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Taking delivery of Shafer's new MCI J4500 coach at the MCI Winnipeg plant are Kevin Shafer, Maintenance Director, and Mike Shafer, Maintenance Technician.

Shafer adds first seatbelt MCI® J4500 to New York fleet

SCHAUMBURG, IL — July 15, 2011 — Known for its long history of excellent customer service in the Southern Tier area, Shafer's Tour and Charter, Endicott, New York, has taken delivery of its first seatbelt-equipped coach, an MCI J4500.

The new MCI J4500 joins several other MCI coaches, including one other J4500, in Shafer's 14-coach fleet. The relationship between the companies goes back more than two decades, to when Shafer's bought its first brand-new coach from MCI.

"The curb appeal of the J4500 is just over and above anything else out there," said Vicki Shafer, executive director of group tours. "Senior groups love this coach because of the styling, and the spiral stair makes a big difference for them. They have started requesting that specific coach."

Shafer paid particular care to the new J4500's interior, requesting a new Lantel flat-weave fabric with a waterproof membrane. Shafer's was the first company to request the fabric and pattern from MCI; Shafer says the seats are more comfortable for passengers wearing shorts or skirts, and they stay cleaner than seats upholstered in traditional fabrics. The new coach also features a state-of-the-art entertainment system.

Shafer's ordered the J4500 with seatbelts because clients, especially schools, have been asking for the feature. It was also important for the company to have a second J4500 because the company likes to have matched coach pairs for two-coach moves.

Shafer's got its start in 1947, when Robert T. Shafer started serving the local school district with a single used school bus. The company entered the charter business in the 1950s, growing quickly through the 1960s and 1970s through a series of acquisitions. It is today in its second generation of family ownership, led by sons Robert Shafer Jr. and Larry Shafer. A third generation is coming up through the ranks.

Today, Shafer's Tour and Charter offers services across the U.S. and Canada. In 2009, the company won an International Motorcoach Group (IMG) Spirit Award.

Motor Coach Industries, headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, is the largest manufacturer of intercity highway coaches for the tour, charter, line-haul, scheduled service, commuter transit and conversion markets in the U.S. and Canada. The company also operates seven sales centers and eight service centers in the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, MCI is the industry's leading supplier of aftermarket parts for most makes and models.

Press contact: Patricia Plodzeen Public Relations, 847-283-0883; or Motor Coach Industries Marketing Department, 847-285-2035.

 

Motor Coach Industries: Corporate Address 1700 East Golf Road, Suite 300, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173 | Phone: 866-MCICOACH

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