In this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Rich Thomson, the founder and CEO of Dreamliner Luxury Coaches, a leading provider of tour buses and logistics in the United States.
Rich's journey in the industry began in 2020 with just 12 coaches, and he has since expanded Dreamliner to an impressive fleet of over 200 luxury buses, 70 trucks, and 220 trailers.
The company now services more than 50% of major arena and stadium tours across the country, catering to high-profile clients in the entertainment industry, including stars like Morgan Wallen, Billie Eilish, and Beyoncé.
Dreamliner also supplies executive coaches for group meetings and executive trips for Fortune 500 companies including NASCAR, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the Professional Golfers’ Association of America.
During the interview we talked about what to look for when renting a tour bus, the different types of coaches that are available, the difference between coaches for executives and tour buses, the importance of professional drivers, and much more.
Timcodes:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Dreamliner Luxury Coaches
00:01:34 - Key Considerations When Renting a Coach
00:01:59 - Challenges in Finding Professional Drivers
00:02:32 - Overview of Coach Types
00:02:47 - Differences Between Star Buses and Executive Coaches
00:03:49 - Common Requests from Artists
00:04:51 - Outrageous Requests in the Industry
00:05:36 - Service Areas: U.S. and Canada
00:06:11 - Sustainability in Coach Building
00:06:57 - Perception of New vs. Older Coaches
00:07:38 - Rich's Journey into the Coach Business
00:09:20 - Lessons Learned and Changing Perspectives
00:10:25 - Social Dynamics in Nashville
00:13:01 - Diverse Clientele Beyond Music
00:14:25 - Differences in Client Demands
00:15:47 - Expansion into Trucking Services
00:17:32 - Coach Sales and Fleet Management
00:19:06 - Incorporating Technology: Starlink
00:19:53 - Logistics Evolution in the Industry
00:20:45 - Future Goals and Diversification
00:23:00 - Importance of Professional Drivers
00:24:44 - Business Approach and Experience
00:26:31 - Final Advice: Going All In
00:27:40 - Closing Remarks
Additional Resources:
Learn more about Rich Thomson and Dreamliner Luxury Coaches at https://www.dreamlinercoac
Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://a.co/d/eEEpPrL
This edition adds chapters on intelligent processor plugins, saturation and distortion, and mixing in small studios. Learn to use reference tracks, mix in Dolby Atmos and Sony 360RA, and master modern techniques like MS processing, frequency-based panning, and sidechain compression, all to make your mixes sound pro.
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