One way Coach Atlantic has responded to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic is by offering ‘bubble’ transportation.
The Canadian operator opted to used seven new J4500 coaches from Motor Coach Industries (MCI) in 2020 to provide team transport for the Canadian Premier League (CPL), a professional soccer conference in Canada, during a fall bubble tournament on Prince Edward Island (PEI).
“The J4500 has been North America’s best-selling motorcoach for over 14 consecutive years, featuring a lighter, more efficient X12 Cummins engine and a more spacious interior for best-in-class legroom,” said Brent Maitland, MCI’s Vice President of Private Sector Sales and Marketing, in a statement announcing the sale.
“We’ve supported Coach Atlantic since 2008 and continue to provide safe, spacious transport for the leading provider of private transportation in Atlantic Canada,” Maitland said.
Coach Atlantic ‘bubble’
Coach Atlantic typically serves more than 80% of the cruise ship, multi-day tour and group charter markets. Due to health advisories related to COVID-19, Coach Atlantic developed a new approach to maintain fleet operation through “bubble” transportation to each of the CPL’s eight teams, allowing them to complete the CPL season while keeping teams safe during transport.
“2020 has been challenging for everyone in the transportation business, so we jumped at the opportunity to provide transportation for the CPL,” said Matthew Cassidy, President of Coach Atlantic. “We were able to provide the CPL a first-class experience by providing a dedicated 2020 MCI J4500 for each team throughout the duration of the season in the PEI bubble. It was a tremendous source of pride for everyone involved to see our equipment on the road again.”
Based in PEI, the family-owned coach operator is the largest ground passenger transportation provider in the Maritimes, traveling in PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and onward to the rest of North America. After 15 years of market growth through the acquisition of several regional bus companies, Coach Atlantic expanded from 30 employees and 33 vehicles to 515 employees and 350 vehicles.
In July 2020, New Flyer Industries announced the combination of bus manufacturers New Flyer and MCI. New Flyer and MCI have been leading innovation in mobility for 90 years, today supporting North American cities with sustainable buses and coaches, technology and infrastructure.
