.

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BCT executive team from left: Tim Garling, Transit Director; Mary Shaffer, Manager, Customer Relations and Communications; and Chris Walton, Transportation Department Director, with one of five new MCI Commuter Coaches, which will go into service on BCT’s express routes this spring.

Designed for the Highway

MCI Commuter Coach 速

www.MCIcoach.com

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The workhorse:

MCI D-Series takes best-seller spot; new headlights advance style

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D MCI finished 2014 with the D-Series coach ranking as the overall best-selling coach in the public sector, complementing the success of the MCI J4500, now the private sector’s best-selling model for 11-years running.

The D-Series, including the MCI Commuter Coach, has earned its position as the leader in longer-distance express service by offering low cost of ownership, and an excellent MDBF rate, measured as the #1 performer with the fewest failures per vehicle among all bus types.

MCI offers the model in 40- and 45-foot clean-diesel, hybrid and CNG versions.

The D-Series model recently gained a step up in aesthetics with new 90-mm headlights, including an LED option, and continues to wow with its workhorse reputation.

Full details are found in the specs that follow. www.MCIcoach.com

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MCI Commuter Coach Technical Specifications Built for safety and comfort at highway speeds, the MCI Commuter, available in clean-diesel, hybrid or CNG, is strong and durable with a rugged semi-monocoque structure that elevates passengers and drivers above traffic, earning its position as the leader in Commuter Express Bus Service public transit systems.

Dimensions

Safety & Performance

Overall Length (bumper to bumper) Wheelbase Front Overhang Rear Overhang Overall Width Overall Height Interior Height Front Track Rear Track (drive) Rear Track (trailing) Turning Radius Gross Vehicle Weight

D4500 D4000 D4500 D4000 D4500 D4000

D4500 D4000 D4500 D4000

45.42 ft.

40.50 ft.

318.00 in 279.00 in 75.90 in 105.60 in 83.49 in 102.00 in 137.00 in 78.25 in 85.60 in 76.50 in 85.60 in 47.00 ft 44.70 ft 50,000 lb 46,000 lb

13.84 m 12.34 m 8.08 m 7.09 m 1.93 m 2.68 m 2.12 m 2.59 m 3.48 m 2.08 m 2.17 m 1.94 m 2.17 m 14.33 m 13.62 m 22,680 kg 20,865 kg

Standard Equipment Cummins ISX 12 liter, 425hp with engine brake Engine Options Cummins ISL 9 liter, 380hp (330hp-Hybrid) (2015 EPA Compliant) Cummins ISL G, 9 liter, 320hp–CNG w/ fuel system by Agility Cummins ISX G 12 liter, 400hp-CNG w/ fuel system by Agility

Standard Equipment Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Automatic Traction Control (ATC) Disc Brakes with 6 channel Antilock Braking System (ABS) Amerex fire suppression system Methane Detection (CNG) Fully multiplexed solid-state electrical system Braun wheelchair lift with 2 wheelchair positions MCI® A/C compressor

Optional Equipment Three-point passenger seat belts (multiple seat models available) Video surveillance SmartWave® integrated tire pressure monitoring system Sliding battery tray 4 Group 31 batteries Curb lights

Entertainment Systems & Digital Amenities

Transmission Options

Allison B500 (ISX) Gen V Allison B500R with retarder (ISL) Gen V Allison Ep50 Electric Drive Propulsion System (Hybrid)

Front Axle

16,000 lb (7,257 kg) with conventional bearings

Hands-free PA system

Drive Axle

22,500 lb (10,206 kg) with conventional bearings

2 Way Radio pre-wiring

Tag Axle

D4500: Meritor (Steerable) 14,000 lb (6,350 kg) D4000: Meritor 10,000 lb (4,536 kg)

WiFi system

Seating

D4500: 57-passengers D4000: 49-passengers

Automatic stop announcement system

Wheels

Hub-mounted steel, 22.5 x 9.0

Tires

Michelin® XZA2 Energy315/80R22.5 9.00" wheel L-rated

Alternator

Delco Remy 50DN 270A 24V (ISL) Dual 150A 24V Denso (ISX)

Standard Equipment

Brakes

Meritor all-wheel EX-225 disc

LED overhead reading lights and individual airflow controls

Parking Brake

Spring brake on drive axle

LED exterior lighting Full-length open parcel racks

Fuel System

164 U.S. gal. (Diesel) DOT 304 compliant capacity of 15.94 SCF (standard cubic feet), 114.6 DGE (diesel gas equivelant) at 3600 PSIG at 70°F (CNG)

Body Type

Stainless steel lower frame and high-tensile low-alloy steel in upper-body framing and high-stress areas

Exterior Skin

Bonded aluminum roof skin, fiberglass front & rear end caps, galvanized steel sidewalls

Baggage Doors

Underfloor pantograph-type with pneumatic lock and aluminum or stainless steel exterior skin

Entrance Door

Air-operated bi-part style door

Electrical System Fully multiplexed electrical system

Optional Equipment REI Elite Audio/Video system with six 10" LCD wide-screen monitors

110V outlets w/USB at seats Automatic passenger counter (APC)

Other Features

Energy absorbing front and rear bumpers, 2" rub rails Fare-box mounting provisions including notched dash and below-floor HVAC system Fixed baggage door panels on roadside

Optional Equipment Parcel rack air conditioning Enclosed parcel racks Stainless steel or painted exterior lower body panels 5" rub rails

