Motor Coach Industries (MCI) now offers its J4500 coach with industry leading legroom, stylish new lighting and safety features that made the model especially attractive to Delaware Express owner Gerry Frenze.
Delaware Express is a well-known tour and charter operator along the Eastern Seaboard and its latest delivery of four new 2019 J4500 models are outfitted to please passengers, drivers and mechanics.
Frenze, whose Newark, Delaware-based company also provides shuttle and limousine services, was drawn to the J4500’s redesigned interior space; it provides the most seating room in its class in addition to leading-edge safety technology and mechanical advantages that assure low cost of operation. These include the 2019 J4500’s new swing out styled electric e-fan cooling package that provides full roadside engine access and fuel efficiency improvements up to 3 percent annually.
“Passenger comfort and safety features are paramount,” Frenze, who has been a loyal MCI customer since 2001, said. “And we see great value in new vehicles and standardization of equipment.”
Frenze also said it’s important to keep a young fleet, with more than three-quarters of his 30 motorcoaches less than 5 years old.
Delaware’s newest J4500s feature a 56-passenger configuration with plush leather seating, power outlets and Wi-Fi. Delaware has also added tray tables behind every upgraded leather seat because the company is testing ala carte box lunches on charters to upcoming auto and flower shows this year, Frenze said.
“It’s an experiment, and a new level of service and we want to see how it goes over,” he said.
The coaches also come equipped with Detroit Diesel engines, preferred by Delaware for telematics capabilities used to signal maintenance requirements such as DPF regeneration notifications and more. A 360-degree camera system and MCI’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) from Bendix Fusion were also part of the order.
Bendix Fusion is a next-generation collision mitigation system that integrates a forward-facing camera with vehicle recognition software to detect moving and stationary objects. The system offers lane departure warnings and traffic sign recognition that all together helps the driver process speed limits and road obstacles.
Delaware Express customers also prize legroom and comfort. With a roster of clients that range from professional teams in nearly every sport including Philadelphia Union Soccer to the athletic department at the University of Delaware, Frenze orders his coaches with the roomiest seat configurations. To better manage relationships and schedules with athletic clients, teams are often assigned their own motorcoach and driver.
“Our pro sports teams especially appreciate the legroom,” Frenze said. “And we assign our drivers the same equipment for better planning and scheduling. There’s a comfort level in knowing your driver and having the same vehicle throughout the season.”
Two of the company’s latest J4500s are wrapped in Blue Hen blue with a puddle light option displaying U of D’s logo on the bottom step.
“We got the entire lighting package for the Wow Factor,” Frenze said.
This release originally appeared on MCI’s website. You can view it here.