The new site was designed and developed with collaborative efforts. The vision came from the company’s desire to mix a great new design showing its strong professionalism, quality and character, charter quoting integrated with its current software systems, online employment applications and extreme ease of use. Kansas City based Hartwig Group, created the polished and exciting images that shows just how much fun motor coach travel can be. Lastly, the web design and development was crafted by Northwest Missouri State University students in Maryville, MO, headed by Nathan Jessen, creating a site that EXPLODES off the page!

Heartland Trailways business doesn’t slow down due to the heat. July is generally one of the busiest months for the company with churches traveling to camps and mission work, conventions in Kansas City and other cities, tours and other group outings.

From Denver to New York City, Minneapolis to New Orleans, Chicago to Orlando and everywhere in between, groups are enjoying the comfort, service, quality and style of what Heartland likes to call its brand of “Transportainment”.

Heartland Trailways corporate offices reside 1 1/2 miles from the Missouri River in St. Joseph, Missouri. With the announcements from the U.S. Corps of Engineers about the coming floods, preparations had to be made.

As John Nichols, President of Heartland, turned to look out his office window, the bolt in the telephone pole resting just below eye level struck uneasiness in his heart. The bolt represents the water line during flood in 1984.

During this flood, the gates that keep the river from flowing back into Blacksnake Creek across the road from Heartland failed. This catastrophe coupled with a six inch rain one summer day led to the building being three feet underwater.

Luckily the flood gates have held and no torrential downpours have made the creek climb over the road. Plans are in place to ensure continuity of service to its clients at all times though, even in the event of a flood or other disaster.

The line spoken going out of the offices at night are now ringing fatefully true – “see you tomorrow…God willing and the creek don’t rise!” :)

In review of total sales bookings made from January 1st through April 15th for the calendar year, 2011 has exceeded the reservations of 2010 for the same booking time period. This achievement is extended by noting that 2011 did not share the $300,000+ influx of late winter revenue produced by the Winter Olympics in 2010, in which Heartland Trailways provided 10 coaches. Heartland Trailways is pleased with this early 2011 reservations performance, but as with most companies is still watching the fuel prices, economic recovery and governmental actions very closely. “the rocky road of recovery is by no means over. It will continue to take determination and a focused strategy and vision to carry on down this positive path”, says John Nichols, President of Heartland Trailways.

Heartland Trailways made the trip to Houston this year to provide transportation for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four. With 10 coaches providing transportation services for spectators and corporate sponsors it was game on for Heartland.

Activities during the week weren’t only tied to the festivities at the arena, but included airport transfers to get everyone to and from their hotels, corporate events and parties and pre and post-game revelries.

Heartland Trailways was proud to be part the NCAA’s winning team throughout the men’s and women’s basketball playoffs, including the Women’s DII Elite Eight held in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the largest rodeo and livestock show in the world. It’s commonly referred to as Rodeo Houston, and attendance averages nearly 2 million per year. The event takes place over three weeks in Houston’s Reliant Park and takes 19,000 volunteers to make it all happen.

The events are kicked off with a weekend barbeque cook-off with some of the best barbeque chefs in the world competing. This is followed by parades, rodeos, livestock and concerts by some of country’s biggest artists.

Heartland Trailways is in its fifth year providing transportation for the Rodeo. This year Heartland is supplying 10 coaches for the event, departing the third week of February and not returning until the third week of March.

Heartland Trailways was pleased to see an 11% growth in sales revenues in 2010, over 2009. Many things attributed to this increase including a bettering global economy, the Winter Olympics, the BP oil spill cleanup, changes made in pricing structures, sales methodologies and a continued corporate focus on providing excellence in service and a high quality client experience.

Looking forward into 2011, John Nichols, President of Heartland, foresees a continuation of the growth that was seen in 2010. “With new systems being implemented in the areas of marketing and sales, visibility to potential clients will increase infinitely. Technology is allowing us to do a greater job, for less money, in reaching our target markets with timely and useful information, allowing the client to make a better and more knowledgeable decision when choosing a charter company.” Additionally, late in 2010 the company increased its sales staff with the addition of another inside sales associate, aimed at being able to speak directly with more clients on a much more frequent basis, in efforts to close more sales.

In 2010, the company began an internal Advisory Council, consisting of members of management, chauffeurs, detailers, and mechanics, in efforts to find new ways to better serve the company’s clients and set themselves apart from the competition. The Council does not follow the hierarchy of the company, but that of the groups own deciding. Keith Mathews, a chauffeur, was selected by the group to be its Chairman. The group meets quarterly and includes a guest client at each meeting to get viewpoints from the outside to better guide the group on the needs and desires of the company’s clientele.

After a two year leave, John Nichols has accepted an offer by the Bucyrus Investment Group, owners of Heartland Motor Coach, Inc, dba Heartland Trailways, to return to the company as President. The change of management will take place on September 1, 2010.

John left Heartland Trailways in August 2008 and began working as the Director of Security and Business Development for Trailways corporate offices in Washington D.C. Due to a desire to remain in the Midwest, near family and friends, he declined to move to headquarters in the winter of 2010.

In February of 2010, John launched J.A. Nichols & Company, a transportation consulting firm. The company focuses on safety, security, sales, marketing and general business management. Heartland Trailways was one of the firms’ first clients, signing a six-month contract in March for management services.

Mike Ulm will be staying on with the company, taking the revenue production helm as Vice President of Sales. Mike’s experience in sales and sales management will be invaluable to the growth and strength of the company going forward.