Brown Coach, located in Amsterdam, New York, has been a Prevost customer since 1997 and currently runs a total of 50 coaches for Brown Coach and its sister company Upstate Transit, Saratoga Springs, New York.
Brown Coach most recently took delivery of two new 2020 H3-45s — one for each operation. Located just 30 miles apart, the Brown and Upstate fleets share similar team colors and graphics that tie the two services together under one owner.
“We believe Prevost makes the best coaches on the road,” said Brown Coach owner Steven R. Brown. “What keeps us coming back as a loyal customer is the company’s outstanding after-sale support. Their teams go above and beyond and make themselves available anytime, day or night and on weekends, to ensure our questions get answered and our equipment is performing at top level.”
In 1980, Brown Coach opened its doors to provide coach bus and coach service for the tri-city area of Albany, Schenectady and Troy. The company has owned and operated Upstate Transit since 2005 — Brown Coach acquired the transportation division from the Mathews Family, the Thomas School Bus dealer for upstate New York.
“When the principal in the company, Bruce Mathews, passed away, the family elected to focus on vehicle sales and service,” said Brown. “They approached us on possibly acquiring the business and we felt it would be a good fit as we were both in the same greater-Albany market. Instead of being one of four competitors, we now only have two.”
Brown is a mechanical engineer who dedicates his knowledge to making the products and systems on his coaches perform better and consistently ensure products from other industries work in his vehicles. His experience and expertise has proven instrumental in several Prevost products.
“I was surprised the Prevost engineering and support teams would be so willing to work with me to implement some of my ideas and make them fit into their coaches,” he said. “They joke around with me about what they have come to call the ‘Brown Specs.’”