Plaunt Transportation Company, Inc. is celebrating 75 years of service to Bois Blanc Island in 2007.
Charles Plaunt began service with the
Margaret in 1932 transporting supplies, mail and 8 passengers. The Adventure
was put into service in 1934, carrying up to 20 passengers. In 1937, the
Adventure was replaced by the Ada M,
which was named for Charles' wife.
Ray
Plaunt took over the business from his father in 1948. In 1954, Ray had the Char-Leann II built in Holland, MI.
The boat, named for his daughters, could
carry 28 passengers or 1 vehicle and 6 passengers. To accommodate the
changing
needs of the island, a barge was used to carry additional vehicles and
equipment.
The Company incorporated in 1979, and put into service the
Chee-Maun-Nes, which carried 2 vehicles and 49
passengers.
Ray's son, Curt,
bought the business from his father in 1987. Curt had a boat designed and built
in Warren, RI
in 1987. He named it the Kristen D after his daughter. The
Kristen D could carry 8 vehicles and 49 passengers.
In 1998, the Kristen D was
lengthened by 30 feet in Escanaba, MI making it easier to carry heavy equipment,
semi,
cement and garbage trucks or up to 17 vehicles and 149 passengers.
Ray's
grandsons, Ryan McLaren and Jason Plaunt, are both forth generation licensed
boat captains. Another
captain, Brent Sharpe, has been with the Company since
1983.
The entire staff at Plaunt Transportation takes pride in
dependability and safety, and looks forward to providing
service to Bois Blanc
Island for generations to come.
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