Gauges

Multifunction Electronic Display including speedometer, oil pressure, water temperature, fuel level, voltmeter, air pressure and DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) level

Warning Lights

Real-time diagnostics of all operating systems

Aluminum or Durabrite® wheels

Cooling System

High-mounted, parallel radiator/charge air cooler module

Fan Clutch

Linnig electromagnetic, 3-speed

Aluminum fuel tank Air-operated sedan-style door Hinged baggage doors on roadside

Destination Sign Provisions for front, side and rear destination signs Steering System

Integral power steering

Suspension

Air suspension with automatic mechanical leveling system

Batteries

Two 8D with threaded studs (1350 c.c.a. each)

Voltage

12 volt and 24 volt

Exterior Lights

12 volt LED, except headlights

Motor Coach Industries, Inc. 200 East Oakton Street Des Plaines, IL 60018

USA (866) MCICOACH (624.2622) Canada (800) 624-8886 e-mail: marketing@mcicoach.com www.mcicoach.com

Bicycle rack Lavatory

Altoona-tested and Buy America compliant

©2015 Motor Coach Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice. Registered trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

Now equipped with quieter, fuel-saving 2013 EPA compliant engine technology

www.MCIcoach.com

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Commuter 13

Denver’s RTD Flatiron Flyer Bus RapidTransit to feature the MCI Commuter Coach

Denver’s RTD will use 59 MCI Commuter Coaches — emblazoned with a distinctive blue-and-sunriseorange paint scheme — for its new BRT (bus rapid transit) service. The Flatiron Flyer, which connects

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Denver to Boulder and everywhere in between, will launch January 17, 2016. The Denver agency expects to transport nearly 11,000 passengers per weekday on the 18-mile route that runs along U.S. 36.

BO Vis O tu at TH s a AP # t TA 712

Designed for the highway, built for commuter express The MCI Commuter Coach The MCI Commuter Coach has earned its position as the proven, North American leader in Commuter Express bus service for public transit systems due to its safety, reliability and comfort at highway speeds.

Our coach is strong and durable, with a rugged semi-monocoque structure that elevates passengers and drivers above traffic, plus Electronic Stability Control (ESC), tire pressure monitoring system and fire suppression system that make express routes, BRT and Bus-on-Shoulder service safer.

Our other strengths? Value and comfort. The MCI Commuter Coach offers a highly competitive per-seat price, plus low cost of operation and the best MDBF rate over all other types of bus models. Proven in the fleets of some of the nation’s most demanding transit agencies, it’s a hit with passengers too, thanks to comfortable forward-facing seats, reading lights, 110v outlets and high-capacity air conditioning.

©2015 MCI

Plus, the MCI Commuter Coach is Buy America-compliant and available in clean-diesel, hybrid and CNG options. So whether you’re looking to build capacity, serve new markets, improve passenger safety and comfort or simply build on your reputation for reliability, service and value, the Commuter Coach is ready to transform your commutes.

To learn more about the MCI® Commuter Coach, go to mcicoach.com/commuter

LowTotal Cost of Operatio Value-minded buyers see comparison /

TCO is a smart starting point for customers to use when making model comparisons Mike Denny

VP COach Finance

The most efficient Commuter Coaches ever As for total low cost of operation, the MCI Commuter Coach offers a highly competitive per-seat price and workhorse reliability. In fact, a recent National Transit Database Maintenance report shows that the Commuter Coach has 191% fewer failures per vehicle than BRT and 55% fewer than typical transit buses. It’s a hit with passengers too, thanks to comfortable seats, reading lights, airflow controls, and optional 110-volt outlets, Wi-Fi connectivity and three-point passenger seatbelts.

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on

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Design highwa comfor commu

The MCI Commuter Coach ®

Safer by Design Ideal for higher-speed routes High-floor design, rugged semi-monocoque structure Above-traffic, forwardfacing seating, advanced safety features offer riders, driver added security

Designed for the highway, safe and comfortable for commuter service Available in Diesel, Hybrid and CNG Buy-America compliant, Altoona-tested

Increased Rider Satisfaction Smooth, quiet ride

Low Cost of Ownership Lower per-seat cost with 42% more seating capacity versus a typical 40-foot transit bus, and industryleading MDBF

Individual reading lights and air vents Optional amenities from Wi-Fi to power outlets

Safer by Des

9/26/14 5:11 PM

Ideal for highe High floor for e  Long-travel sus  at highway spe Advanced safe  stability contro

pressure monit added security

Optional three Low Cost of

Lower per-seat  capacity versu Excellent MDBF  the fewest failu

• 191% fewer fa

• 55% fewer fai

*Data from the Nationa

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ned for the ay, safe and rtable for uter service

The MCI Commuter Coach ®

sign

er-speed routes

elevated view

spension for smooth, stable ride eeds

ety features from electronic ol to fire suppression and tiretoring systems offer riders, driver y

e-point passenger seatbelts

Ownership

t cost with 42% more seating us a typical 40-foot transit bus

F rate, measured #1 performer with ures per vehicle of all bus types

Increased Rider Satisfaction

Above-traffic views, with comfortable seating Smooth, quiet ride Parcel racks, individual reading lights and  air vents Optional amenities from Wi-Fi to power outlets Available in Diesel, Hybrid and CNG Buy-America compliant, Altoona-tested

ailures per vehicle than BRT vehicles*

ilures than typical transit-style buses*

al Transit Database Maintenance report

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A Bright BRT Future Requires

High-Floor Coaches

MCI Commuter Coach holds the edge in long-distance, high-speed routes By 2050, the population of the United States is expected to grow by some 100 million people, creating unprecedented transportation challenges in large urban areas, regional centers and once-distant rural towns and villages. That’s why Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has emerged among the lowest-cost, most environmentally sound and adaptive transit solutions for growing population centers not only in America, but also around the world.

