Trailways Transportation System facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
A Carolina Trailways bus in Philadelphia in 2009
Founded	1936
Headquarters	Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.
Service area	United States Canada Germany Netherlands
Service type	Intercity coach service, Charter bus service
Operator	Cooperative
Web site	www.trailways.com

The Trailways Transportation System is a network of bus companies that provides public transportation in the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe. Instead of being one giant company, Trailways is a group of about 70 independent bus companies working together. The main office is located in Fairfax, Virginia.

The Story of Trailways

How It All Started

This 1949 matchbook cover shows an early ad for the bus system.

Trailways was created on February 5, 1936. It was formed by five smaller travel companies, including the Burlington Transportation Company and the Santa Fe Trails Transportation Company.

At the time, another company, Greyhound Lines, was growing very large, very quickly. The U.S. government was concerned that Greyhound would become too powerful. To make sure there was healthy competition, the government encouraged smaller, independent bus companies to team up. This led to the creation of the National Trailways Bus System (NTBS).

Unlike Greyhound, which was a single large company, Trailways was a team, or association, of nearly 100 separate companies. This unique setup allowed them to become a strong competitor to Greyhound.

Changes Over the Years

During the 1950s and 1960s, many smaller bus companies began to merge. Four of the original five Trailways members joined together to form a new, larger company called Continental Trailways. This new company operated most of the routes in the Trailways network.

In 1968, the hotel company Holiday Inn bought Continental Trailways. For about ten years, Trailways was a part of Holiday Inn. You could even see Trailways buses stopping at Holiday Inn hotels in TV commercials from that time. In 1979, Holiday Inn sold Trailways to a private investor.

Competition with Greyhound

After World War II, fewer people chose to travel by bus. By the 1980s, the bus industry was facing challenges. In 1987, a major change happened: Greyhound Lines bought its main competitor, Continental Trailways.

This purchase meant that a large part of the Trailways system was now owned by Greyhound. While Greyhound worked with some of the remaining Trailways members, like Carolina Coach Company, many smaller companies in the network went out of business. The Trailways companies that survived often changed their focus to providing charter bus services and tours.

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  A Santa Fe bus used to carry workers to factories during World War II.

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  A Missouri Pacific Trailways bus transports Japanese-American students in 1944.

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  The historic Trailways Bus Station in Petersburg, Virginia.

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  A Trailways sign in Warrensburg, New York.

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  A Continental Trailways bus outside the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, 1968.

Trailways Today

An Adirondack Trailways bus in Nanuet, New York.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers scan Fullington Trailways buses.

A Dakota Trailways bus in Denver, 2016.

A Northwestern Trailways bus in Craigmont, Idaho.

A Pine Hill Trailways bus.

Art from 1949 showing a "Trailways Bus Depot".

Today, the Trailways network is still made up of many independent companies across North America and Europe. These companies offer different services, including:

• Charter bus service: Renting a bus for a private group, like a school trip or sports team.
• Bus tours: Organized trips to tourist destinations.
• Scheduled routes: Regular bus service between cities, often connecting with Greyhound and other bus lines. Some Trailways members provide the only bus service to smaller towns.

Who are the Trailways Members?

As of 2023, here are the companies that are part of the Trailways network:

• Amador Trailways of California – Sacramento, California
• Amador Trailways of Nevada – Reno, Nevada
• Aries Trailways – Naperville, Illinois
• Arrow Trailways of Texas – Killeen, Texas
• Burlington Trailways – West Burlington, Iowa
• Capital Trailways of Alabama – Montgomery, Alabama
• Capital Trailways of Huntsville – Madison, Alabama
• Colonial Trailways – Mobile, Alabama
• Dakota Trailways – Spearfish, South Dakota
• David Thomas Trailways – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Dean Trailways – Lansing, Michigan
• Elbo Trailways, the Netherlands – Heino, Netherlands
• First Class Trailways – St. Petersburg, Florida
• Fullington Trailways – State College, Pennsylvania
• Gold Line Trailways – Tuxedo, Maryland
• Great Canadian Trailways – Kitchener, Ontario
• Harmon Brothers Trailways – Union City, Georgia
• Heartland Trailways – Kansas City, Missouri
• Huskey Trailways – Festus, Missouri
• Martz Group – Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
• New York Trailways – Rochester, New York
• Northwestern Trailways – Spokane, Washington
• Pacific Coachways Trailways – Garden Grove, California
• Pine Hill Trailways – Hurley, New York
• Precious Cargo Trailways – Chagrin Falls, Ohio
• Red River Trailways – Shreveport, Louisiana
• Susquehanna Trailways – Williamsport, Pennsylvania
• Trailways of New York – Hurley, New York
• Thrasher Brothers Trailways – Birmingham, Alabama
• Utah Trailways – Salt Lake City, Utah
• VIA Trailways of Arizona – Tempe, Arizona
• VIA Trailways of Fresno – Fresno, California
• VIA Trailways of Merced – Merced, California
• Viking Trailways – Joplin, Missouri
• West Point Tours Trailways – Vails Gate, New York

See also

In Spanish: Trailways para niños

• Jefferson Lines
• Laidlaw
• List of bus transit systems in the United States
• Peter Pan Bus Lines