METRO's 2015 Innovative Operator BLue Lakes Charter and Tours takes delivery of four, while incoming ABA Chairman John Meier of Badger Coach and Badger Tour & Travel took delivery of his new vehicle at ABA's Marketplace in January.
Pictured left to right: ABC's Dane Cornell, Blue Lakes' Dave Cupp and Debbie Cupp, and ABC's Roman Cornell.
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Pictured left to right: ABC's Dane Cornell, Blue Lakes' Dave Cupp and Debbie Cupp, and ABC's Roman Cornell.
Clio, Mich.’s Blue Lakes Charter and Tours recently acquired four Van Hool CX45s from ABC Companies to provide luxury transportation for their clients in Michigan and Northern Ohio.
Blue Lakes’ new coaches are powered by Detroit DD13 engines coupled to Allison transmissions and offer Van Hool's innovative contoured parcel rack with 23-inch video monitors, an REI Elite entertainment system and 110-volt outlets.
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The coaches are also equipped with Amaya Torino seats, passenger sunshades and Alcoa Dura Bright aluminum wheels.
Pictured left to right: ABC's Dane Cornell, Badger's John Meier and ABC's Roman Cornell.
Additionally, John Meier, president of Madison, Wis.-based Badger Coach and Badger Tour & Travel and chairman of the American Bus Association’s (ABA) board, took delivery of a new Van Hool CX 45 coach during ABA marketplace 2015 in January.
A preferred provider to the University of Wisconsin, as well as the school district of Madison and Edgewood College, Badger Coach has enjoyed an enduring relationship with ABC and Van Hool, which includes the Van Hool TD925 double-deck models and the new CX45 coaches in their 60-coach fleet.
For 95 years the company has remained in the Meier family and is now operated by third generation cousins John, David and Jim Meier.
Premiums remain elevated. Underwriting scrutiny is intense. And claims costs continue to rise at historic levels. Behind those numbers lies a complex mix of legal, medical, and cultural forces reshaping the commercial landscape.
The company said it has remained the most widely purchased model in the new coach market across the US and Canada, according to historical data from the Motorcoach Builders Survey conducted by the American Bus Association
A phased approach to technology, in-house capabilities, and workforce investment is helping transportation leaders break the reactive cycle and build more resilient, revenue-focused operations.
The company's flagship H3-45 is also the best-selling 45-foot motorcoach in North America, according to vehicle registration data from S&P Global Mobility (Polk).
METRO’s Executive Editor Alex Roman spoke with Mueller about the opening event, the company’s progress since launching in late 2022, and the road ahead.
METRO Executive Editor Alex Roman presented the award to the operation’s President/CEO Scott Parsons at the United Motorcoach Association’s EXPO in Birmingham, Alabama.
The new facility, spanning more than 43,000 square feet, includes pre-delivery inspection, a large repair, maintenance, and service center, an administrative building, and a dedicated training and delivery center for customers and service partners.