Which passenger vehicles will best work to build the BRT system in the coming years? In short, it won’t be today’s average city transit bus.

Which passenger vehicles will best work to build the BRT system in the coming years? In short, it won’t be today’s average city transit bus.

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To meet the long-term speed, reliability and customer needs of expanding BRT, low-floor equipment common on frequent-stop mass U.S. transit systems will not be able to handle long-term operational or passenger needs of growing BRT systems. Today’s low-floor city bus is built for speeds under 35 mph and commuting distances less than 15 miles, compared to the average 2015 high highway speeds of 70-80 mph.

A solution? Greater investment in higher-

floor, or high, coach vehicles that are right for BRT systems, equipped for wheelchair and ground-level access and designed for commuters rethinking their relationship with the automobile.

The mass transit explosion moves toward BRT According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), transit ridership is at its highest level in nearly five decades. Costs for bus service have certainly risen over time. In 1995, the cost per unlinked passenger mile for high urban bus transportation averaged $2.16; as of 2012, that cost was at $3.71.

However, the 2012 bus figure compares to $11.12 per unlinked passenger mile for high commuter rail service. The cost and flexibility advantage for bus mass transit remain clear to this day.

The economic advantages of the developing BRT environment are just as clear. In a 2013 report from the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, cash-strapped city governments trying to handle additional riders after the 2008 recession found BRT to be the soundest

investment after light rail and streetcars for their flexibility, comparatively low system construction cost and closeness to riders.

But to serve BRT and new generations of riders effectively, equipment standards deserve a closer look.

It’s going to take a better bus.

Long-distance mass transit requires equipment that can go the distance Why do so many transit agencies consider using conventional low-floor buses on BRT routes? Because, to borrow an old phrase, they’re there.

But by committing existing low-floor equipment to the mechanically stressful environment required for longer-distance, higher-speed BRT applications, operators risk passenger safety, equipment reliability and most important, rider comfort that builds word-of-mouth and growth.

Low-floor designs have other problems too, including design issues that affect maintenance. Because low-floor design

requires bus mechanical systems to be located in unconventional, less accessible, less convenient locations, maintenance is tougher. Some key systems are located within the roof structure (typically between the ceiling panels and the roof skins), or added to an already overcrowded engine compartment (or both). Such equipment typically consists of air reservoirs, pneumatic valves, air dryers, plumbing, pumps, water heaters and the like. Servicing such equipment inconveniences maintenance personnel, which at best marginally increases labor time and at worst could increase the risk of accidents for those working on scaffoldings to access systems through the roof.

And because under-floor space is at such a premium, some low-floor models may not be able to provide 125 gallons of useable fuel capacity presently deemed minimally acceptable by most operators. Although step-floor designs have diminished this concern by leaving valuable under-floor space at the back of the rear door, it is worth mentioning, as many agencies contemplated 100 percent low-floor

designs for urban bus rapid transit (BRT) service more than 20 years ago.

Using typical seating layouts, plus two ADA-required wheelchair spaces, highfloor buses are able to accommodate approximately 44 to 57 passenger seats. Comparable stepped low-floor buses contain approximately 38 seats.

Thus, the high-floor bus is able to seat approximately 16 percent more passengers than the stepped low-floor bus, and a greater percentage over nonstepped low-floor designs. (Typically, standee space is also proportionally less with the low-floor approach.) On longerdistance commuter routes with greater operating hours, maximizing seats per vehicle is especially critical. More about this issue later.

Where today’s high-floor buses excel Back in the 1980s and ’90s, the U.S. transit industry followed the world and adopted low-floor buses to address customer convenience as well as the fledgling Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Today, low-floor transit buses remain dominant in the North www.MCIcoach.com

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American marketplace on shorter routes for faster boarding and alighting, even for wheelchair access.

MCI’s best-selling Commuter Coach — part of NJ TRANSIT’s hardworking fleet for 33 years — has outrun most low-floor coaches with its mechanical and comfort advantages.

Most passengers enjoy the above-traffic view from a bus with high seating, and the latest wheelchair-lift technology gives disabled passengers an equal experience with unprecedented efficiency in boarding and disembarking.

Most Commuter Coach interiors include three-point seatbelts, comfortable forward-facing seating for up to 57 passengers, Wi-Fi, electrical outlets and individual airflow controls and reading lights. And with Clean Diesel, Hybrid and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) formats, the high-floor MCI Commuter Coaches match or exceed economy and environmental highs of conventional lowfloor models.

On higher-speed, longer-distance commuter routes, studies show all these amenities become even more important.

Low-floor bus manufacturers have long noted that passengers typically move to the higher, stepped-up seats when boarding, even if it means working some distance to the door when they leave. Such studies point out that passengers note a “riding in a bathtub” feeling without the comfort and visibility common to highfloor coaches. This is particularly an issue on higher-speed, longer-distance routes.

Fortune 500 companies that operate their own long-distance commuter fleets — a common phenomenon between the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley

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— have hired leased vehicles with top features because younger workforces in particular respond very well to them.

