Trailways History—At a Glance
Trailways is North America’s oldest independent group of privately owned motorcoach companies, operating over 2,000 luxury-styled motorcoaches, serving more than 1,000+ destinations throughout North America and parts of Europe; and safely carrying more than 16 million passengers annually.
The distinctive red Trailways lettering is a familiar sight on city streets, roads, and highways; this well-respected brand represents a proud heritage of passenger transportation in existence for almost eighty years.
Horse-drawn stagecoaches were undoubtedly the forerunners of today’s motorcoach industry, but it was not until after the First World War, and the introduction of motorbuses, that the Trailways motorcoach network began to formulate.
In the beginning, the Trailways system of motorized vehicles was operated by a few independent or privately owned transportation companies; each operating with a different company name. Less than five years later, fifteen companies had banded together as a singularly branded, far-reaching system of coast-to-coast for-hire coach services.
The formation of the Trailways National Bus System in 1936 brought these independent motorcoach companies together as a strategically coordinated North American motorcoach scheduled route (intercity) passenger transport system.
Over the next six decades, along with the introduction of a distinctive 'crimson and cream' livery for all vehicles, a highly recognizable 'National' brand of travel services, quickly propelled Trailways to the apex of consumer-preferred mode of ground transportation.
Trailways bus travel equated to safe, comfortable, reliable, affordable, luxury motorcoach travel; not only throughout North America, but in Europe as well.
With the introduction of US bus deregulation in the mid-80s, Trailways began to face strong competition from smaller independent charter & tour motorcoach operators flooding the travel market.
Additionally, other more expedient travel modes of transport, such as regional airlines and Americans’ love of the automobile, began to shift the balance of Trailways' once dominant market-share status.
By the mid-90's, with scheduled route (intercity) motorcoach service rapidly diminishing, Trailways reformulated its long-range organizational strategy to welcome aboard the once competitive independent charter and tour motorcoach operators.
Once again, Trailways was on the road to expanding and rebuilding its network business, services, and brand base.
As Trailways entered a new Millennium, it was clear that technology was playing an increasingly important role in passenger transport. Over the past few years, improvements to ticketing technology, booking procedures, call center access, and websites have all played an important part in providing even easier access for consumers.
With such an exciting history, the Trailways group of independent motorcoach companies continues to look forward to the future with eager anticipation.
Visit the Museum of Bus Transportation, Hershey, PA
www.busmuseum.org
