DATTCO Turns 100, Kicks Off New Era With Prevost X3-45 Coaches

DATTCO President Don DeVivo (middle right) is shown shaking hands with Prevost CEO François Tremblay. (Photo courtesy of Prevost)

In 2024, DATTCO, Inc., celebrated a major milestone — 100 years in business. But the centennial year wasn’t just about looking back. The third-generation, family-owned company based in New Britain, CT, also made a bold move toward the future: purchasing three new Prevost X3-45 motorcoaches.

On June 18, 2025, DATTCO took delivery of the coaches as part of a comprehensive, head-to-head evaluation among the three major North American coach manufacturers.

Don DeVivo, president of DATTCO and second-generation leader, said the move was both strategic and long overdue. His father and uncle founded the company with a few school buses and a vision that eventually grew into one of the region’s largest and most respected transportation providers.

“While DATTCO previously operated a Prevost H3-45 in the late ‘90s, the taller coach proved to be a challenge in New England, where aging infrastructure and low-clearance bridges —especially around Logan and JFK airports — limited where the vehicles could safely operate,” according to a press release.

“The X3-45 opened up possibilities for us,” DeVivo said. “Its lower profile means we can now serve key hubs like Logan without compromise.”

The release added: “The Prevost X3-45s were spec’d to match the comfort and features of DATTCO’s existing tour coaches — an intentional move to challenge the outdated perception that the X3-45 is just a line-run workhorse.”

“These new coaches are every bit as refined and rider-friendly as the others in our fleet,” DATTCO Vice President/Coach & Tour Group Dennis Lyons said. “They ride smooth, the driver’s area is intuitive, and our test drivers gave them great feedback.”

DeVivo and Lyons traveled to the Prevost factory in Ste. Claire, Quebec, to take delivery — and it wasn’t your average hand-off.

“It felt like a rock concert,” DeVivo laughed. “They had music, a drone flying overhead, smoke machines — the whole experience. I even got to ring a bell. The hospitality and the factory itself were incredibly impressive.”

One area of adjustment for the DATTCO team will be getting used to the Volvo D13 engine. While they’ve historically used Cummins engines, DeVivo said they’re confident in Prevost’s support system.

“The Volvo engine is new territory for us, but the training has been fantastic,” he said. “Prevost techs walked us through the entire vehicle bumper to bumper, and they’ll be doing another round of training with our larger team in August. Prevost’s people — from sales to service — really know buses. They’re genuine, down-to-earth, and easy to work with.”

The new Prevost X3-45s entered service on July 9, with additional units set for delivery in early 2026. Visit prevostcar.com.