Royal Excursion acquired Excursions Trailways, a Ft. Wayne, Ind.-based premium charter bus company. The transaction closed on Jan. 4, 2018. Terms of the deal were not released.

With the closing, Royal Excursion, a leading charter bus and luxury transportation provider in Northern Indiana and serving the greater Midwest, is pleased to announce its customer reach has grown considerably. Excursions Trailways travels throughout the U.S. and Canada from its locations in Ft. Wayne and Ottawa, Ohio.

“Our mission has always been to offer a diverse selection of quality ground transportation, the highest level of safety, customer service, reliability, flexibility, honesty, and of course, tremendous value,” said Owner/President Shannon Kaser. “With this transaction, our company now serves valued customers across Northern Indiana and Ohio, and we will be adding to our corps of professional drivers with new job openings.”

Founded in 2000 by Thomas Bazow and Pat O’Brian, two full-time teachers, Excursions Trailways has grown into a fleet of 20 buses from a single bus. The company serves corporate and group outings. Customers include semi-pro, collegiate and high-school athletic teams; church groups; students; and family-focused groups. Excursions Trailways is also proudly certified by the U.S. Department of Defense and authorized to carry the men and women serving in the U.S. military, a distinction held by fewer than 10 percent of the motorcoach companies nationally.

Plans for Excursions Trailways include a gradual and full integration with Royal Excursion operations. All 64 employees of Excursions Trailways are expected to remain with the company, and additional hires are planned for the near future. Furthermore, both Bazow and O’Brian will stay onboard in executive positions.