Capital Trailways and Colonial Trailways by Larry Plachno Photos Courtesy of Capital Trailways and Colonial Trailways

Capital Trailways and Colonial Trailways by Larry Plachno Photos courtesy of Capital Trailways and Colonial Trailways The Alabama State Capital In Montgomery has served as a background for photos of Capital Trailways and Colonial Trailways buses for decades. This recent photo shows a coach from each fleet in front of the Capitol. Operations go back nearly eight decades and offer an interesting story. apital Trailways has been considered Company in Birmingham, Alabama and was laws, the incorporation papers included a a leading member of the bus indus- made the sales manager in 1921. provision against the manufacture or trans- Ctry for decades. Founded nearly eight portation of prohibited liquors or beverages. decades ago, the company was originally Later, Crow joined Bissell as a partner in heavily involved in scheduled service. With the Alabama Bus Company. Bissell died in In the following years, Crow would a location in Alabama, Capital Trailways 1929, prompting the sale of Alabama Bus expand service on existing routes as well as was sitting at a major crossroads in the Trail- Company to Teche Greyhound Lines. acquire or expand on new routes. By 1934, ways network. As a result, the company par- Shortly thereafter, Crow relocated to Mont- Capital Motor Lines had expanded service ticipated in thru routes that extended to gomery, Alabama. Here, he acquired the to three daily trips to Meridian, Mississippi Miami, New York and San Francisco. In Dixie Stage Lines routes from Montgomery and three round trips to Mobile with addi- more current years, Capital Trailways and to Mobile, Alabama and from Montgomery tional trips daily to Florala, Alabama (just its long-time sister company Colonial Trail- to Meridian, Mississippi from Fred B. Cau- north of the Florida-Alabama state line) and ways made the transition to a modern char- dle of Anniston, Alabama, the owner. Crow Pensacola, Florida. Capital was also oper- ter operation but still maintain some sched- was 39 years old at this time. ating a separate east-west line between Flo- uled service. Here is the story on how these rence and Decatur, Alabama in the northern companies got to be where they are today. One route operated southwest out of part of the state, west of Huntsville. By 1937, Montgomery to Mobile via Greenville, Ever- the Florence to Decatur line was extended Capital Motor Lines green, Brewton and Bay Minette, following to Huntsville, Alabama and Chattanooga, U.S. 31 and close to what later became Inter- Tennessee. Avery Austin Crow, born in Winston state 65. The second route operated directly County, Alabama on April 8, 1891, was the west from Montgomery through Selma, On May 1, 1938, Capital Motor Lines was son of farmers Warren Baker and Sally Black Demopolis and Livingston, Alabama to accepted as a member of the recently formed (Ingram) Crow. He grew up on his father’s Meridian, Mississippi, following U.S. 80. National Trailways Bus System. This made farm and later served in World War I with Crow took over the lines on November 1, it one of the early companies to join. Buses the Sixth Army. Returning to civilian life, he 1930. On December 18, 1930 he incorporated were then painted with the Trailways livery found employment with the Bissell Motor Capital Motor Lines with its principal office and operations were conducted under the in Montgomery. Presumably because of state name Capital Trailways. 26 • National Bus Trader / August, 2008 This drawing of a traditional front engine bus As early as the late 1930s, Capital Motor Lines was operating a route between Florence and Decatur, lettered for Capital Motor Lines appeared in Alabama in northern Alabama. Apparently dating from the late 1930s or early 1940s, this photo a 1937 timetable. shows the bus depot in Florence, Alabama. That looks like a GM PD 2903 or even an earlier model getting ready to depart. Monroeville Bus Company decades and guided it through expansion In common with several other Trailways The Monroeville Bus Company was and some of its best years of scheduled ser- operations, Capital turned to Aerocoach in incorporated under the laws of Alabama in vice operations. the post-War years for fleet renewal. The August of 1935. Its original route started post-war Aerocoach, with its modern inte- from Selma, Alabama, the next major com- Post-War Prosperity gral tubular steel frame, was a major munity west of Montgomery, and ran south- improvement over pre-war buses. More- west through Monroeville and Atmore to As with many bus companies, Capital over, the Aerocoach had the advantage of Mobile. Monroeville was selected as the and Monroeville struggled through the War a different appearance than the Yellow principal place of business for the corpora- years with increased ridership, special ser- Coach and GMC buses typically operated tion. As with Capital Motor Lines, the incor- vice to military and manufacturing