Academy Bus, the largest privately owned and operated ground transportation company in the country, announced Tuesday the launch of its first Mercedes-Benz Tourrider Coaches from Daimler Coaches North America, the first of 10 to be added to the company’s fleet this year.
Academy Bus, based in Hoboken, also plans to add 20 additional charter buses this year, the first expansion of its fleet since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, CEO Francis Tedesco said.
“Academy Bus has been a longtime operator of Daimler brand coaches, and we are thrilled to continue that decades-long partnership with a number of new motor coach vehicles,” he said. “This new Mercedes-Benz Tourrider Coach is emblematic of the comfort and luxury we strive to provide our clients, and we are looking forward to hearing the reviews from customers as more of these coaches get on the road.”
About Academy Bus
Academy Bus began its operations in 1968 as a family-owned and -operated business. It is the largest privately owned and operated transportation company in the U.S. and has been serving the East Coast for over five decades.
Academy Bus currently operates charter and group tour buses up and down the East Coast from operations centers stretching from Boston to Miami. It operates commuter buses from New Jersey to Manhattan, from Virginia and Maryland to Washington, and from D.C. to Baltimore.
The Tourrider Coach, unveiled in 2021, was designed specifically for the North American market: for style — and safety.
Equipped with in-house-made seats and a host of convenience features, the three-axle high-deck coach is also the first motor coach outfitted with Daimler’s unique Active Brake Assist-5 emergency braking system. The automated emergency stop system detects and responds to pedestrians and stationary objects immediately, regardless of driver response or reaction.
Academy Bus has operated Daimler vehicles for several decades, starting with the Setra Coach, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and now the Mercedes-Benz Tourriders. The investment in the Tourrider Coach marks the latest in a decades-long partnership with Daimler.
Thomas Rohde, CEO and president of Daimler Coaches North America, welcomes the partnership.
“Academy’s input and experience during the design phase of our coach has been instrumental,” he said. “We are happy to see the first Mercedes-Benz Tourriders in Academy’s fleet and are thankful for the trust in our product and in our company.”
