TALES FROM THE ROAD
ERSA keeps Southern Coaches Cool on the way to the Kentucky Derby

By Carolyn Newton

The Kentucky Derby and MCI's ERSA are both in Louisville, Kentucky, each providing its own unique services. And sometimes, the paths of the two cross.

Kentucky, the Bluegrass state, is a popular destination for many reasons including breathtaking scenery, rolling hills, famous caves, world-renowned horse farms and amusement parks, but it's the Kentucky Derby, on the first Saturday in May, that holds a special place in the hearts of many travelers. Recently, Southern Coaches, Jonesboro, Arkansas, was in Kentucky with a group that charters a coach to the Derby every year. The group goes first-class all the way, from top-tier accommodations and fine dining to the best rail-side seats the Derby has to offer. Their expectations for their transportation are just as high, and Southern Coaches' fleet of new MCI® J4500 coaches fit the bill.

Nevertheless, during an en route, evening stop at a casino in Elizabethtown, Indiana, the driver noticed the A/C wasn't cooling as quickly as it should on the tour group's J4500. A quick call to ERSA made all the difference.

Dean Urbano, an ERSA coordinator, quickly dispatched a local repair company to diagnose the problem. It turned out to be a failing condenser fan motor. Urbano then called Louisville parts distribution warehouse to make sure the part was available for immediate pickup. Within an hour, the local repair company was able to drive to Louisville, retrieve the new condenser fan motor and return to perform the necessary repairs. Start to finish, the whole problem was taken care of within three hours.

"The passengers never even discovered there was a problem," says Rob Uselton, owner of Southern Coaches. "We were amazed ERSA responded so quickly. They did a really great job." The call was Southern Coaches' first roadside experience with ERSA. Now, says Uselton, he makes sure his drivers have the number programmed into their cell phones.

Larry Lingle, shop manager for Southern Coaches, is appreciative of the support he gets from MCI. "MCI's service is excellent. When we are in Jonesboro and our coaches are on a trip, it is good to have MCI's ERSA. They are excellent. When we call them, they respond quickly. They have done a really good job, and that is important to us."

Has MCI ERSA helped you in a time of need? If you have a story about how our operators got you and your company's coaches back on the road, let us know! We may use your story in a future issue of FYI. Contact us at fyi@mcicoach.com.