0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 1 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 2 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 3 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 4 JULY/AUGUST 2016 Published by Rankin Publishing, Inc. www.buslinemag.com MAGAZINE IN THIS ISSUE Limousine Livery Expands Bus Fleet To Counter For-Hire Car Services ...........8 Pages 24 – 57 Supplier profile information submitted by participating companies. Busline Vehicle Showcase Small & Mid-Size Buses............................................58-68 ON THE COVER: Limousine Livery President Christy Dirks, RAPID RESPONSE.........................Page 6 and her husband, Limousine Livery Director of Business Development Aaron Dirks, stand next to the company's new INDUSTRY NEWS .................Page 22, 69 Turtle Top VT3 mid-size bus. Limousine Livery is located in New Orleans, LA. See page 8 CONTENTS CALENDAR OF EVENTS EDITORIAL & CORPORATE OFFICES JULY 2016 August 18-21 NOVEMBER 2016 July 16-20 National Association November 5-9 Rankin Publishing Co., Inc. National School Of Motorcoach Operators Canadian Urban Transit Don Rankin and Linda Rankin, Publishers Transportation Association (NAMO) Association (CUTA) (NSTA) Annual Meeting & Annual Conference Fall Conference 204 E. Main Street • P.O. Box 130 Convention Atlantic City, NJ Vancouver, BC Arcola, IL 61910-0130, USA Greensboro, NC Info: 571-312-7117 Info: 416-365-9800 Email: [email protected] Info: 703-684-3200 SEPTEMBER 2016 JANUARY 2017 Website: www.rankinpublishing.com AUGUST 2016 September 11-14 January 14-17 (800) 598-8083 (U.S.) • (217) 268-4959 August 2-4 APTA Annual Meeting American Bus Association Fax: (217) 268-4815 International Motorcoach Los Angeles, CA (ABA) Marketplace Group (IMG) Strategic Info: 202-496-4800 Cleveland, OH Alliance Meeting Info: 800-283-2877 Editorial: Harrell Kerkhoff, Editor Norfolk, VA September 19-21 Rick Mullen, Associate Editor Info: 888-447-3466 BusCon 2016 FEBRUARY 2017 Indianapolis, IN February 26-March 2 Design: David Opdyke, Kris Bott August 8-9 Info: 800-576-8788 United Motorcoach Reception: Mary Jo Dunn Midwest Bus Association & Motorcoach Association (UMA) Motorcoach Expo Annual Convention, St. Louis, MO Advertising Trade Show & Roadeo Info: 800-424-8262 Contact Kevin Kennedy @ 623-434-8959 Carol Stream, IL Email: [email protected] Info: 608-354-7110 Or Busline Magazine is published 6 times a year by Rankin Publishing, Inc., 204 E. Main, P.O. Box 130, Arcola, IL 61910-0130. Don Rankin @ 800-598-8083 Publisher assumes no liability whatsoever for content of any advertisement or editorial material contained herein. Copyright 2016 Rankin Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written con- Fax: 217-268-4815 sent of Rankin Publishing, Inc. Subscription Rates in United States: 6 issues $25. Single Copy rate: $10 including postage/handling; Email: [email protected] Buyer’s Guide $15 including postage/handling. International rates: 6 issue annual Air Mail Subscription $60 U.S. dollars net Page 4 BUSLINE July/August 2016 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 5 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 6 JULY/AUGUST 2016 Published by Rankin Publishing, Inc. www.buslinemag.com MAGAZINE Turtle Top 58 Temsa 61 Micro Bird Commercial 62 ARBOC Specialty Vehicles 64 Glaval Bus 66 ABC Companies 68 Company Website Page # Company Website Page # ABC Companies www.abc-companies.com 13 Micro Bird Commercial www.mbcbus.com 15 Advantage Funding www.advantagefund.com 40 Midwest Bus Corporation www.midwestbus.com 17 Altro Transflor www.altrotransflor.com 47 Mile-X www.mile-x.com 46 Amaya-Astron www.amaya-astron.com.mx 33 Motorcoach Tire Sales.com www.motorcoachtiresales.com 12 ARBOC Specialty Vehicles www.arbocsv.com 28 Norse Systems www.norsesys.com 49 Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison www.atlanticdda.com 36 Onspot Automatic Tire Chains www.onspot.com 43 Bauer’s Intelligent Transportation www.bauerscertifiedpreowned.com 34 Prevost Car www.prevostcar.com 72 Bitimec Wash-Bots, Inc. www.wash-bots.com 19 Profusion Industries www.profusionindustries.com 23 Bitzer www.bitzerus.com 31 Protective Insurance Company www.protectiveinsurance.com 21 BusCon www.busconexpo.com 45 Relational Bus Systems www.rbs2000.com 26 Carlyle carlylecompressor.com. 16 RUD Chain, Inc. www.rotogrip.us 14 Clean Seal www.cleanseal.com 22 Safety Step www.safetystep.net 43 Complete Coach Works www.completecoach.com 46 Service Insurance www.serviceins.com 44 Continental Corporation www.continental-corporation.com 25 Setra Coaches www.setra-coaches.com 2 Diamond Manufacturing www.diamondmfg.com 47 SLEC www.slec.com 37 Dixie Electric Ltd. www.dixie-electric.com 44 Sutrak www.sutrakusa.com 32 Enseicom www.enseicom.com 11 TAPTCO www.taptco.com 41 Euramtec Corporation www.euramtec.com 29 TEMSA www.temsa.com 7 Freightliner www.freightlinerchassis.com 3 