MTR Western - History

History

MTR Western was founded in Seattle, Washington in 2003 by Darren Berg with four Prevost H3-45 motorcoaches. By 2007, they were one of the largest premium motorcoach companies in North America, with facilities in Seattle, Portland, The Dalles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Vancouver, and Calgary, and winner of the BUSRide 2006 Motorcoach Industry Achievement Award.

MTR Western's three-year growth of 1,214.9% earned it national recognition in Inc. Magazine's "Inc. 500", a list of America's fastest growing private companies in 2007. The list ranks MTR Western as number 166 in America, number 9 in Washington, and number 3 in the Transportation category.

In 2008 they debuted in Metro Magazine's "Motorcoach Top 50" at number 17. MTR Western is known for their award-winning "compelling and creative" bus wrap designs.

  • December 1, 2010 - According to the Seattle Times, Darren Berg was denied bail as result of potential flight risk in association with Federal charges alleging he orchestrated a ponzi scheme of approximately $100 million in losses for investors into his Meridian group of companies. MTR Western is in the process of being sold by a bankruptcy trustee.
  • January 14, 2011 - MTR issued a press release announcing the sale of MTR Western and OC&W Coachways to GTO LLC.
  • January 15, 2011 - According to the Seattle Times, "Financial scandals have trailed Frederick Darren Berg across the Northwest for more than 25 years — each linked to his unusual lifelong fixation on tour buses."
  • March 25, 2011 - According to the Seattle Times, "Berg diverted as much as $85 million to his personal use, including $45 million channeled into the luxury bus company he established, MTR Western."
  • February 8, 2012 - According to the Seattle Times, "Darren Berg Sentenced to 18 years in Washington States Largest Ponzi Scheme." http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017465361_meridian10.html
  • February 8, 2012 - According to www.mercerislandpatch.com, "Mercer Island Man sentenced to 18 years." (Including rare video footage of Darren Berg in a video made for the (last) MTR Western Company wide Christmas party held in Huntington Beach CA. December, 2008) http://mercerisland.patch.com/articles/mercer-island-man-sentenced-to-18-years-in-prison-for-state-s-largest-ever-ponzi-scheme#video-9083296

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