Thrasher adds Setra S 417s for Mercedes Benz contract
The purchase from MCI follows the operators' 2013 win on a four-year contract to provide transportation services to the Daimler division’s Brand Immersion Experience, a program that will bring some 26,000 Mercedes employees to the plant in Vance, Ala., and other Birmingham-area locations by 2017.
The Birmingham, Ala.-based tour and charter operator Thrasher Brothers Trailways recently purchased four new Setra S 417 luxury coaches from MCI to serve one of the oldest global names in Alabama’s manufacturing explosion: Mercedes Benz.
The purchase follows Thrasher Brothers’ 2013 win on a four-year contract to provide transportation services to the Daimler division’s Brand Immersion Experience, a program that will bring some 26,000 Mercedes employees to the plant in Vance, Ala., and other Birmingham-area locations by 2017.
The coaches offer the signature luxury for which Setra is known, offering features such as power outlets at every seat, along with wood-grain flooring and other high-end aesthetic touches.
Setra joined the Daimler family of brands in 1995. MCI acquired Setra’s North American distribution rights in July 2012 and supports Setra coaches with an extensive parts and service network, featuring house-managed tech support and trained Setra technicians who work to help operators achieve maximum coach uptime.
In addition, the Pottsville, Penn.-based R&J Transportation added a brand-new MCI J4500, featuring state-of-the-art REI entertainment system, Wi-Fi, a wheelchair lift and a low-emission Detroit Diesel engine.
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.