They’re practically a recruiting tool.

BRT converts will want them too, as more than half of MCI customers say that rider comfort and convenience now drives their decision to buy.

The average motor coach provides a minimum of 15 years of service, and MCI regularly works with operators who make smart strategic decisions to extend the life of their vehicle.

Capacity disadvantages and increased life-cycle costs of low-floor buses Here are other issues discovered in a case study involving the average 40-foot, lowfloor bus: • 116 40-foot low-floor buses would be needed to provide the same level of service as 100 high-floor buses, requiring approximately $6.4 million in capital funds over and above those needed to procure the 100 high-floor buses that would provide the same ridership capacity.

• The additional low-floor buses needed to replace their high-floor counterparts would require 16 percent more operating costs for fuel, oil, brakes and other consumables.

• These additional buses needed would also require a 16 percent increase in maintenance and driver labor — including benefits — to operate them. The annual cost would then have to be multiplied by the expected 12-year design life of such buses to determine the overall operating cost impact.

• Whatever an operator’s tire mileage costs will be for a fleet of 100 high-floor buses, it would certainly be greater for

116 low-floor buses. Obviously, this increased vehicle quantity will increase annual tire mileage cost for this fleet by 16 percent over their 12-year design life.

However, low-floor buses utilize unique, low-profile tires, which may raise costs further through higher per-mile lease rates.

In short, in terms of life-cycle costs, the high-floor bus is clearly superior.

A study also found that some of the advantages of low-floor buses diminish depending on route application. For example, if dwell times are the average length of a traffic signal, there’s minimal system impact and, thus, minimal advantage in terms of the travel time savings for the route.

Also, powered wheelchair ramps common to low-floor buses can be complicated systems, while wheelchair lifts have become substantially more reliable in recent years.

Rising operating costs in the industry should be researched further to determine whether the choice of lowfloor designs has resulted in greater need for public sector investment. Accordingly, transit agencies should perform more thorough needs-based assessments to help make the final purchase decision.

Critical to this assessment are the types of applications that vehicle decisions will ultimately serve.

Demographics are defining the business A recent Atlantic story pointed out that cities are not only experiencing gentrification but “youthification,” meaning that Americans under the age of 35 are redefining everything from real estate to transportation.

A 2013 APTA study also emphasizes the influence of a younger ridership on mass transit, with technology playing a big role.

The study notes what millennials would like to see in the next ten years: •61 percent want more reliable systems •55 percent want real-time updates •55 percent Wi-Fi or 3G/4G wherever they go •44 percent want a more user-friendly and intuitive travel experience.

Given those preferences, passengers are going to want to see vehicles that help deliver on that experience. In short, for BRT and other long-range commuter transport, high-floor coaches will be in high demand. In fact, for these reasons, many high-tech companies are already using high-floor commuter coaches for their employer-provided shuttle services.

Along with LED reading lights, electrical outlets, Wi-Fi, pullout bike storage trays and wheelchair lifts, a high-floor design offers a long-travel suspension for a smooth ride, along with advanced safety features including Electronic Stability Control, tire pressure monitoring and fire suppression.

Today’s workers have proven they’ll go far to get to jobs, school and other daily destinations. And those agencies and transportation providers who invest in high-floor vehicles such as those made by MCI will go far as well.

Cliff Henke, senior analyst at WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, contributed to this article.

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MCI D Series Commuter/ Private and public sector...

Within the public sector, MCI is the only manufacturer to build a Commuter Coach; based the popular D-Series coach; offered in 40-ft and 45-ft cleandiesel, hybrid and CNG configurations.

In 2014, the MCI Commuter Coach, was the overall best-selling coach in the public sector, complementing the success of the MCIJ4500, the private sector’s best-selling model for 11-years.

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Today, more than 5,500 MCI Commuter Coaches operate in public transit agencies throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Passengers enjoy a host of standard amenities, including 10� video monitors, overhead reading lights and air-flow comfort controls.

Standard safety features are robust, with an emphasis on ESC and

an updated fire detection and suppression system plus integrated tire-pressure monitoring with alwayson sensors.

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Reliable, green, efficient Commuter Coaches go to show At the October American Public Transit Association (APTA) EXPO in Houston, Texas, MCI showcased Houston Metro’s newest MCI Commuter Coach, part of a 95-coach order; and displayed its CNG version in tribute to this year’s delivery of 147 CNG Commuter Coaches to New Jersey Transit.

Patrick Scully, MCI Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, welcomed Tom Lambert, Chief Executive Officer, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston, TX); and Gilbert Garcia, chairman, Houston METRO to the MCI booth, presenting them with a canvas photo portrait of their newest MCI Commuter Coach. All together Houston Metro operates 300 MCI Commuter Coaches.

MCI booth events included a press briefing with MCI CEO and President Rick Heller, who gave an overview of how MCI’s Quality-at-the-Source initiatives are leading to higherquality coaches and a safer workplace.

A record-breaking 800 exhibitors attended APTA EXPO, which was expected to draw more than 12,000 attendees from 65 countries.

Patrick Scully, MCI Executive Vice President (third from left), meets with Houston Metro executives and staff in MCI’s booth at APTA EXPO. 

