Motor Coach Industries (MCI) announced the delivery of two 2024 MCI J4500 coaches to Illinois’ Peoria Charter. The delivery marks a milestone of 60 MCI motorcoach deliveries to Peoria Charter over the course of the two companies’ long-standing relationship.

“We have had more MCI models in our fleet than any other,” said Bill Winkler, the third generation of the Winkler family to lead Peoria Charter since its founding in 1941. “We are thankful to be able to purchase new coaches again. We are back running strong.”

Peoria Charter Moving Ahead

As of June 2023, Peoria Charter achieved a 96% gain in revenue while returning to pre-COVID 2019 earnings, explained Winkler.

Peoria Charter’s newest MCI J4500, displayed at the recent International Motorcoach Group (IMG) meeting in Green Bay, Wis., features 56-passenger seating, a 180-degree color backup camera, and a Cummins clean-diesel engine.

At the beginning of 2023, Peoria Charter was honored by industry peers at the United Motorcoach Association EXPO 2023 with an environmental award sponsored by MCI. The award recognized the transportation provider for its fuel conservation policies, a proprietary software system that plans routes to minimize trip miles and biodiesel fuel usage that keeps its fleet running clean with near-zero emissions.

Serving private and public universities, sports teams, and daily routes 365 days a year — along with shuttles to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport — Peoria Charter operates from three locations in Illinois, including a new office in Chicago, and transports 500,000 passengers each year.