SAN FRANCISCO At this year's UMA Motorcoach Expo, Motor Coach Industries announced significant updates to the major customer service initiative it launched a year ago at Expo 2007, plus it unveiled new-model coaches that mark the company's 75th anniversary.

At Expo '07 in New Orleans, MCI rolled out Pro Support, a company-wide consolidation and expansion of its customer support services.

During the past year, MCI Pro Support has been both introduced to customers and enhanced with additional upgrades.

Improvements were made, for example, to its Customer Care System iWarranty, online claim and tracking data center, and policies. The changes gave owners of MCI coaches access to downloadable copies of field change programs; a no-waiting return policy on warranty parts; direct MCI shipping access through UPS and Purlator; a shorter, two-day parts adjustments and credit payment period, and Saturday and morning delivery options on warranty parts.

For this year, the iWarranty site is getting a new one-page claim form, and an option that allows the user to determine the labor costs allowed on a warranty repair. The one-page application automatically calculates the claim, speeding up the time it takes to complete the entry.

Additionally, MCI coach owners will be able to reprint returned goods authorizations directly from the iWarranty site, and view warranty parts availability. The upgrades are to be implemented by summer.

"Our goal is to provide quality in all aftermarket services, and to continue refining our warranty, manuals and CCS technology, using the latest tools available for customers ease and convenience," said Michael Anstead, MCI director of warranty. "We're very pleased with our progress and plan to add more features to the systems throughout 2008."

In the field, MCI PRO Support is realigning its network of fleet support managers, teaming them with MCI new coach sales representatives and additional product support staff.

"Our customers will benefit from this reorganization and additional in-field support staff," said Wade Norton, vice president of fleet support. "As we celebrate 75 years of doing business, we are leveraging our core competencies and managing our talent, providing more expertise in the field and extending our reach for greater market density."

MCI's 75-year milestone also is being marked by the introduction of anniversary editions of its J4500-, J4500LX- and D4005-model coaches.

The anniversary coaches were on display at UMA Motorcoach Expo here last month.

The J4500 Anniversary Edition features a spacious 50-passenger seating arrangement, using custom Amaya Torino VIP seats. The coach also has a new soft-start wake-up mode interior lighting system, brushed aluminum trim, high-end entertainment options, and a long list of options that includes WiFi-enabled internet, 110-volt outlets throughout the cabin, GPS, oversize LCD monitors, Cummins ISM engine and ZF AS-Tronic transmission.

The D4005 Anniversary Edition features plush burgundy Amaya Brazil seating for 43, upgraded audio-video, WiFi and electrical system options, and a Caterpillar C-13 engine.

The J4500LX anniversary coach on the Expo show floor had leather club seating for 43, burled wood trim, a galley, conference area, satellite TV on full-size flat-screen monitors, seatback monitors, and a Cat engine with ZF AS-Tronic transmission.