[IMAGE]MCIPrestige-BeeLine-Express-2.jpg[/IMAGE] Prestige Bus Lines LLC, based in Wichita, Kan., added four new Motor Coach Industries (MCI) D4505 coaches to its scheduled service start-up. Beeline Express, launched in November, connects Wichita north to Salina, Kan., and west all the way to Pueblo, Col. 

Prestige operates Beeline Express in cooperation with Greyhound Lines, allowing passengers to schedule travel through either carrier.

The four MCI D4505 coaches feature plush leatherette seating with three-point seat belts for 50 passengers, Wi-Fi connectivity and 110-volt power outlets at every seat. The coaches also are equipped with wheelchair lifts and can accommodate two wheelchair positions.

The coaches were purchased by the state of Kansas, using funds awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Prestige won a contract bid to operate them under Beeline Express to better connect underserved rural areas and communities, especially those not presently served by airlines or existing rail.

Prestige was founded in 1985 with two new MCI models and has grown to a fleet of 17 motorcoaches. The company offers tour and charter services with trips throughout the U.S. and Canada, and trips to nearby casinos.

[IMAGE]MCIGold-Coast-Tours-MCI-J4500-March-11-2.jpg[/IMAGE] Additionally, in a bid to begin replacing older coaches with newer models that meet California’s clean air act carbon restrictions, Brea, Calif.-based Gold Coast Tours has taken delivery of a new 2011 MCI J4500 coach with the latest generation of engine technology, promising near-zero emissions and better fuel economy.
 
The MCI J4500 coach comes with an easy-boarding spiral entryway and scenery-sized windows, as well as several performance features, including Electronic Stability Control, a SmartWave tire pressure monitoring system, an Amerex fire suppression system and state-of-the-art entertainment system. Gold Coast added 15-inch LCD widescreen monitors, snack trays and self-retracting foot rests. The company also opted for three-point passenger seat belts.

All together, Gold Coast operates eight J4500 models in its fleet of 40 motorcoaches. Founded in 1978, Gold Coast, owned by John Hartley, is one of the largest family-owned tour operators along the West Coast.
 
In addition to catering to many college and professional sports teams, the company provides tour and charter transportation for the over-the-road tourism market. The company also runs limousines and limo buses and operates One Stop Travel, a full-service travel agency.