Friendly Rivals Partner to Expand Fleets

Dallas—AJL International and Premier Transportation recently partnered to expand their fleets. By pooling their resources, the two companies were able to substantially increase their buying power, allowing them each to purchase two MCI coach buses.

Friendly competitors for more than 15 years, Matt Johnston of AJL and Eric Devlin of Premier Transportation serve their corporate clientele in and around Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as through a vast affiliate network across the globe.

In August 2015, Devlin and Johnston met regarding a few local issues; they eventually got on the topic of coach buses. Both companies have large minibus fleets but neither had taken the next steps of getting into the coach bus business. Johnston suggested pooling their funds to increase buying power in order to affect a better price point and negotiate some free upgrades.

“We agreed that we would purchase the exact same model, with the exact same paint scheme (black), and with the same amenities,” says Devlin. “Therefore, other than the logo, each would have a seamless farm-in/farm-out partner with the same expectations of customer service.”

Devlin and his fleet manager, Todd Davis, attended bus shows to research vehicles while Johnston worked the phones, negotiated price and amenities, and created a spreadsheet of pros and cons for the various manufactures. Both owners reached out to mentors in the industry for their input, too.

Eventually, Devlin and Johnston decided not only to purchase from MCI (2016 J4500.s), but also increase their order from one to two buses each. The two companies chose MCI due the manufacturer’s convenient service center, and their ability to fill the order by December 1, 2015.

Johnston and Devlin are excited about their new venture and look forward to working together and growing their already strong relationship.

Visit ajlinternational.com or premierofdallas.com for more information.

[CD1115]