What went on behind the scenes coordinating motorcoach transportation for Jimmy Carter’s visitation

For Clarence E. Cox III, the passing of President Jimmy Carter marked the culmination of years of preparation. As Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Georgia Coach Lines, Cox had been coordinating with MARTA (the Atlanta-area transit agency) and the Secret Service.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Cox said. He had been working with MARTA for the past couple of years and began collaborating this year with the Carter Center, a nonprofit founded by the former president.

The 39th president of the United States died Dec. 30 at the age of 100. A public visitation was held at the Carter Center in Atlanta Jan. 4-7. Thousands of mourners paid their respects during the 60-hour visitation. 

A private funeral service took place later in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

Cox says he appreciated the opportunity for his company, based in Fayetteville, Georgia, to play a role in honoring Carter’s legacy. 

“It was a historic moment, and we were proud to be part of it,” he said. “It’s events like these that demonstrate the importance of what we do.”

Georgia Coach Lines
Georgia Coach Lines bus line up at the King Memorial MARTA Station to take passengers to the visitation for President Jimmy Carter.

Experienced in high-profile events

Cox brought decades of experience to the table. In addition to his role with Georgia Coach Lines, Cox is the Immediate Past President of the Georgia Motorcoach Operators Association (GMOA), Chairman of the African American Motorcoach Council for the American Bus Association, and a Board Member of the United Motorcoach Association (UMA). 

In addition, Cox has an extensive background in law enforcement and security. A retired law enforcement officer, Cox spent decades working in security planning and operations, often collaborating with agencies such as the Secret Service on high-profile events. His understanding of logistics, crowd management, and public safety has been employed in coordinating complex transportation operations, including those for Carter’s memorial and other significant occasions. 

The plan for Carter’s visitation was a massive logistical undertaking. Originally, the plan called for motorcoaches to begin transporting visitors 36 hours after Carter’s passing. However, with New Year’s Day falling during that week, the timeline shifted and delayed the start of the operation.

“Instead of starting visitation on Thursday, we began on Saturday, rolling non-stop for 60 hours until Tuesday morning,” Cox explained. “They even added an extra hour.”

The operation required 22 motorcoaches running in 12-hour shifts, with two additional coaches on standby at all times. A tow truck was also stationed at the Carter Center in case of mechanical issues. The motorcoaches transported nearly 17,000 visitors, primarily senior citizens and families, to the Carter Center for the visitation.

“We moved 16,807 people, to be exact,” Cox said. “It was a historic moment, and we were honored to be part of it. This was a great opportunity to showcase how efficient and professional motorcoaches are, especially when the world is watching.”

Georgia Coach Lines
Georgia Coach Lines oversaw 60 hours of non-stop transportation to the visitation of Jimmy Carter for nearly 17,000 people.

Relying on association members

Cox selected six motorcoach companies to participate, choosing only members of industry associations such as GMOA, UMA, ABA and National Association of Motorcoach Operators (NAMO).

“For me, being part of an association reflects a commitment to industry standards and professionalism,” Cox said. “This was a historic event, and I wanted to make sure we had the best of the best.”

The companies involved were Camelot Charters, of Pell City, Alabama; Horizon Motorcoach, of Harlem, Georgia; Kingsman Coach Lines, of Decatur, Georgia; R&W Motorcoach, of Decatur; Friendship Tours, of Morrow, Georgia; Heritage Enterprise, of  East Point, Georgia; ELW Motorcoach, of Fayetteville; and Georgia Coach Lines, of Fayetteville.

 Drivers were required to wear white shirts and ties, adding a level of decorum befitting the occasion.

“MARTA also had a no-distracted-driving policy – no cell phones, hands-free or not, and no radios,” Cox said. “It was all about respect and professionalism for the occasion.”

“The world was watching, and I told our team, ‘Make sure you send your best equipment and ensure it’s clean. Represent us well, because even the smallest incident could’ve been worldwide news,” Cox said. 

Preparation for the event began immediately after Carter’s death. Cox and his team conducted multiple dry runs of the routes, first in vans and later in buses. 

“That final run revealed adjustments we needed, like avoiding tight turns and heavy traffic areas,” Cox said. “We also timed the routes to ensure we could stay on schedule.”

Each coach had a vehicle locator to ensure that the coaches remained on the route and to  locate them in case of an emergency.

The motorcoaches staged along Decatur and Hill Streets in Atlanta, taking over entire lanes of traffic. Drivers worked 12-hour shifts with scheduled breaks, but Cox asked them to bring their own food and snacks to avoid delays.

“We wanted to make sure we could pull them off break if needed and keep the operation running smoothly,” Cox said. 

Security was another critical component. MARTA handled transportation for individuals with ADA needs, while the Secret Service enforced rules prohibiting bags, purses, and umbrellas on the motorcoaches. Cox’s team ensured passengers adhered to these guidelines.

“We only had one incident where a passenger used vulgar language,” Cox said. “He wasn’t violent, but he was removed and prohibited from riding the buses.”

Georgia Coach Lines
The coordinated transportation for the visitiation of President Jimmy Carter was part of the overall media coverage of his memorial services.

Understanding the moment

For Cox, the event carried a deep sense of responsibility. Though he didn’t know Carter personally, he recalled meeting him as a Boy Scout on a visit to the Georgia Capitol. “He was welcoming and took pictures with us,” Cox said. “Over the years, I’ve seen him many times at events, the Carter Center, or Ebenezer Church.”

The experience reminded Cox of a similar operation for Congressman John Lewis’s memorial. 

“We got phone calls from all over the globe when people saw our coaches on the bridge during the Lewis procession,” Cox said. “It was a moment of pride for the industry, and this was even bigger.”

Cox sees these high-profile events as an opportunity to advocate for the motorcoach industry. “The world was watching,” he said. “This was a chance to show how essential and efficient we are, especially as we lobby Congress for more support.”

Cox credited the event’s success to collaboration among industry members, a practice that became more intentional during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“COVID forced us to connect and share information, and those relationships carried forward,” Cox said. “This event showed the strength of those connections and how we can come together for something truly historic.”

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