Learn how ABC Companies leverages advanced technology, personalized service and strategic partnerships to redefine the transportation industry
Working in an industry often dominated by manufacturer-controlled and owned competitors, ABC Companies (ABC) stands out as a privately held and family-owned business. Since its inception over five decades ago, the company has grown exponentially to become a leader in motorcoach and transit equipment sales and service. Today providing a comprehensive suite of solutions, ABC’s offering includes the sales of new and pre-owned buses, a live technical support call center, OEM and ABC Select parts sales and sourcing, diverse vehicle servicing, repair and refurbishment services as well as private and municipal equipment leasing and financing through ABC Financial Services. Roman Cornell, Chief Executive Officer, introduces us to the company.
“My grandfather started the business over 50 years ago, and it remains family-owned by the Cornell family to this day. He initially ran buses in the Midwest, operating a transit line and transporting passengers. Along with a few friends who were also bus company operators, he purchased equipment and buses from Greyhound when they were scrapped, refurbishing them for his own line runs or to sell to other operators around the US. Finding this venture more fulfilling than operating buses, my grandfather then transitioned into buying and selling pre-owned equipment. In 1987, we partnered with motorcoach manufacturer, Van Hool and since then, we have placed over 13,000 of these vehicles on American roads. Our company functions as a true dealership, providing sales, service, parts, and support for just about any passenger transportation vehicle on the road.
“In addition to buying and selling transportation vehicles, we operate a large parts division that supplies many US transit authorities,” he continues. “We also have a sizable service company that maintains our equipment and contracts with government agencies to fix their vehicles, especially after accidents or during mid-life refurbishments. Oftentimes, transit authorities contract us to refurbish their vehicles, allowing us to leverage our experience in parts and service alongside bus sales to provide comprehensive support. In 2022, we diversified our product offerings by adding a new segment to our business that focuses on smaller passenger transportation vehicles, like shuttle buses, vans and cutaways, which feature a body on a chassis. This move exponentially grew our business, as we’re able to provide and support a wide range of vehicle types to both government clients and our core private customers.” he says.
Efficiency and effectiveness
To enhance its geographical footprint, ABC recently invested in a new facility in Colorado, bringing its total to ten facilities throughout North America. Jay Oakman, Chief Operating Officer, shares insights on the purpose of this new site. “In addition to our service locations across the country, we operate a main parts distribution hub in Muncie, Indiana, along with similar facilities in Canada, just outside Windsor and Ontario. We also have some specialized fleet maintenance locations and other sites dedicated to dealership operations, out of which we actively deliver vehicles. Our expansion into Denver, Colorado aligns with our philosophy of furthering our reach and our footprint to give us quicker access to more customers. This empowers us to efficiently solve their problems and keep their vehicles on the road. In other words, expanding into Colorado is in line with our commitment to being a more responsive and effective resource for our customers.”
ABC’s broader geographical footprint has been complemented with various investments in technology and digital infrastructure. “Our ownership group and leadership team are deeply passionate about investing in our digital infrastructure through enterprise IT, AI, and machine learning. Via these advancements, we aim to improve forecasting logistics and internal efficiency while delivering tangible benefits. For instance, these technologies enable us to effectively integrate with our customers, better predict their parts needs, and empower our technicians with more information at their fingertips, which allows for quicker diagnostics. Additionally, we are implementing smarter preventative maintenance practices driven by these technologies. Investing in IT falls under our commitment to maximizing uptime for our customers, and this initiative represents a new avenue for us to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness,” Jay continues.
Technology and training
As the company relentlessly strives to improve its processes to deliver the best possible service to its customers, technology and training are key components of its growth strategy, Roman reveals. “On the IT front, we are exploring what AI can do for us. With 13,000 buses on the road, the volume of incoming phone calls regarding various inquiries is significant, especially as our clients’ businesses evolve and their technicians change, or new people enter the industry. As a result, continuous training is essential, and we need to leverage AI to enhance efficiency for both our clients and us. Additionally, we are focused on how our computer systems can help simplify our customers’ operations while reducing overhead costs. We are developing several pilot programs in this area specifically. In terms of products, we are constantly looking to expand and diversify, notably in segments of the industry where there is a demand and lack of options. On the service side, attracting skilled labor is a challenge across the industry, as technology is always evolving and many individuals are reluctant to work with heavy equipment. This presents an opportunity for us to grow by addressing these challenges through training and resources that help our customers keep their buses running and on the road,” he ends.