FYI from MCI™

MCI produces 2000th J4500, delivers milestone unit to Capitol Bus Lines

When Charles "Buddy" Young, founder of Capitol Bus Lines Inc., ordered his new J4500 with wheelchair lift, he knew the delivery would be a highlight of his 25th year in business. He didn't know he would be helping MCI mark a milestone as well.

Young's unit was the 2,000th off the MCI line, further cementing the model's status as the best-selling coach in the industry. To celebrate, MCI invited Young and his family, including wife Mary and son Matthew, to travel from their West Columbia, South Carolina, headquarters to Winnipeg to pick up the keys.

The Young party spent the morning touring the factory with Bryan Couch, vice president of product development. When it came time to pick up the coach itself, the Youngs cut a ribbon at the Coach Delivery Center entryway and were treated to a ceremony that included gifts and many thanks.

"It was the first day of the first big snowfall in Winnipeg, and we were a little disappointed with the weather," said Debbie Sayer, director of sales and operations support for MCI, "but they had a lot of fun."

"It was a very nice surprise. We didn't have any idea that ours would be the 2,000th coach," said Young, who runs a 14-coach fleet with the addition of the J4500 — the company's first J4500, and first MCI in years.

It was only five years ago that Peter Pan Bus Lines of Springfield, Massachusetts, became the J4500's first customer, and it was only two years ago that MCI delivered the 1,000th J4500 to Lakefront Lines of Cleveland, Ohio.

"We've long known MCI's reputation for quality and service. We move 200,000 passengers annually, and we know nice, clean, safe coaches keep them coming back," said Young, a former Air Force pilot.  Capitol's new J4500 features a Detroit Diesel engine and a ZF AStronic transmission.

The 2,000th J4500 isn't MCI's only milestone coming up. As of publication time, MCI was readying its 11,000th D-Series coach for delivery, along with its 1,000th coach to New York City's MTA.

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