MEDIA CENTER

 

MCI's 6000th unit rolls off E/J line; new J4500 to support all-MCI Shriners medical transport

SCHAUMBURG, IL — November 7, 2011 — MCI gathered employees from throughout its plants to mark the delivery of the 6,000th unit off the company's E/J assembly line. The keys went to the Shriners of British Columbia and Yukon, who will use the new J4500 to provide medical transport to children.

"Everyone at MCI has an important role in providing our customers with industry leading, quality coaches," said Bryan Couch, MCI vice president and general manager of operations. "Achieving this milestone coincides with our J4500 coach ranking as North America's best-selling intercity coach, a distinction it has enjoyed for seven years running. We take great pride in this accomplishment. We appreciate the trust our customers place in MCI models to transport their passengers in comfort, safety and reliability, and the confidence they have knowing that MCI will continue to innovate and build the coaches best suited to their needs."

"Building a 6,000th unit is a significant milestone for us, and we couldn't be happier about handing the keys to the Shriners Care Cruisers program, which we have been proud to serve since its inception," said Guy Tessier, MCI vice president of Canadian sales.

The Shriners and all MCI customers should notice a new trend of continuous improvement. Internally MCI has a number of Business Excellence programs underway including the MCI Reliability Team — a management-level taskforce emphasizing the importance and rigorous standards of quality and reliability throughout MCI's product line.

Ralph Eschenwecker, who has rejoined MCI as Vice President of Business Excellence, a new position, said: "This milestone also marks a turning point at MCI. We are fully committed to improving the entire value stream to the customer with better communication, processes and employee engagement to further the reliability of our models and aftermarket services."

Model improvements are abundant as well. Today's MCI® J4500 features a new, smooth, wide-ride suspension, electronic stability control, fire suppression system, tire-pressure monitoring, and the newest clean-diesel engine technology.

Special riders, special needs

Based in Burnaby, British Columbia, the Shriners of British Columbia and Yukon operate what is now a fleet of five Shriners Care Cruisers; all MCI models that include three J4500s, an E4500 and a 102C. Its newest MCI J4500 was built to the Shriners' unique specifications.

The J4500s used by the Shriners Care Cruisers program require special features to transport sick children, including medical chairs that can fully recline as well as assist a patient to a standing position; wide, accessible lavatories; galleys; docking space for stretchers; hospital beds or couches; additional HVAC equipment to make sure the coach can maintain a constant 72-degree interior even in the coldest Canadian winters. The floors are also heavily carpeted so children can play during their ride.

Explains Jim Harrison, executive director of the program, Shriners Care used to provide their service by air, "but 10 years ago, the airlines cut their discount on medical transport fares, and suddenly a $500,000 annual program became a $2 million program," he said. "We decided to put the program on the road."

In its search for the right coach manufacturer to do the job, Harrison said MCI was the program's choice based on what they saw on the roads. "Up here, you'll see MCI coaches 20 years or older on the roads running reliably," said Harrison. "You don't see other names able to keep their equipment on the road that long, and up here, we have some pretty rugged terrain." On average, each of their MCI models travels up to 5,000 miles a month on routes as far north as the mountainous Canadian Yukon territory and as far south as Sacramento.

3,500 passengers a year

The Shriners Care Cruisers provide transportation at no cost for children with burns, orthopedic issues and spinal-cord injuries to Shriners Hospitals in Portland and Spokane as well as patients to and from Sunny Hill and BC Children's Hospital. The cruisers also transport pregnant women to the hospital. It is the dominant Shriners hospital transportation program west of the Mississippi, Harrison says, with roughly 3,500 passengers a year and each coach traveling anywhere from 300-550 miles a day six days a week.

Motor Coach Industries, headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, is the leading builder of intercity, over-the-road coaches for the tour, charter, line-haul, scheduled service, commuter transit and conversion markets in the U.S. and Canada. The company operates six sales centers and seven service centers in the U.S. and Canada. MCI offers a network of aftermarket services including parts supply for most makes and models.

Press contact: Patricia Plodzeen Public Relations, 847-283-0883; or Motor Coach Industries Marketing Department, 847-285-2035.

 

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