Kingston operator proves it's the real McCoy

During the first years that Shawn Geary owned McCoy Bus Service and Tours, he kept a goldfish in the office that he named after the previous owner. That way, he jokes, he had a response for all of the company visitors who asked to see Mr. McCoy.

These days, Geary is known in his own right as a successful operator that has managed to expand significantly in 15 years. Based in Kingston, Ontario, McCoy has 23 coaches and about 60 employees, along with a healthy customer base that takes advantage of the company's proximity to Toronto; Montreal; Ottawa and Syracuse, New York. In addition to its tour and charter business, McCoy provides shuttle service for nearby Queen's University and Kingston General Hospital. It is the official transportation supplier for the Kingston Kimco Voyageurs and Kingston Frontenac's Major Junior A Hockey Team. The company also owns a maintenance facility that does fleet servicing for other bus and light-truck customers. "We're a small market, so we have to be diverse," said Geary, who runs the business with his wife, Kristine.

Likening himself to a big fish in a small pond, as it were, Geary started out modestly. After driving livery for original owner Ivan McCoy during college (a side job in addition to his other college job: butcher), Geary started doing some shuttle work on his own after college and a stint in banking. He occasionally referred customers to McCoy. And then when Ivan McCoy retired in 1992, he turned around and offered to sell the business to Geary. Geary was only 27 at the time, but up for the challenge.

Geary soon realized he needed to expand upon McCoy's original fleet of limousines and sedans. His first move was to buy a minibus, and then another. When he realized that business could support it, he bought his first full-sized motor coach.  "It's worked out really well," said Geary. "We can do a day trip to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa or Syracuse. It's just a little farther than people want to drive themselves. That's especially true if there's a show that doesn't get off until 11 p.m. People don't really want to drive home."

Geary still has big plans for McCoy, and he's looking forward to accomplishing some of them with his brand-new MCI® J4500, the first new coach the company has ever purchased. "It's exciting," he says of the coach. "Anything new is wonderful."

And what about Mr. McCoy? The bowl-bound mascot is no more. Ivan McCoy is still around, presumably enjoying his retirement in another town. But in Kingston, Geary is the real McCoy.

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