Calco Travel Lutcher, La.

Expansion late last year into Baton Rouge, La., prompted Calco Travel to purchase five new Van Hool C2045 coaches. The new Baton Rouge bus yard and office position the company to better serve another Louisiana market, Lafayette, which is just over 50 miles west.

Lafayette lays claim to both Cajun and Creole cultures, and also is noted for its plantations, folklife and Zydeco music.

Calco has been serving the region for 70 years, first as Hotard Bus Line and later as Premier Motorcoach. For the past three years it has been Calco Travel, a name adopted by the owners, Callen and Coleen Hotard.

The Hotards' company offers charter coach services, as well as packaged tours and vacations. With the company base just west of New Orleans in Lutcher, the Big Easy has been the primary market for the company.

The company's new Van Hools are equipped with Cummins ISM 450-horsepower engines, Amaya Brasil seats, Isringhausen driver seats, REI A/V systems with four LCD flat-panel monitors, Jake Brakes, Firestone tires and Alcoa wheels.

Four of the coaches have Allison B500 transmissions and one is equipped with a ZF AS-tronic transmission.

Blackhawk Express Bloomer, Wis.

Blackhawk Express, a tour and charter operator, has taken delivery of two 2005 MCI E4500s. The new coaches join five other E4500s in the company fleet.

Dave Joswiak, who co-owns the company with his wife, Diane, attributes Blackhawk's success to its ability to serve its market of tour operators without trying to compete directly. He says the E4500s provide a "huge advantage" in a market that has few luxury coaches.

"We find that the E4500 satisfies all types of travelers," he says. "People like the E4500's curb appeal and we believe they should be able to ride in style with all of the amenities these buses have to offer."

Blackhawk puts 900,000 miles on its 10 MCI coaches annually, taking charter groups around the state and throughout the country. The company, which employs 40 people, operates its own maintenance facility and has invested in MCI training for all the mechanics.

The Joswiaks are the second generation to operate the company that was founded in 1981.

Their new E4500s are equipped with Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines, Jakes Brakes, ZF AS-Tronic transmissions, REI A/V systems with DVD and VCR players, six LCD monitors, R.C.A. flooring, Michelin tires, Alcoa wheels, National seating and Isringhausen driver seats.

Cardiff Limousine Palm Desert, Calif.

Cardiff Limousine & Transportation, the largest private passenger carrier in one of America's favorite desert playgrounds, Palm Springs, Calif., has expanded its fleet with the addition of two Prevost H3-45 motorcoaches.

Company President Gary Cardiff has been adding Prevosts for years and has been pleased with the acceptance by customers. "They liked the ride, the look, the amenities and the excellent visibility that comes with every Prevost vehicle. They soon began asking for them by name," Cardiff says. "That's when we knew for sure we had ordered the right motorcoaches."

The new Prevosts help Cardiff meet a growing demand for tour and convention services. The company also provides airport limousine service and is a student pupil activity bus (SPAB) provider.

The company's 52-vehicle fleet includes 14 Prevosts, plus midsize buses, limousines, sedans and vans.

The two new Prevosts are equipped with Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines, Jake Brakes, Amaya seats, Alcoa wheels, Michelin tires, REI A/V systems with five monitors and DVD players, Scenic View cameras, and Xenon headlights.

One coach has an Allison B500 transmission and the other has a ZF AS-tronic.