DC Trails' Tour and Charters 2013 J4500

DC Trails' new 2013 J4500 takes center stage at DOT Earth Day Fair

SCHAUMBURG, IL — April 18, 2013 — DC Trails 

A top Washington, DC, tour and charter company, presented its green transportation credentials when it parked its new 2013 MCI J4500 coach in front of the Department of Transportation's Washington, DC, headquarters for the agency's Earth Day Fair. The model brought to light how today's coaches are especially eco-friendly, releasing less carbon dioxide and using 82 percent less fuel per passenger mile than even a hybrid car. DC Trails' J4500 will also be representing the American Bus Association and Motor Coach Industries, manufacturer of the coach.

DC Trails' new wheelchair-lift-equipped MCI J4500 comes with the latest EPA-compliant clean-diesel engine technology that uses ultra-low sulfur diesel for near-zero emissions. The J4500 also features a lighter, high-efficiency cooling system and optimized axle ratios to improve fuel economy. Standard safety features include Electronic Stability Control that assists the driver in critical situations; a tire-pressure monitoring system that warns of low pressure, high tire temperatures or tire failure; and an Amerex fire-suppression system. Options include side view and back-up cameras. Passengers enjoy plush seating for 54 with three-point seatbelts, cup holders, footrests, six 15-inch LCD monitors, 110-volt power outlets at each seat and Wi-Fi connectivity.

DOT's 2013 Earth Day Fair, themed "Move Green: Inside and Out," featured displays of green initiatives within and beyond DOT's LEED-certified building at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.

"It's an outstanding opportunity for us to present our coach at DOT's Earth Day Fair," said Bill Torres, President of DC Trails. "Every day, our fleet takes tourists around our nation's capital, and we're very pleased to offer them the luxury, comfort and environmental benefits found on the MCI J4500. It's gratifying to run a business that is making a contribution to the way people choose to travel. A fully occupied motor coach can take up to 55 cars of the road, cutting down on congestion and creating a greener, cleaner highway system."

A military veteran and former motor officer assigned to the DC police special operation division (responsible for escorting the country's highest officials and foreign dignitaries), Torres founded DC Trails in 2000. Today its fleet of 60 coaches serves the entire U.S. and Canada, with trips to 43 states in the last year alone, totaling more than 2.5 million miles. DC Trails holds the highest safety rating with DOT as well as with the Department of Defense, which certifies the company to transport military personnel. Torres' wife, Liliana, co-founded sister company Quality Tour Transport in 1989. Together, they manage nearly 120 employees and a full-service maintenance shop. Learn more at www.dctrails.com.

About MCI

Offering luxuriously appointed models that are industry best-sellers, MCI is the leading intercity coach manufacturer in the United States and Canada with sales, service and repair facilities in both countries. MCI's D-Series is the best-selling line of coaches in industry history, with more than 13,000 units built. Its J4500 coach model has been the industry's best-selling intercity coach for nine consecutive years. MCI is also the distributor of the custom-tailored, German engineered Setra S 417, Setra S 407 and Setra parts in the U.S. and Canada.

MCI supports the industry's green initiatives by partnering with the American Bus Association to sponsor the Green Operator Award and with the United Motor Coach Association for the Green Highway award. The awards recognize members of the associations' environmental achievements from maintenance practices and fleet care to day-to-day business practices and policies.

MCI has also earned the very first Best of BUSRide Green Award. The magazine recognized MCI for building efficient models with rock-bottom emissions and lower fuel costs. It also factored in MCI's achievement as the only builder of alternative fuel models (the Commuter Coach, available in diesel-hybrid and CNG).

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