MTR Western

Infobox Bus transit
name = MTR Western, LLC

logo_size =


image_size =
image_caption =
company_slogan = "Driven by Passion"
parent =
founded = 2003
headquarters = Seattle, Washington
locale = USA
CAN
service_area = Western United States and Canada
service_type = contract service, charter service
alliance =
routes =
destinations =
stops =
hubs =
stations =
lounge =
fleet = Federal Mini Coach,
Krystal Mini Coach,
Prevost H3-45, X3-45,
Setra S417,
TEMSA Safari,
Van Hool Double Decker
ridership =
fuel_type =
operator =
ceo = Darren Berg
website = [http://www.mtrwestern.com/ MTR Western]

MTR Western, also doing business as Meridian Transportation Resources, is an American motorcoach operator active in the western United States and Canada.

ervices

MTR Western provides group charters, sightseeing tours, driver-narrated tour programs [cite web
url=http://www.mtrwestern.com/
title=The Online Home of MTR Western
accessdate=2008-06-19
work=MTR Western company website
date= ] , and on-call emergency transportation. [cite web
url=http://www.mtrwestern.com/emergency.services.html
title=Unhappy Campers
accessdate=2008-06-19
work=MTR Western company website
date= ]

Charter clients include corporate customers such as Microsoft, Nike, Intel, Google, and Yahoo, in addition to touring entertainers, campaigning political candidates, [cite news
author =
title = MTR Western Responds to Misleading Statements about Gregoire's Motorcoach
url = http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS220208+11-Apr-2008+BW20080411
format =
work = Business Wire
publisher = Reuters
date = April 11, 2008
accessdate = 2008-06-19 ] and college and professional sports teams. They carry essentially all of the NFL and Major League Baseball teams that visit Seattle, Oakland, and San Francisco. [Citation
last = Hubbard
first = David
title = MTR Western "delivers the mail"
newspaper = BUSRide
pages = 20-22
year = 2007
date = February 2007
url = http://www.busride.com]

Tour clients include Tauck World Discovery, American West Steamboat Company, Caravan Tours, Contiki Tours, and Trafalgar Tours.

History

MTR Western was founded in Seattle, Washington in 2003 by Darren Berg with four Prevost H3-45 motorcoaches. By 2007, they were one of the largest premium motorcoach companies in North America, with facilities in Seattle, Portland, The Dalles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Vancouver, and Calgary, and winner of the BUSRide 2006 Motorcoach Industry Achievement Award. [Citation
last = Hubbard
first = David
title = MTR Western "delivers the mail"
newspaper = BUSRide
pages = 20-22
year = 2007
date = February 2007
url = http://www.busride.com]

MTR Western's three-year growth of 1,214.9% earned it national recognition in Inc. Magazine's "Inc. 500", a list of America's fastest growing private companies in 2007. The list ranks MTR Western as number 166 in America, number 9 in Washington, and number 3 in the Transportation category. [cite web
url= http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2007/company-profile.html?id=200701660
title= Inc. 500 number 166: MTR Western
accessdate= 2008-06-19
date=
year= 2007
month=
format=
work=
publisher= Inc. Magazine
pages=
language=
doi=
archiveurl=
archivedate=
quote= ]

In 2008 they debuted in Metro Magazine's "Motorcoach Top 50" at number 17. [Citation
last = Starcic
first = Janna
title = Coach America Grabs the Reins in Motorcoach Top 50
newspaper = Metro Magazine
pages = 22-23
year = 2008
date = January 2008
url = http://metro-magazine.epubxpress.com/wps/portal/metro/c0/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3iLkCAPEzcPIwMDC0NTAyNT3yAjM6MQQ0dDI_1I_ShzXPJmzib6ISATM_UjDS2MTEHMYv1IAxBdoB9pZKRfkJ2YVJUaqQgAgNx42Q!!/.] MTR Western is known for their award-winning "compelling and creative" bus wrap designs. [Citation
last =
first =
title = 2007 BUSRide/Avery Dennison Graphics MotorVision Competition winners
newspaper = BUSRide
pages = 18-19
year = 2007
date = November 2007
url = http://www.busride.com]

Gregoire License Plate Controversy

On April 10, 2008 MTR Western became involved in a controversy between the Washington State Republican Party and Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire. In a press release [cite press release
title = Gregoire Driving An Oregon Bus on Re-Election Tour
publisher = Washington State Republican Party
date = April 10, 2008
format =
language =
url = http://www.wsrp.org/News/Read.aspx?ID=7584
accessdate = 2008-06-19
quote = ] , State Republican Party Chairman Luke Esser said, "Gov. Gregoire has been making it harder and harder for businesses to survive here in our state for three years, so it's no surprise that her campaign hired a bus with Oregon license plates to save money. The symbolism of Gov. Gregoire's bus tour couldn't be plainer."