locations, by Greyhound. Capital Trailways contin- poration papers included prohibitions but a lack of supplies and new equipment. ued to purchase Aerocoaches until that against the transport of any liquors, wines The immediate post-War era saw many peo- company ceased coach production. or beer that are prohibited by the laws of ple purchasing automobiles, a situation that Alabama. would have a negative impact on scheduled Continued expansion after the War service in future years. However, the imme- included the purchase of Central Alabama Since the Monroeville route was located diate post-War prosperity prompted an era Coaches from G.E. Guthrie in 1950. Capital west of the original Capital Motor Lines of route expansion and new, modern Trailways took over this route from Butler route to Mobile, it prompted interest by the coaches. Crow family. In 1941, they acquired the Monroeville Bus Company. While Capital Capital Motor Lines originally concentrated in providing scheduled service. Shown here is a map and Monroeville shared ownership, man- of routes operated in early 1948. Even at this early date, through service was offered from Mont- agement and even office space over the gomery to Panama City and Tampa. years, the two companies are still operated separately and were never merged. Avery Austin Crow died in August of 1942 at the age of 51. In addition to the bus company, his death was also a blow to the community. Over the years he had been active in several community organizations and helped support worthy charities and religious projects. He was well known in Montgomery and throughout the state. Crow and his wife Mary Agnes (Guthrie) Crow had three daughters: Mrs. Mary Austin (Crow) Montgomery, Sally Ruth (Crow) Baker, and Ann Elizabeth (Crow) Batty. While the three Crow sisters never became active in day-to-day operations of the companies, they were a major influence while on the board of directors for many decades. James A. (Jimmy) Pruett was elected as the new company president in September of 1942. He served the company in this capacity for nearly three National Bus Trader / August, 2008 • 27 Capital Trailways operated several Aerocoaches in the immediate post- An earlier model Aerocoach operating for Capital Trailways was pho- war years. Taken at the State Capital in Montgomery, this shows one of tographed in the late 1940s. The company also had some ACF Brills at the last Aerocoaches delivered, probably in 1952, before Aerocoach pro- this time. The location is the traditional site of the Alabama State Cap- duction was discontinued. ital building in Montgomery. to Selma on April 5, 1950 and extended 7, 1949 and the Capital Trailways board of conjunction with Coastal Stages. Thru ser- through bus service into Montgomery. directors authorized the purchase of an addi- vice from Dallas to Miami started on March tional A.C.F. bus for this service. The Dix- 16, 1950. Capital Trailways operated the seg- In November of 1950, Monroeville Bus ieland Route immediately became so pop- ment from Meridian, Mississippi to Dothan, Company filed for operating authority ular that a third thru schedule from Raleigh Alabama. Members of the board of directors between New Orleans, Louisiana and Pen- to Dallas was running by August of 1949 and authorized the purchase of two new A.C.F. sacola, Florida via Mobile, Alabama, the a fourth thru bus schedule was added in buses for this route. This service was later southern terminal of its original route. At 1950. Some of these thru buses were later extended west to Albuquerque, Los Ange- this same time the corporation moved to extended east to New York City. les and San Francisco but a change of bus increase its capital stock to deal with this was required at Dallas. route expansion. Two years later, in March By early 1950, Capital Trailways was of 1952, the corporate office of Monroeville operating thru service from Montgomery to Colonial Trailways also eventually got Bus Company was moved from Monroeville Panama City and Fort Walton, Florida in involved with thru service. A thru Trail- to Montgomery. At this same time the corporate name was changed to Colonial Trail- After Aerocoaches were no longer available, Capital Trailways began ordering GM coaches. Taken ways. Capital Trailways and Colonial Trail- in the early 1950s, this shows a new PD4104 emerging from the Capital Trailways garage at 520 N. ways would share management and office Court Street. Those with sharp eyes may be able to see the late model Aerocoach parked behind space. the fence in the adjacent yard. Thru Service In these post-War years, Capital Trail- ways and Colonial Trailways entered an era of connecting schedules and thru service. To make travel more comfortable for passengers and eliminate the need to change buses, members of the Trailways organization began to plan routes and schedules where a single bus could be operated by connecting carriers to provide a “one seat” ride between major cities.

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