RedCoach, a luxury travel service at an affordable price

Travel2latam spoke in an interview with Florencia Cirigliano, CEO of RedCoach USA, about the services offered, the history of the company and what differentiates it from being chosen over other companies.

What does RedCoach mean? And what is the difference with the competition? 

RedCoach is a concept that started 13 years ago, based on transportation in Latin America, but with the idea that you can travel with more comfort, with a seat that can recline. We started with this plan in Orlando, and the company has been growing and developing that concept in recent years. In the United States, what public transportation is was frowned upon, in general there is no positive vision of what public transportation is.

Other companies have made little inroads into transportation, and if you want luxury buses the price is very high. We offer a comfortable luxury service, with amenities with different options, but at a very affordable price for everyone.  

What is the company's objective?

The objective is to change the “mindset” that Americans have about public transportation, providing a more comfortable luxury option, so that they understand that the only option is not to travel by car. In the comfort inside the bus with a reclining seat you can sleep, you have Wi-Fi, but you also save time, we even offer night services to spend the trip sleeping without noticing the route if the client so wishes.

Where does RedCoach operate and how many routes do they have available? 

We operate in the state of Florida, and two and a half ago we started doing routes throughout the state of Texas. Now we are expanding to Atlanta. We are in the main cities, such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Tampa, Naples, Kingsville... We have 29 destinations, and in the combined ones in Texas we go to Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and College Station. 

Safety is a fundamental point for you…

It really is very important. That is why we have 8 cameras in total, inside and outside the bus, with monitoring of the buses 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How would you define the profile of the typical customer?

We have an audience of mainly college students, who go to universities in Florida. Families who go to the parks in Orlando, there are those who do not want to drive on the highway for so many hours, and also those who seek security and peace of mind because they already know our services and drivers. In fact, we are growing a lot because of that recommendation.

As a woman in the transportation field, what challenges do you encounter?

I have already found several on the way, not only because I am a woman in this industry, where there are a majority of men, but also because I am Latina. And to take weight away from that vision, what I do is continue investing in the product, bringing an innovative idea, leading to luxury transportation at an affordable price. I work to grow this concept and demonstrate that public transportation can be of quality, can replace the car and can be a better or first option in many cases. 

I understand that they are going to launch a new Orlando-Atlanta route, what expectations do you have?

The reasons for launching it were from the same clients who asked us to go to Atlanta. There is a lot of connection between Florida and Georgia, and a lot of movement with conventions, theme parks, and with the students themselves. It is a very natural exchange that took place and we have good expectations because the Atlanta airport is a giant gate with a lot of traffic.

Does technology also play a fundamental role for you?

Yes. We always try to add many of the things that airlines do. We have dynamic prices, so it is important for us to be able to offer flexible rates, along with the option of using an app or managing with QR from your phone. We seek to make the experience simple and pleasant, not only when you are on the bus, with all the amenities that I mentioned before, but also throughout the entire process until you arrive at your destination.

How do you understand the transportation industry is currently? 

The intercity bus industry is very small, and what makes it grow is not the American public itself, but the foreign investor. The vision of technology, and of innovating, growing and developing comes more from outside than from the country itself. I think there is a new generation that is willing to try new things. The driver's license given to a 16-year-old boy today no longer moves him or despairs him, because he can order an Uber and not worry. I think that this entire generation is leading them to try other things, but also, those options are being brought by companies from abroad, and not by American businessmen on interurban routes. 

What is your promotion strategy or method?

The recommendation of our own passengers is essential and we use channels such as social networks and Google ads. We also work with travel agencies for people who come from Latin American countries. We have many clients from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. We make specific agreements with different agencies, sometimes they contact us, sometimes we contact them. They have a special rate for their clients and can manage everything through our platforms. We offer them something that is interesting that, for example, if a client's flight is delayed, they just call us and let us know, and obviously there is availability, we put them on the next bus without charging them, to facilitate the experience without it being a problem.