Trailways’ Dean Transportation and Fullington Tours flawlessly
transport 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 July 28-31, 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 ground-staff employees. The ground staff helped direct guests to the proper shuttle areas, assisted with loading and unloading of passengers, managed the bus flow and helped with other duties 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 pickup and drop off 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.