Maurice and Rhonda Brewster’s first UMA Motorcoach EXPO was one to remember.
The Mosaic Global Transportation owners were called to the stage to accept the 2024 UMA Environmental Leadership Award.
“I’ll be back,” Maurice, the company’s CEO, promised during his acceptance speech.
The couple joined the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) during the pandemic at the urging of fellow operators. This year’s annual conference and trade show in Oklahoma City exceeded expectations.
“We have been pleasantly surprised,” Maurice said. “So many people saw us up on stage. It gave us credibility.”
Mosaic’s reputation is the result of a years-long effort to be at the forefront of sustainable transportation. The company has been recognized for a broad range of initiatives, from electrifying its fleet and building fast-charging infrastructure to adopting green practices throughout its facilities.
ABC Companies, one of Mosaic’s longtime industry partners, nominated it for the UMA award.
Mosaic is headquartered in San Jose, California, with two locations in the Bay Area and three in Southern California.
Started with luxury rides
Brewster, who sold data networks to major corporations before becoming an entrepreneur, co-founded Mosaic 23 years ago with his wife. They began in the luxury vehicle space, offering vintage Rolls-Royce vehicles.
As the business grew, the couple transitioned to limousine and eventually motorcoach services to meet increasing demand and scale more effectively.
“If we could be successful in the limousine and ground transportation space, I felt that we could do the exact same thing in motorcoach space,” Maurice said, though expanding into bigger vehicles required an increased focus on safety and compliance.
Today, the company operates 101 vehicles and employs just over 140 people across its five locations. Brewster said most of the fleet consists of motorcoaches, mini coaches, sprinters, and transit vans, with the addition of Volvo EV crossover vans for one of its corporate clients in Silicon Valley.
Mosaic’s push for sustainability began in earnest after the pandemic.
“Just coming out of COVID, we had made a commitment to do what we can to improve our environment,” Brewster said. “We know that we are one of the biggest negative contributors to our environment with (internal combustion) vehicles.”
That shift coincided with increasing pressure from clients to go green. Brewster said the biggest push came from Apple, one of Mosaic’s top customers.
“My mama didn’t raise no fool,” Brewster said during his speech. “When your largest customer says they want to be sustainable by 2030, what do you think we’re going to do?”
Mosaic responded by investing in electric vehicles and infrastructure, including the purchase of 14 Volvo EX90 electric sedans that now shuttle Apple employees between buildings eight to 10 hours a day, five days a week.
“We invested a little over a million and a half dollars in building the grid that we have now,” Brewster said. “We ended up installing enough DC fast chargers that allow us to charge 28 vehicles at one time.”
Industry leader
Tom Wagner, vice president of private sector sales for Motor Coach Industries (MCI), who presented the award, emphasized his company’s goal of advancing sustainability across the industry. MCI sponsors the UMA Environmental Leadership Award.
“This award was created to highlight how motorcoaches are a vital solution to reducing carbon emissions and to celebrate companies setting new standards in environmental leadership,” Wagner said. “Applicants are evaluated based on administrative initiatives, maintenance and equipment strategies, and facility investments. This year’s winner excelled in all three.”
Wagner noted that over the past three years, Mosaic has seamlessly integrated 100% electric and compressed natural gas vehicles into its fleet, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
“Their goal is to convert 60% of their CNG fleet in the next decade,” Wagner said. “Beyond their fleet, Mosaic has implemented cutting-edge route optimization and fuel reduction strategies, using advanced tracking technology to monitor fleet and driver performance.”
On the infrastructure side, Mosaic has invested in EV charging capabilities and uses bio-cleaning solutions and water conservation systems in maintenance, keeping operations as eco-friendly as possible.
“Mosaic is actively helping shape the future of the transportation industry through their participation in California’s Energize program, supporting the deployment of zero-emission vehicle technology and refueling infrastructure,” Wagner added.
“Beyond sustainability, Mosaic is committed to community impact, partnering with local organizations to support programs promoting cleaner air and a healthier environment. Their ability to adapt, innovate, and lead makes them truly deserving of this award.”
That mindset has already helped Mosaic secure client relationships with JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Google and eBay, to name a few.
“We’re the official transportation for Disneyland,” Brewster said. “We have 24 (compressed natural gas) vehicles that we use to move the Disney cast members 24/7/365.”
Commitment continues
Maurice and Rhonda Brewster met on the job.
“We fell in love at work. We were assigned to be co-partners,” he said. “Her skills are very detailed. My skills are in building strategic client relationships. Together we make it work!”
Their complementary abilities have helped guide Mosaic’s success.
He also gave credit to the UMA community for its support and encouragement.
“We joined UMA right after COVID. We had let our membership lapse and got back into the swing of things in 2022,” Brewster said. “Everyone I was meeting was a part of UMA and asking, ‘Are you guys a part of it?’ We saw a value in doing this.”
“And this was the first conference that we had ever been to. That’s why I said I’m coming back.”
For Brewster, Mosaic’s push for sustainability isn’t just about aligning with customer goals or complying with state regulations. It’s about raising the bar for the entire industry.
“We’re committed to making sure we do our part to clean our environment and be sustainable,” he said.