Washington-based MTR Western responded the next day with a press release [cite news
author =
title = MTR Western Responds to Misleading Statements about Gregoire's Motorcoach
url = http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS220208+11-Apr-2008+BW20080411
format =
work = Business Wire
publisher = Reuters
date = April 11, 2008
accessdate = 2008-06-19 ] citing Federal law: "Our Oregon license plates are issued pursuant to the International Registration Plan (IRP), which was created by wise federal legislation put in to place to simplify the registration of commercial vehicles that travel in interstate commerce," said MTR Western CEO and founder Darren Berg. "It's disheartening to be associated with misleading statements that support an opinion that business opportunities are grim in the state of Washington."

One columnist from traditionally Republican Eastern Washington wrote of the controversy, "On Thursday the state Republican Party issued a press release titled "Gregoire Driving An Oregon Bus on Re-Election Tour" that screamed of scandal... Long story short, there’s no story here, much less a full blown scandal." [cite news
first = Chris
last = Mulick
title = That Gregoire license plate scandal? Never mind.
url = http://www.tri-cityherald.com/944/story/154381.html
format =
work = TriCity Herald
date = April 11, 2008
accessdate = 2008-06-19 ]

Environmental Initiatives

MTR Western is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. In 2008, they offset more carbon dioxide emissions than they created, achieving a net negative carbon footprint. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = MTR Western environmental responsibility website
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.itsgoodtobegreen.com/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-19] . The company has six major environmental initiatives: [cite web
url= http://www.tradeshowweek.com/article/CA6524803.html?nid=3635
title= Seattle Rolls Green Carpet Out for PCMA
accessdate= 2006-06-19
last= Wimberly
first= Rachel
date= 2008-01-28
work= Tradeshow Week
publisher= Reed Business Information]

• They have reduced their emissions by more than 50% by purchasing new motorcoaches outfitted with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) engines.
• They burn the most aggressive blend of biodiesel fuel allowed by the company's engine manufacturer.
• They are the only motorcoach company on the West Coast to use European-style, fuel-saving, super single tires.
• Their drivers are trained to conserve fuel and avoid excessive engine idling.
• Their shops are heated with recycled engine oil.
• They purchase forest carbon offsets from the Pacific Forest Trust, including 6,000 metric tons of Carbon dioxide emission reductions from the Van Eck Forest Project. [cite web
  url=http://www.pacificforest.org/news/index.html
  title=MTR Western Motorcoach Fleet Goes Carbon Neutral with Van Eck Emissions Reductions
  accessdate=2008-06-19
  work=The Pacific Forest Trust
  date= ]

In 2008, MTR Western was awarded the UMA inaugural "Green Highway" award, honoring a corporation for its dedication to improving the environment. [Citation
last = Roman
first = Alex
title = UMA Expo Brings 'Green' Message to San Francisco
newspaper = Metro Magazine
pages = 32-34
year = 2008
date = February/March 2008
url = http://metro-magazine.epubxpress.com/wps/portal/metro/c0/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3iLkCAPEzcPIwMDC0NTAyNT3yAjM6MQQ0dDI_1I_ShzXPJmzib6ISATM_UjjQwMLUHMYv1IAxBdoB9pbKJfkJ2YVJUaqQgAVSmIXg!!/.] [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Sightline Tours home page
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.sightlinetours.com/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-19]

Associated Companies

OC&W Coachways

MTR Western purchased Eugene, Oregon-based Oregon Coachways in 2006 from owners Donald Moorehead and John Mikulvich. The company, now named OC&W Coachways, provides no-frills charter bus service in Oregon, California, and Washington. [cite press release
title = Meridian Transportation Resources, LLC Signs Agreement to Acquire Oregon Coachways and Announces Plans To Introduce New “Price Driven” Charter Motorcoach Brand
publisher = MTR Western
date = September 19, 2006
format = PDF
language =
url = http://www.mtrwestern.ca/press_pass_pages/PressRelease001.pdf
accessdate = 2008-06-20
quote = ] [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = OC&W Coachways home page
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.ocwbus.com/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-19]

ightline Tours

Sightline Tours is a Canadian sightseeing company located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They exclusively use MTR Western coaches and driver/guides. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Sightline Tours home page
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.sightlinetours.com/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-19]

GeoGenius

GeoGenius is a U.S. company that produces travel-related audio and video content for GPS-enabled devices. [cite press release
title = MTR Western announces formation of GeoGenius™
publisher = MTR Western
date = September 25, 2007
format = PDF
language =
url = http://mtrwestern.com/press_pass_pages/GeoGenius.pdf
accessdate = 2008-06-18
quote = ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.mtrwestern.com/ MTR Western U.S. website]
* [http://www.mtrwestern.ca/ MTR Western Canadian website]
* [http://www.itsgoodtobegreen.com/ MTR Western environmental responsibility website]
* [http://www.ocwbus.com/ OC&W Coachways website]
* [http://www.sightlinetours.com/ Sightline Tours website]
* [http://www.geogenius.com/ GeoGenius website]