Our History
Rooted in the 1870s
Our story is one of a small-town American company rising up as a leading paratransit bus manufacturer for the East Coast. We’re proud to have a rich heritage, a family-run corporate structure, and many talented employees. Read more about our past and where we are today.
Timeline
1870s — W.H. Whitfield begins building wagons and fancy horse-drawn carriages in Penn Yan, NY.
1922 — Advancement in technology moves W.H. Whitfield to produce motorized buses.
1948 — A Carl Kreutziger, a former Whitfield associate, launches Coach & Equipment. Coach focuses on school buses for many years before entering the shuttle bus industry.
1977 — Jim McMullen joins Coach & Equipment and becomes the owner of the company.
Early 1990s — ADA law is passed and prompts Coach & Equipment to begin building exclusively the white shuttle buses we are known for today. However, we retain the strict government safety standards required for the school buses, because we believe safety is always the most important feature of any bus.
1998 — Coach & Equipment celebrates our 50th year anniversary.
2000 — Coach & Equipment moves to a new 85,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility to maximize our capabilities and expand into the future.
Today — Coach & Equipment is one of the largest employers in Yates County. Jim continues to serve as CEO. His son Rick McMullen serves as president of manufacturing, and his son-in-law Scott Reston is president of sales.
Our Coach Family
Our employees are our most valuable asset. As a family-operated company, we have a close-knit team who are dedicated to improving our company and our product.
Our Vision
Our vision can really be summed up with three words: making a difference.
