Windstar Lines
Windstar Lines is a privately held, family-owned charter motorcoach operator founded in 1995, running a fleet of 250+ vehicles across 14 U.S. states to serve sports teams, schools, corporate groups, tour operators, government/military, and industrial clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersCarroll, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Windstar Lines does
Windstar Lines, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned charter motorcoach operator founded in 1995 and headquartered in Carroll, Iowa. The company provides group transportation through a fleet of more than 250 late-model vehicles spanning four product tiers — 21-passenger minibus, 36/56-passenger coach, 46-passenger sleeper coach, and 30/37-passenger VIP coach — each equipped with amenities such as Wi-Fi, power outlets, climate control, restrooms, and GPS tracking. It also operates guided group tours and recurring employee/industrial shuttle services. Revenue is generated primarily through quote-based, one-time charter engagements plus managed shuttle contracts, with a $250 (or 10% of charter) deposit required to book equipment.
The company sells predominantly through direct sales, with a charter sales team reachable via toll-free phone, email, and an online quote portal, supported by 13 physical terminal/office locations across 14 U.S. states (Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Kansas). Customer segments are deliberately diversified across NCAA and professional sports teams, schools and universities, corporate groups, tour operators, Department of Defense and government agencies, manufacturing and industrial employers, churches, emergency response, and private events — reducing reliance on any single vertical.
Operationally, Windstar carries the highest Satisfactory DOT safety rating from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, $10 million in liability insurance (twice federal minimum), and approved Department of Defense military carrier status with consistently top DOD audit ratings. It is a member of the American Bus Association, United Motorcoach Association, and Midwest Bus & Motorcoach Association. A recent November 2025 win — a shuttle contract for one of Boise's largest construction sites, transporting 3,000–7,000 workers daily — illustrates a strategic push into large recurring industrial shuttle work alongside traditional charter.
Windstar Lines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Windstar Lines
- Legal name
- Windstar Lines, Inc.
- Website
- https://gowindstar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Windstar Lines is a privately held, family-owned charter motorcoach operator founded in 1995, running a fleet of 250+ vehicles across 14 U.S. states to serve sports teams, schools, corporate groups, tour operators, government/military, and industrial clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Windstar Lines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charter Bus and Motorcoach Transportation
- NAICS
- Charter Bus Industry (4855), Charter Bus Industry (485510)
- SIC
- Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate & Employee Shuttle Charters (THAIAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Government & Military Group Transport Charters (THAIAIAH), Long-Distance/Overnight Charter Coaches (THAIAIAL), Coach & Bus Charter Fleet Rental (With/Without Driver) (TLABADAE)
Keywords
Where Windstar Lines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Carroll
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
Windstar Lines business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Charter Bus Rental: Primary revenue stream from renting charter buses and motorcoaches for group transportation. Services include one-way departures, round trips, multi-day tours, and shuttle services. Customers are charged based on trip duration, distance, vehicle type, and amenities required.
- Guided Group Tours: Fully planned guided motorcoach tours, one-day tours, multi-day tours, air tours, and cruise tours. The company coordinates transportation, accommodations, and itineraries for travelers.
- Employee Shuttle Services: Industrial employee transportation and shuttle services for businesses in manufacturing, oil & gas, construction, mining, and power plants. Includes daily workforce transport, turnaround shuttle services, and emergency evacuation transportation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 21-Passenger Minibus Rental |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 56-Passenger Coach Bus |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 46-Passenger Sleeper Coach |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 30 & 37-Passenger VIP Coach |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Windstar Lines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Windstar Lines rents charter buses and motorcoaches to groups for transportation across 14 U.S. states, using a fleet of over 250 vehicles ranging from 21-passenger minibuses to 56-passenger motorcoaches, VIP double-deckers, and 46-passenger sleeper coaches. Services include one-way departures, round trips, multi-day tours, employee shuttles for industrial worksites, airport transfers, ADA-accessible transportation, and 24-hour emergency response. The company also operates fully planned guided group tours with accommodations and itineraries through its travel agency roots.
