Lewis Stages wins over the West with stylish fleet
Adds three 2009 MCI ®J4500s with custom-designed interiors, lower emissions
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., June 18, 2009 –Lewis Stages, Salt Lake City, Utah, founded in 1914, has rounded up a prestigious list of clients by offering impressive service and an excellent fleet of vehicles. Lewis Stages counts among its customers the world’s top group-travel agencies. To meet their high standards, Lewis prefers the MCI J4500.
The company’s three newest 2009 J4500s, delivered in June, come with a custom-designed interior and the latest passenger-pleasing amenities. The coaches’ interiors feature a tranquil tricolor palette coordinated to match Lewis Stages' signature exterior graphic. The colors and fabric used throughout the cabin create a relaxing atmosphere in which passengers enjoy a state-of-the-art Blaunpunkt entertainment system with 15-inch video monitors, access to outlets to recharge personal electronics, and individual air-flow controls and reading lights. Powered by a Cummins engine and ZF Astronic transmission, the coaches are equipped with clean-diesel engine technology that substantially reduces emissions. A white handkerchief held to the exhaust proves the improvement.
“They’re beautiful coaches,” said Richard Bizzaro, president of All Resort, parent of Lewis Stages. His wife, Wendy Gray, a nationally recognized interior designer who owns her own firm, helped create the interiors. “We’ve made significant investments over the past three years, upgrading the fleet to newer models. Places like Salt Lake City and Park City attract sophisticated travelers that are environmentally conscientious, and having greener, fuel-efficient vehicles appeals to our customer base as well.”
Over the past three years, Lewis has taken delivery of five MCI J4500 coaches, a D4505 and several
newer, pre-owned E4500 coaches. Steve Lewis, whose grandfather founded the firm, serves as a
consultant and customer representative to Lewis’ top customers. “We are very pleased with the
partnership we’ve formed with MCI, “ said Lewis. “They have been an integral part of our
growth.” All together, the company operates a fleet of nearly 40 tour coaches and 30 transit-style
and mini buses. All Resort also operates a fleet of limousines and shuttle buses, including some
featuring Hybrid technology.
Lewis Stages provides group tours throughout the American West and hosts many international visitors to the surrounding national parks, offering step-on-guided tours of local and regional attractions. It also offers charter services for conventions and custom events, airport transfers and shuttles.
Bizzaro, who acquired All Resort in 2004, and Lewis Stages in 2006, came to the industry after a fashion-industry career on 7th Avenue and success in the fitness industry. An entrepreneur, Bizzaro admits that he is addicted to the business; he has grown market share by promoting the safety, convenience and environmental benefits of motor coaches. He sees his new J4500s “as works of art, rolling down the road.”
To learn more, visit www.lewisstages.com
Motor Coach Industries, headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., 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 builds the industry’s two best-selling models and also operates seven sales centers and eight service centers in the U.S. and Canada. MCI offers a network of aftermarket services including parts supply for most makes and models. Visit www.mcicoach.com.
Where it all began...
It all began with the Model T!
Lewis Stages began by transporting miners to work in a Model T.
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Established in 1914, as the Bingham Stage Lines, our first passengers were miners bound between Salt Lake City and the famous Bingham Canyon Copper Mine. Soon after that, our founder, Orson Lewis, convinced his numerous brothers to "get in the act." Lewis Stages emerged. During World War II, the miners were joined by airmen from the Camp Kearns Army Air Corps Base in the Salt Lake Valley, as we operated a bus every six minutes to and from downtown Salt Lake City.
It was after the war that Joe Lewis recognized Lewis Stages' future lay in the growing charter bus market. He began to develop the customer base and build a diverse high quality fleet to effectively serve the charter bus and ski markets until his son, Steven, took the reigns
Today, Lewis Stages is Utah's leading for-hire passenger transportation company, setting the standard for dependability and quality. We consider our employees to be our most valuable assets and the primary source of our success with our customers--we're often told that our driver "made the trip." Our equipment is maintained and serviced on the premises. Our shop staff includes full-time technicians dedicated to maintenance of vehicle interiors, so our passengers can sit back, relax, and enjoy clean, comfortable rides. Our mechanics and drivers are carefully selected and trained to ensure safe, professional operation on the road.
It's because of such standards that we are recognized as the leader in our field.
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The first buses
Posed grandly in front of the State Capital are Lewis Stages first buses.
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Motor coaches
Motor coaches were introduced which increased service capability.
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