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New“Bus on Shoulder”routes, coaches for Pace

Chicago’s Pace Suburban Bus poplar “Bus on Shoulder” service, which operates between the southwest suburbs and Chicago, is experiencing dramatic ridership increases. Pace’s Bus on Shoulder program, which began in 2011, has added more MCI Commuter Coach Buses to the service on the Interstate Highway 55 shoulder. The buses using the shoulder cannot travel at speeds greater than 35 mph, or 15 mph faster than the flow of regular traffic—whichever is less. Special signage and roadway markings show where buses can use the shoulder, and the buses have markings indicating authorization to use the shoulder.

Shoulder riding has been cited to be one of the most affordable options for implementing bus rapid transit on highways because it is less expensive to modify shoulders than it is to construct new roadways, and it requires little capital investment compared with rail alternatives. Pace officials say the buses are reducing travel times through one of Chicago’s most congested corridors, and more commuters are leaving cars at home.

“The Bus on Shoulder program has been effective at helping combat the Chicago area’s 28 www.MCIcoach.com

chronically jammed expressway system, and we are very pleased that Pace has once again selected the MCI Commuter Coach,” said Patrick Scully, Executive Vice President of MCI. “We’re proud that our Commuter Coach offers the best mean distance between failures among all types of bus models, reinforcing our Reliability Driven promise to offer the highest quality coaches, parts and service.”

One of the largest bus services in North America, Pace serves tens of thousands of daily riders with fixed bus routes, ADA paratransit, ridesharing, Call-n-Ride and dial-a-ride programs in a service area covering roughly 3,500 square miles.

Shoulder riding is one of the most affordable options for implementing rapid bus service on expressways and tollways because it is less expensive to modify shoulders than it is to construct new roadways.

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Helping transit operators decide between:

High-Floor and Low-Floor Coaches When to Seriously Consider a Motorcoach •Average vehicle speeds for a duration over 35 MPH •Vehicle is utilized on the highway, at highway speed for an extended period of time •Total commuting distances over 15 Miles •Key Point: A Motorcoach is developed, designed and refined to offer passenger comfort and safety at all speeds, including Highway speeds.

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Motorcoach vs. Low-Floor There are major differences that translate into passenger comfort, cost to operate and safety that should be seriously considered.

Factor Design Frame

Common Low Floor

Commuter Motorcoach

Coach Benefit/Drawback

Semi-monocoque, self supporting structure

Designed to be strong and energy absorbing

Seating

No seat belts available

Height Height Highway application Highway application Safety Features Other features Standees

Passenger at traffic level Driver at traffic level Bus designed for lower speeds Suspension has less travel No Electronic Stability Control Minimal amenities Common

Forward facing, coach seats Taller seat provide compartmentalized protection in event of an accident Seat belts optional, and retrofitable (new seats) Passengers above traffic level (Safety/ Visibility) High driver platform Coach designed for highway use Long-travel suspension Electronic Stability Control (ESC) standard 110v Outlets, passenger lights, vents Not promote

Passenger comfort and safety

Seating

Body on Chassis Transit style seats, some forward facing, design for low speed Seating not compartmentalized, or tested at speed

Seating

Safety Safety Safety and passenger comfort Driver visibility and safety Purpose built Comfort, coach control Vehicle control Passenger enjoyment Compartmentalized safety

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MCI Coach vs. Typical Low Floor Bus Capacity / Value MCI Motorcoach Capacity (Typical) 57 Capacity (Max) 61 Length 45 Price $ 550,000 $ Per Seat $ 9,649 Engine ISX Safety Features & Design (Standard) MCI Motorcoach Standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Yes Standard Amerex Fire Suppression system Yes Standard Tire Pressure Monitoring System Yes Elevated passenger deck Yes Forward facing seats, tested for compartmentalization (Seatbelts option Yes 3 Point seat belts available Yes Designed for Highway Speeds Yes High driver platform for excellent visibility Yes Semi-monocoque, energy absorbing frame structure Yes Heavy duty, dual axle's Yes Disc Brakes Yes Passenger Comfort and Amenities Full flat floors with forward facing seats Yes Baggage bays Yes

Typical Low Floor 36 40 40 $ 400,000 $ 11,111 ISL Typical Low Floor No No No No No No No No No No No No No

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The Birth of a D

MCI D Series Commuter/

Style to fit your fleet...

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D-Coach.

Your Pride of ownership starts with a company that takes that same pride in building it!

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Commuter coach makes history the MCI way/

Every industry has its high-profile players as well as its unsung heroes, and transit is no different. While rail and urban bus lines have long attracted the most public attention, Motor Coach Industries has helped build today’s commuter landscape just as surely as the subway car and the reticulated bus.

Indeed, the MCI Commuter Coach has become a fixture in the fleets of forward-thinking regional transit authorities like New Jersey Transit, LA DOT and Houston Metro, where “express” suburb-to-suburb commutes over highway routes are the norm.

“We’ve seen an increase in interest in commuter coaches over the years due to growing suburbs and exurbs as well as the resurgence of the inner city, and there’s this incredible need for transit,” says Tom Wagner, vice president of MCI Public Sector sales.

Fortunately, the MCI Commuter Coach is remarkably wellsuited to meet the demand.

High-speed merits

Compared to a transit bus, an MCI Commuter Coach is a high-floor vehicle that is stable at highway speeds, with comfortable forward-facing seats and amenities such as reading lights and personal airflow controls—and, oftentimes, extras like Wi-Fi, passenger power outlets and video monitors. Altoona-tested and Buy America compliant, it is the only such vehicle currently available in diesel, hybrid, and CNG configurations as well as both 40- and 45-foot models. It is also loaded with safety features, not the least of which is a driver’s cockpit that is elevated above most other traffic, offering an incomparable vantage point. MCI’s newest Commuter Coaches are additionally available with seatbelts; offer electronic stability control; and come standard with fire suppression and tire-pressure monitoring systems.

