Trailways Teamwork Aces Golf Tournament Shuttle Service by Pat Plodzeen

Trailways Teamwork Aces Golf Tournament Shuttle Service

by Pat Plodzeen

Photos courtesy of Trailways

Dean Transportation partnered with Fullington Trailways to provide transportation for fans going to the PGA Golf Tournament. The Rocket Mortgage Classic was held at the Detroit Golf Club on July 28-31, 2022. Professional golfer Tony Finau dominated the field to win the classic.

Trailways’ Dean Transportation and Fullington Tours have flawlessly transported fans to the prestigious Detroit PGA golf tournament. While professional golfer Tony Finau dominated the field to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club on July 28-31, 2022, two members of Trailways, Dean Transportation and Fullington Tours, conquered the logistics of shuttling more than 70,000 fans, volunteers, caddies and players’ families to the PGA Tour event.

Dean Transportation, the largest bus operator in Michigan and a member of the Trailways team, has been the preferred transportation provider for the tournament since 2019 and will continue in that role for another four years.

Trailways is a nationwide network of independently-owned charter bus companies that prioritize service, comfort, professionalism and reliability. When Dean needed more vehicles and staff for the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2021 and 2022, the company

turned to Fullington Trailways, a fellow member operator based in Clearfield, Pennsylvania.

“It’s reassuring to know that when you’re managing a large event and all the logistics that go into it, you can count on a fellow Trailways partner to execute at a high level, ” said Sarah Ring, Dean’s general manager. “We ' ve worked with Excursions and Kobussen Trailways for this same event in the past, and with Fullington for the last two years. Their staff really knows what they ' re doing and their drivers are the utmost professionals at what they do. We know we can count on our Trailways partners to provide the outstanding service associated with our brand. "

This year’s tournament required 50 vehicles along with a mechanic and two groundstaffemployees.Thegroundstaffhelpeddirect gueststothepropershuttleareas,assistedwith loading and unloading of passengers, managedthebusflowandhelpedwithotherduties to support the effort, Ring said.

“We enjoy doing this event because Rocket Mortgage always wants to provide a great customer experience for their guests and that' s what we do best, ” she said. To assure a flawless flow of pick-up and dropoff for passengers, Dean starts planning for the Rocket Mortgage Classic six months ahead with meetings, site visits and dry runs to determine routes, loop times and how to avoid any construction or traffic congestion problems during the event.

To learn how a Trailways operator can help you ace a tournament or move a large crowd, check out its free online directory. To become a Trailways member, contact Sabina Dhami, Trailways director of accounting and office management, at sabina@trailways.com. q

Moving fans to the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club in July of 2022 was not an easy task. Dean Transportation and Fullington Tours flawlessly moved 70,000 fans, volunteers, caddies and players during the four-day event. This partnership between two Trailways companies is credited for a smooth-running event.

Partnering with Dean Transportation for the golf classic was Fullington Trailways of Clearfield, Pennsylvania. A total of 50 vehicles plus a mechanic and two ground staff were required to provide transportation to move the fans. Planning for the event started six months in advance to provide a flawless flow of pick-ups and drop-offs for passengers.