TransitWorks www.Transit-Works.com 38 Hometown Trolley www.hometowntrolley.com 9 Turbo Images www.turbo-images.com 39 INA Bus Sales (Irizar) www.inabussales.com 71 Turtle Top www.turtletop.com 5 Marathon Brake Systems www.MarathonBrake.com 20 Vanner Power www.vanner.com 18, 27 McCarty’s Sacro Ease, Inc. www.mccartys.com 35 Willingham Inc. www.willinghaminc.com 30 Read or Download Complete Issues Of Busline Magazine Online At: www.buslinemag.com Page 6 BUSLINE July/August 2016 4:46 PM 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 7 THE smart choice …for EASIER Maintenance. CH Bus Sales and Temsa know that time is money, which is why we want to get you back on the road in no time at all. So, we make it a priority to provide you with the easiest maintenance routine in the industry. The handling and performance of Temsa coaches has always been superior. Now, we’ve added the enhanced TS-35E with tool-free, three-piece doors for the front bumper and rear engine for easy access. With the #1 midsize coach on the road, it’s easier than ever to stay efficient. When you buy a Temsa, you become our partner in success and a part of our family. We believe in relationships that last, and service that comes in first. For more information, contact CH Bus Sales at: 877-723-4045 or visit www.chbussales.com CH Bus Sales is the exclusive distributor of Temsa motorcoaches in the U.S. 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 8 expanDs Bus Fleet to counter For-Hire car services Limousine Livery President Christy Dirks Discipline • passion • caring By Harrell Kerkhoff Busline Magazine Editor hange is part of life. How a person — or company — handles change can lead to success or eventual failure. For example, a major transformation has taken place in the lives of many cresidents of new orleans since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. Meanwhile, an adjustment of another sort has been required recently for sedan and limousine providers that are facing stiff competition from upstart, for-hire on-demand car services. 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 9 0716Busline.FINAL_Layout 1 6/21/16 10:47 AM Page 10 corporate meeting and convention busi- ness. We work with groups that need transportation for 10 to 6,000 people,” Limousine Livery President Christy Dirks said. She owns the company, and works alongside her husband, Aaron Dirks, who is director of business development. “We help customers who are looking for transportation in New Orleans and surrounding areas. This includes conven- tion, hotel and airport shuttling, as well as transporting people to and from dinner and off-site meetings,” Aaron Dirks said. “A lot of times, a group of corporate clients want to visit a plant or factory while in town. We can provide this type of transportation as well.” According to the Dirks, Limousine Livery has the largest number of hotel transportation contracts in New Orleans, and has benefited from three decades of providing high-end service to The Big Easy marketplace. “Over the years, Limousine Livery has built a solid reputation while trans- porting hotel guests,” Christy Dirks said. “Our reputation has helped us find new customers and business seg- ments, along with building many last- ing relationships.” Along with local service, company representatives can also provide global transportation connections for cus- tomers looking to travel well beyond southern Louisiana. These representa- tives work with reservation agents from around the world to reserve clients’ transportation desires. This includes traveling schedules, rates, availability of vehicles, meet-and-greet capabilities, key addresses and directions, and billing requirements for every destination. “We started asking our local and out- of-town corporate customers if we could help with their global transportation The chauffeurs’ lounge at Limousine Livery features a modern entertainment system and other upscale amenities. services to other cities and a good per- Both of these events — the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the centage of them said, ‘Yes, that would be great,’” Aaron Dirks said. recent growth of on-demand car services — has forced Limousine “This is not a big part of our company’s focus, but it’s something Livery to change course as a company. During the past decade, the we offer for those customers who need this type of service.” business has changed ownership and increased its focus on bus and motorcoach transportation. STARTING WITH A ROLLS ROYCE Today, the New Orleans, LA, transportation provider has an approximate fleet of 50 vehicles, the majority of which are sedans el Clark found himself with quite a gift in 1984. At the and limousines. However, the company now has 10 small to mid- time, he was working as a part-time doorman at the size buses, with plans to expand its bus fleet and service in the MRoyal Sonesta New Orleans, an historic hotel on coming years.