Prevost celebrated 100 years in business on Thursday with a celebration in Ontario.
The motorcoach manufacturer marked the occasion with an event that featured Clarisse, a replica of the first Prevost coach Eugène Prévost built.
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Prévost was a woodworker in Sainte-Claire, Quebec, who received a commission to build a wooden coach body for an REO truck chassis. He then grew his business, producing buses and coaches for cities and government agencies.
"Eugène established a culture of continuous improvement, pride in craftsmanship and an unequivocal focus on quality, performance and safety," says Prevost President François Tremblay. "The tenets he set down in 1924 are the ones we continue to follow in the 21st century."
Three generations of Eugène's family worked to find a period REO chassis in Tampa, then bring it back to Sainte-Claire, where a historically accurate coach was crafted. The oak wheels were handmade, the wooden interior was hand-varnished and bench cushions were hand-sewn. In honor of Eugène's wife, who herself sewed vehicle cushions, the coach was christened Clarisse.
Clarisse will also visit anniversary celebrations in New Jersey, and has also participated in events in Alberta, California, Texas, Florida and Nashville.
