Costa Named 2017 Bus Dealer of the Year

Costa, which has been working the bus business since 1998 when the dealership sold its first LRT unit, understood early on that it takes a long-term commitment to have success. “The bus business requires a high level of professionalism and technical specialization, and from the start, we invested in the business to ensure we could provide the service expected,” said Cristina Costa, president.

“Our customers, who mainly produce urban buses, serve public transport companies, which require high standards both in terms of product and service. The sales volume is largely influenced by the economic situation of the country, as urban buses are financed by the public sector. In 2017, after several years of a depressed economy that resulted in aging fleets, Italy resumed renewal. Our customers won several important tenders, and we were ready to receive orders and support them.”

Costa’s team of highly specialized people -- design, after-sales and customer service, is 100 percent dedicated to the HVAC business, allowing the dealership to successfully answer customer requests.

“This dealership is always ready to serve,” said Urszula Von Kreijfelt, Thermo King commercial director and value stream leader of Bus. “When they first entered the bus business, they worked with Thermo King to develop relationships with the local Municipalities to illustrate the advantages of air conditioning in public transport, which was air not yet considered a standard in Italy. When it finally became a standard, Costa and the Thermo King brand were chosen by many. Similarly, during the recent economic downturn, Costa continued building relationships and investing in its team and services so they’d be ready when purchasing resumed.”

And Costa was ready … exceeding 2017 quota by 90 percent with many sales also including long-term service agreements.

“The quality of the Thermo King product, added to the quality of our organization, has been our secret weapon all along – particularly in 2017. However, it is important to note that the Bus Business requires a strong commitment not only in the moment of the sale, but also in the following years of life of our units. This means that in 2017, we just started!”