The MCI Commuter Coach’s seating capacity is larger than that of a typical low-floor transit bus, and it offers the best MDBF (mean distance between failure) rate that is 191% better than BRT vehicles and 55% better than low-floor buses. Thanks in large part to the semi-monocoque frame that absorbs road energy and heavy-duty dual axles, the ride

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is quiet and stable even on the highway, ideal for commuters who want to get a little work done as well as for those seeking a peaceful bit of shut-eye.

With its long list of attributes, the MCI Commuter Coach is by far the best-selling commuter-style coach today, favored for its long life, competitive per-seat price and high revenue potential. Nor should anyone be surprised by the vehicle’s long highway pedigree. The MCI Commuter Coach is, after all, based on the legendary MCI D4500, part of the industry’s all-time best-selling coach family, with more than 13,000 units on the roads today.

Back to the beginning

Of course, today’s Commuter Coach has its roots in earlier MCI models that served line-haul carriers and regional operators of the pre-Interstate era. In fact, the rise of the Commuter Coach is tied to the larger history of motor coach travel. Says Tom Wagner, vice president of MCI Public Sector sales, “When it comes to a legacy in the Public Sector, no one can hold a candle to us.”

MCI lore suggests that the first transit use of its coaches goes back to 1965 and Gray Coach in Canada, which was eventually absorbed by Ontario’s GO Transit agency. At about the same time in the U.S., Chautauqua Transit purchased an MC-5A for its operations.

MCI new-coach sales representative Lee Kemp remembers similar small-transit purchases in the Denver area, and he ties those purchase to a larger trend of the 1960s: the creation of the regional transit authority. During that era, small transit operators were struggling as more Americans became dependent on their cars. Meanwhile, there were still plenty of passengers in desperate need of safe, over-theroad transit. The federal government sought a solution by creating the Urban Mass Transportation Administration in 1964, then renamed the FTA in 1991, which in turn led to the rise of regional transit authorities.

As the regional transit authorities absorbed smaller local agencies, they absorbed their equipment as well—including lots of MCI coaches. Because MCI had enjoyed a reputation for building extremely durable coaches, many of those

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regional agencies didn’t need to replace their coaches for a long time. But when they did, MCI was the logical choice.

In all, MCI has delivered more than 2,350 coaches to New Jersey Transit.

A few major orders never hurt either.

“New Jersey Transit was instrumental in our development of CNG and hybrid models—they were our initial customer,” says Wagner. “We’ve been extremely honored to work with New Jersey to refresh the fleet. We have a strong history and legacy with New Jersey Transit, and this is a continuation of it.”

Making milestones with New Jersey Transit New Jersey Transit has been one of MCI’s most important transit partners, with a relationship that goes back to the 1960s, when several MC-7s made their way into the agency’s fleet. The agency made its first big MCI order in 1982, taking 700 MC-9 cruisers. But in the late 1990s, a true alliance was forged. That’s when the agency asked MCI to develop alternate-fuel coaches for their fleet. In 1999, MCI delivered 50 Compressed Natural Gas buses to the agency, followed by another 27 the following year. The agency also placed a history-making order in 2000, purchasing 1,400 Commuter Coaches.

Those long-running CNG coaches will finally be retired as MCI delivered —147 new CNG Commuter Coaches last year.

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Western frontiers

The MCI Commuter Coach has been making important inroads farther west, too, where highway commutes are the rule rather than the exception. In 2011, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation signed a contract for 84 MCI Commuter Coaches powered by CNG to serve express routes, replacing older diesel equipment and underscoring the city’s commitment to improved air quality.

And most recently, Houston Metro ordered 95 MCI Commuter Coaches to serve its commuter express routes.

The agency has ordered nearly 300 MCI Commuter Coaches since 2001, including 122 diesel-electric hybrid models.

Wagner is especially impressed that Houston continues to make such a commitment to public transit in a region that is often thought of as more car-centric than its neighbors in the Northeast.

Wagner is also seeing growing interest in “bus on shoulder” programs across the U.S., including in MCI’s own back yard.

Pace Suburban Bus, which serves the suburban Chicago area, including MCI’s Des Plaines headquarters, ordered more MCI Commuter Coaches to run between Chicago and southwest suburbs on routes where buses are allowed to run on expressway shoulders during heavy traffic. Due in part to the shoulder provision’s ability to reduce travel times and congestion, the routes have seen ridership surges of as much as 120 percent. The use of the MCI Commuter Coach grants passengers a greater feeling of safety and security when riding the highway or its shoulder, according to Wagner.

lower operational costs in the long run.

Improvements afoot MCI continues to engineer improvements to the Commuter Coach as well. CNG coaches will soon get a bigger engine that will offer more power to deal with hills and heavy loads.

Engineers are also working on more electrification in the cooling system to fine-tune the coach’s power demand.

Accessibility improvements are in the works as well.

MCI, which also makes the best-selling MCI J4500 for the tour and charter market, continues to invest in new technology as well as old-fashioned customer service. Transit customers enjoy their own MCI team, including their own technical support.

