Udall Legacy Tour puts eco-friendly coach travel out front

When the Udall Legacy Tour J4500 LX rolled into Vermont on June 21, it did what no bus had done before: It was officially certified "green."

The J4500 LX, outfitted with a clean-diesel CAT C-13 engine and running on a bio-diesel blend, carried 13 Udall scholars on a 54-day tour to raise awareness for green initiatives across the country. The University of Vermont bestowed the first "green" certification on MCI and Lemoille Valley Transportation, which ran the coach during the tour, as part of the school's official Green Coach Certification program. The coach earned the certification because of its low-emissions technology. In addition, the coach ran on a B20 (20-percent) bio-diesel blend for much of the trip.

MCI tracked performance and engine data via onboard computers. "The EPA 2007 engines are still relatively new, so we were hoping to learn more about how the bio-diesel performs," says Brent Maitland, vice president of new markets. "The tour provided valuable data to MCI, CAT and ZF that will lead to future product enhancements."

Inside, the J4500 LX coach was a showcase for MCI's "off-the-floor" luxury-conversion concept, offering club-brown leather seats, burled wood trim, a galley, conference areas and satellite television on full-size flat-screen monitors as well as seatback video.

Udall tour participants were "blown away" by the coach's sophistication, luxury and eco-friendliness, says Maitland. "We wanted feedback from the scholars as we look to increase the appeal of motor coach travel for a younger generation."

The tour wrapped up in August, but the green J has other engagements, according to Maitland. A major EPA event, for one, is about to launch.

"Events like these present an ideal opportunity to really educate people that motor coaches and MCI are a real, viable solution to traffic congestion, lessening our dependence on fossil fuels and
reducing emissions," says Maitland. "People haven't always given a lot of thought to motor coaches and their role in our nation's transportation. With global warming and the environment finally playing so prominently in the media, our government and our culture, this is the time. We will look to support efforts that promote coach transportation as well as educate MCI on the latest issues facing the environment."

To visit the Udall website, click here.

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