Innovative Operator Profile: Showing Off the Windy City
For nearly 100 years, the Chicago Sightseeing Co. has moved people through the Windy City for sightseeing, commuting and charter transportation purposes.
by Metro staff
May 14, 2013
3 min to read
For nearly 100 years, the Chicago Sightseeing Co. has moved people through the Windy City for sightseeing, commuting and charter transportation purposes. The parent company currently owns and operates five smaller businesses — American Sightseeing, Gray Line of Chicago, Prairie Trailways, Chicago’s Original Trolley Lines and the O’Hare Express.
These companies operate a number of important transportation services, in some cases running 24 hours a day. For example, in recent years Chicago Sightseeing has become the official carrier of the White House when the President comes to Chicago. Beyond that, the company also utilizes its resources to support organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation by providing transportation for the families and friends of terminally ill children.
Ad Loading...
The system utilizes luxury motorcoaches manufactured by MCI, a fleet of trolleys and three upper-deck buses manufactured by Roman Chariot. “This diversified group of vehicles allows us to cover a wide range of business types while not losing sight of the company’s origin,” says Chris Ferrone, vice president of engineering.
During his time spent with the company, Ferrone has attempted to advance the safety, mechanical understanding and the incorporation of new products and procedures for the motorcoach industry. “During this period of time, our buses have been widely used as a test platform for such projects as an initial trial usage of biodiesel and retro-reflective tape used for conspicuousness,” he says. “Additionally, we have developed a life extension plan for Detroit Diesel Series 92 engines, implemented refrigerant retrofits and tested the S-1 Pedestrian Guard for transit buses and the Zonar electronic pre-trip inspection system.”
Chicago Sightseeing also has a close affiliation with a consulting firm called Americoach Systems, which provides mechanical analysis and transportation technology to the industry. In the past, Americoach has developed an introduction program for low-sulfur diesel fuel, repair programs for extreme mileage vehicles, vehicle remanufacturing guidelines, prevention/repair methods for panel corrosion and a lecture on how to prevent and understand motorcoach fires. Chicago Sightseeing has taken advantage of all of these programs.
Ferrone credits much of the technical successes developed in his garage to having a staff of experienced and skilled mechanics. “Their skills and understanding of the business give me the ability to periodically work on other engineering issues which benefit our firm and the industry long term.”
Ferrone further attributes some of the company’s overall success to the organizations of which it is a member. Gray Line, Trailways and the American Bus Association all contribute some form of synergy, he says. “Having national groups you can reach out to enables us to broaden our business radius,” Ferrone adds.
Ad Loading...
Chicago Sightseeing, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in June of 2007, has been a family-run business since Henry Ferrone purchased the stock in 1919. Through it all, the Ferrone philosophy has been cut and dried. “We repair buses and advance technology, but we always keep in mind that it’s the passengers who pay the bills.”
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.