Says Wagner, “Ultimately, it’s about safety and capacity. It’s performance, it’s ride quality, and it’s service. It’s about being Reliability Driven.”

Making better coaches MCI has been making significant investments to support growing demand for the Commuter Coach. Most notably, the company has instituted “Quality at Source” manufacturing principles at its Winnipeg and Pembina, N.D., plants.

The manufacturing principles, most famously adopted by Toyota, are, at their essence, a bid for perfection. A highly structured lean manufacturing process, QAS is intended to help MCI create repeatable successes, empower employees, and measure progress along the way to create flaw-free vehicles.

While the terminology associated with QAS isn’t exactly poetry (Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis; Training Within Industry; First Time Quality; Hours Per Unit; control points; and audits), the results have been anything but prosaic. At its pilot station, the company has been able to log such achievements as zero flaws and zero safety incidents while meeting targets related to waste, time and costs.

“It’s a common-sense approach,” says Jim Macdonald, executive director of Engineering. “Eliminate failures at every point, and you deliver perfect quality.”

Wagner likens it to building quality into the process as opposed to “inspecting” it in. “It’s very important to keep ‘Reliability Driven’ as our focus,” says Wagner.

There have also been significant investments in tooling, including a high-tech “Sheer Genius” metal cutter. The production line has also recently introduced a way to automate the lifting of the driver’s seat into place, improving the ergonomics for workers. Such tweaks to the production like are expected to yield happier, healthier workers and

Parts of the whole: Supplying an industry Perhaps it’s fitting that MCI Parts was once known as Universal Coach Parts. After all, the company stocks parts not only for MCI coaches, but also for most other coach and transit-bus brands. In fact, about 40 percent of the parts MCI sells are to transit customers.

With an extensive inventory of OEM and proprietary Coach Guard parts, MCI has spent the last couple of years boosting its stock levels and introducing programs such as “Coach Critical” designed to assure that commonly used parts are consistently available for immediate delivery.

It also has introduced product lifecycle management into the mix. By learning how long parts are actually lasting in customer fleets, product lifecycle managers have been able to get a better handle on forecasting demand, which in turn helps fine-tune inventory levels and control pricing.

The group is also helping to spread the word to customers about value-added services and get new products into the works to meet customer demand. In the former instance, MCI enhances OEM starter offerings to help make sure they don’t fail prematurely. As an example of the latter, the PLM group has spearheaded efforts to introduce new Coach Guard parts to give customers more non-OEM alternatives.

Scott Robertson, vice president of the MCI PLM group, says, “We want to grow customers’ confidence in us so they don’t have to spend a lot of time price-checking. They’ll know they’re getting the right product at the right price.”

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80+Years and growing/ The full history of the industry leader

Most people familiar with MCI history know the major mile markers: Harry Zoltok’s founding of the company in 1933, the Greyhound years, a march of MCI models, and, more recently, the ascent of the J4500 as the industry’s best-selling coach for nine years running, as well as the D-Series’ achievement of becoming the best-selling model family in industry history.

But MCI didn’t do it alone. In fact, in many cases, MCI’s own customers paved the industry way.

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As 1980 opened, more than 70% of the coaches on the highways were MCIs

transport Salt Lake City-area miners via Ford Model T to the Bingham mine starting in 1914 — it took its present name once founder Orson Lewis convinced his brothers to help him grow the business. Brewster was there at the start as well, acquiring motor coaches in 1916 to augment the Canadian Rockies guide business brothers Bill and Jim Brewster began in 1892. Peter Pan got its start in 1920 when Peter Carmine Picknelly put together a small New Jersey transit company.

And though it was formed in 1888, it was in 1923 that Boston’s Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway bought its first bus — and by 1928, it went to an all-bus fleet, turning away from its electric trolley roots.

1930s Harry Zoltok came to Canada the old-fashioned way — he stowed away in a freighter in 1928, leaving his native Russia.

He incorporated his Fort Garry Motor Body and Paint Works in 1932, and already, the bus industry was growing.

Eventual longtime MCI customers Peter Pan, Martz, Cyr Bus, Fullington, Lewis Stages and Brewster were among those who were already shaping the fledgling industry. The Martz Group got its start in 1908 as the White Transit Company, with the Frank Martz Coach Company being formed in 1922. Fullington Trailways likewise got its start in 1908. John T. Cyr started his Maine transportation company in 1912.

Lewis Stages, first known as Bingham Stage Lines, formed to

Transporting groups of people on American and Canadian roads was a far different experience in those pre-highway days. The roads were tough, but oftentimes, the vehicles that plied them were not. It was said that one stretch of Canadian road held some 700 wrecked and abandoned vehicles. It was in 1933 that a Canadian Greyhound driver was forced from the road by a truck, causing a fatal accident as a pipe sheared through the wood-framed bus. Greyhound president George Fay started looking for a stronger, steel-framed vehicle — and he found it in the shop of Harry Zoltok.

In 1933, Zoltok built his first coach, a sturdy 11-passenger body atop a Packard chassis. And in 1937, Zoltok’s young company built its first own-chassis coach, for Grey Goose Bus Lines, Winnipeg. It was made of steel. Fay approached the company that same year to rebuild some of Greyhound’s www.MCIcoach.com

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older coaches, and he liked what he got. MCI’s long association with Greyhound was off to a strong start. The same year, Peter Pan took its current name.

In 1936, another business formed that would greatly influence MCI and its customers: Trailways Transportation System.

