In The News
Royal Excursion Works Hard to Keep Up With Surging Bus/Coach Demand
Published by Busline Magazine
Business is surging again at Royal Excursion, the Indiana-based bus/motorcoach operator that offers a variety of services such as charter/corporate trips, line runs, transit work and employee shuttles.
“May (2022) was a record month for our company. We have been scrambling to keep up with demand, which is a good problem to have,” Royal Excursion President Shannon Kaser said. “Business seemed to go from 0 to 100 mph overnight. We provide a lot of travel for such groups as sports teams. That type of work has increased 100 percent. Increasing approximately 75 percent in activity, from the height of pandemic, have been outings such as wine tours and weddings. There has also been an uptick in our commuter and employee shuttle services.
“It’s been good. However, just like every other company right now, the big challenge is making sure we have the staff available to support that growth.” Prior to COVID-19, Royal Excursion employed approximately 300 people. That was reduced to 75 as many were furloughed. “We still had our transit responsibilities, which remained operational and a necessity. That was good as it kept those 75 people busy,” Kaser said. “Currently (as of early July) our employee base is just under 250. It helps that we are spread out over four locations in northern Indiana, allowing us to draw from a larger pool of employee candidates.
“We can always use additional people, and I’m confident we will fill more positions in the near future.” The company’s four locations are the main office in Mishawaka (located in the greater South Bend area), as well as Fort Wayne in northeastern Indiana, and Valparaiso and Hammond. The latter two cities are located in northwestern Indiana, in close proximity to Chicago.
“We are mainly a charter and transit provider in Mishawaka, a charter provider in Fort Wayne, and a fixed-route and charter provider in Valparaiso and Hammond,” Kaser said. “Our client base is very diverse, especially in Hammond, as it’s located in the Chicago market and involves rail, airport and casino work.
“Our four locations are strategic, helping us be more competitive during the bidding process. It also provides a lot of coverage capabilities. That includes southern Michigan, northern and central Indiana, Chicagoland and northwestern Ohio. Each of our locations has its own dispatch, fleet and management system. They also help each other. If one location is busier than another, it’s very nice to have added support.”
24 YEARS AND COUNTING
With no prior experience in the transportation industry, Kaser founded Royal Excursion in 1998, after graduating college. It was a one-man operation, and included a 12-passenger van. Kaser was the driver, vehicle cleaner and builder of customer relationships. As the company grew, so did its fleet. Kaser purchased his first charter bus in 2000 from Motor Coach Industries (MCI), building a relationship with the equipment manufacturer that continues today.
“We have always been a fan of MCI and the company’s highend vehicles. MCI has treated us well,” Kaser said. Today’s Royal Excursion fleet consists of approximately 60 full-size motor coaches, ranging from 40 to 56 passengers; 30-plus transit buses; 15 mini coaches and smaller luxury vehicles, seating fewer than 30 passengers; and 12 minibuses and vans.