The Frank Martz Coach Company was one of the founding members.

In 1939, the future MCI created its first real transit coach, the 150. It was revolutionary for its time, sporting stainless steel panels, a windshield atop the radiator and a “pancake” engine mounted midship. And the young company was on its way.

1940s 1940 was a big year for MCI and many of its customers. MCI opened its first real factory at Erin and St. Matthews streets.

Peter Pan Bus Lines won approval to offer service to Boston, and other companies were pursuing their goals with similar youthful enthusiasm.

In 1941, Harry Zoltok’s company officially became Motor Coach Industries Limited. But the new plant was soon producing something other than innovative new coaches.

Like so many other manufacturing plants during World War II, the MCI factory was tapped for wartime production. MCI made Jeep trailers, boat trailers, truck bodies, even bridge sections — more than 40,000 such items in all.

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MCI customers pitched in for the war effort as well, transporting troops and contributing to their communities. Cyr Bus was one such company — the United States government earmarked its vehicles to transport German prisoners of war to detention camps. Serving area airmen, Lewis Stages managed to run a bus every six minutes between Camp Kearns Army Air Corps Base and Salt Lake City.

In 1942, Greyhound Lines bought 80% of Western Canada Greyhound as well as 10% of MCI. MCI built the first Canadianbuilt electric trolley bus, perhaps foreshadowing MCI’s future in hybrid and CNG coaches.

By the mid to late 40s, MCI was turning out some truly innovative coaches, including the rear-engine Courier 100, which also featured an integral welded tubular steel alloy frame. In a move that would set the stage for today’s MCI coaches, the Courier was promoted as costing 50% less to maintain. Beaver Bus Lines took delivery of the model in 1947. And in 1948, Brewster Transportation purchased several Courier Skyview coaches with curved glass roofs that afforded passengers exceptional views of the Canadian Rockies.

Greyhound continued to rely heavily on MCI models, and, in 1948, bought a controlling interest in MCI.

1950s In many ways, the late 1940s and early 1950s were a golden

Hausman to create an avenue for selling coaches directly to operators.

MCI coaches also started showing up in fleets beyond North America. MCI’s MC Challenger coaches went down under to Australia in 1972, and, starting in 1979, MCI started making coaches with right-hand drives and double roofs to serve the super-heated roads of Saudi Arabia. MCI coaches would eventually also ply the roads of Taiwan, Mexico and beyond.

Closer to home, MCI was serving plenty of customers beyond Greyhound. Longtime driver and tour leader John Fehr bought Beaver Bus in 1972, creating a new legacy. Peter Pan bought its first MCI, an MC-8, in the early 1970s after being impressed with the durability of the MC-5s.

In 1973 MCI bought parts manufacturer Frank Fair Industries, allowing the company to expand its parts manufacturing.

age for the silver cruisers of the infant interstate highway system. Americans were more mobile than ever as GIs returned from the war, travel-related rationing was lifted, and people were able to find the time and money to travel.

In 1951, MCI built its first diesel coach, the Courier 85, which gave customers a 40% bump in fuel economy. Courier models 95 and 96 were real passenger pleasers, boasting big tinted windows and even lavatories. The 1950s also ushered in the era of the MC Series. The MC-1 impressed operators with its engineering advances, including a forward-thinking cooling system, and a translucent roof for ambient light.

Many of MCI’s customers were expanding their services and exploring charter service, even as line-haul operators continued to consolidate.

In 1958, Greyhound bought MCI in its entirety.

1960s, 1970s and 1980s In 1963, MCI entered the U.S. market in a big way, opening a plant in Pembina, North Dakota. Greyhound, predictably, took delivery of the first completed shell. The MC5 made its debut that year, and MCI’s 1969 followup, the MC6, was the industry’s first 102-inch-wide coach.

As 1980 opened, more than 70% of the coaches on the highways were MCIs. It was even making inroads with entertainers, thanks to Custom Coach in Ohio. At least 30 MCI coaches had been converted into tour buses, including one for Loretta Lynn. Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles and others would be seen in MCI coaches over the years as well.

Lesser known personages had their own dependable MCIs. The popular 96-Series coaches debuted in the mid-1980s, followed by the 102 Series. Wheelchair lifts would make their production debut in 1985. The last of the great MCs, the MC12, entered production in 1982.

1990s After a series of ownership changes that started at Greyhound Lines, MCI became an independent corporation in 1993.

But for all the ownership changes, MCI’s vehicles were rock steady. The D-Series made its debut in 1992. And in 1997, MCI introduced the Renaissance (later to be renamed the E4500).

The new millennium When MCI introduced the J4500, it was billed as combining the sleek good looks of the Renaissance E4500 and the simplicity of the D-Series. In many ways, it managed to outshine them both. Peter Pan was the first to put its faith in the new model, ordering the first 12 in 2001. It would also be the first to order the J4500 after a redesign in late 2012.

MCI’s other customers? Many, like Martz, Cyr and Brewster, have celebrated centennials. Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway hit 125 years this June. Others have proudly recorded 75, 50, 25 or even 10 years in business. MCI continues to serve them with reliable coaches, parts and service designed to make even bigger milestones more possible.  Reprinted from FYI from MCI.

1971 was a big year, with the 1,000th MC7 shell built and delivered to the Kerrville Bus Company, Texas. Harry Zoltok retired, and the following year MCI linked up with Gerald

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the future of motorcoach travel.

Today.

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