Product overview
Windstar Lines is a family-owned charter bus company operating since 1995 that offers a portfolio of motorcoach transportation services through four distinct vehicle rental products: Minibus Rental (21-passenger), Coach Rental (36/56-passenger), Sleeper Coach Rental (46-passenger), and VIP Coach Rental (30/37-passenger). These core vehicle rental offerings are complemented by Guided Group Tours (including one-day, multi-day, air, and cruise tour packages) and Charter Bus Services for regional and cross-country transportation. The company serves diverse market segments including corporate groups, sports teams, schools, churches, government/military, and private events through its fleet of over 250 vehicles operating across 14 U.S. states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Minibus Rental 21-passenger minibus rental with high-back reclining leatherette seating, seatbelts, DVD with flat-screen TV, GPS navigation, individual climate control, and 110-volt power outlets. Designed for small to mid-size group transportation including corporate events, airport shuttles, and private outings.
- Coach Rental 36- and 56-passenger luxury motorcoach rentals with restrooms, air conditioning, individual air and lighting controls, multiple video monitors, DVD with enhanced sound, extra-large storage area, overhead lighting, and footrests. Built for long-distance group travel including corporate conferences, university travel, athletic events, and private tours.
- Sleeper Coach Rental 46-passenger sleeper coach rental with GPS navigation and tracking, Wi-Fi, five large flat-screen TVs, DVD player, full climate control, overhead storage, individual reading lights, power outlets, under-floor luggage capacity, and onboard restroom. Designed for overnight group travel where passengers need to rest en route.
- VIP Coach Rental 30- and 37-passenger VIP coach bus with 2+1 seating configuration, extended legroom, onboard Wi-Fi, power outlets at every seat, full climate control, high-back reclining seats, DVD with flat-screen monitors, accident event recorder, individual climate control, and reading lights. Features two-level seating with panoramic upper-deck views.
- Charter Bus Services Full-service charter bus rental providing transportation throughout Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Colorado. Services include one-way departures, round trips, and multi-day tour services from gateway cities, sold on a quote-based pricing model.
- Guided Group Tours Professionally planned guided group tours including one-day tours, multi-day tours (2–10 days), air tours, and cruise tours. Services coordinate motorcoach transportation, accommodations, and itineraries for travelers through experienced tour planners and trusted travel partners.
- Industrial Employee Shuttle Services Ongoing shuttle contracts providing daily workforce transport, turnaround shuttle services, and emergency evacuation transportation for manufacturing, oil and gas, construction, mining, and power plant clients. Programs are customized to site schedules and shift patterns.
- ADA Accessible Bus Rental Accessible buses equipped with wheelchair lifts and operated by trained drivers for passengers requiring special assistance. Available at all Windstar Lines locations in accordance with ADA accessibility requirements.
Quantifiable outcome
- Satisfactory DOT Safety Rating - highest rating issued by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Windstar Lines
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments12 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Windstar Lines technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Windstar Lines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Major Construction Site (Boise, ID)coreIn November 2025, Windstar was selected to provide shuttle service for one of the largest construction sites in the Boise area. The project serves 3,000+ workers daily, expected to grow to 7,000 contractors on site daily.
- American Bus Association (ABA)minorMember of the American Bus Association, a trade organization representing motorcoach operators. Provides networking, industry advocacy, and standards development.
- United Motorcoach Association (UMA)minorMember of United Motorcoach Association enabling industry connections and mutual support among member carriers for emergency backup situations and road failure assistance.
- Midwest Bus & Motorcoach Association (MBMCA)minorRegional industry association membership for Midwest motorcoach operators.
- Nationwide Carrier NetworkminorLongstanding relationships with carriers throughout the nation for mutual support during road failures. Members can count on other members for support in emergency situations.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Windstar Lines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Greyhound Lines: Iconic national intercity motorcoach operator with charter group services. Overlaps in motorcoach charter but predominantly scheduled-line focused and much larger scale.
- Peter Pan Bus Lines: Northeast motorcoach carrier with scheduled line-haul and charter operations. Adjacent peer with overlapping motorcoach charter capabilities but more focused on scheduled service.
- Academy Bus: Northeast-based motorcoach and commuter bus operator with charter, contract shuttle, and scheduled service lines. Comparable mix of group charters and corporate/industrial shuttle work, larger scale.
- Coach USA: One of the largest motorcoach operators in North America, providing charter, scheduled, and shuttle services nationwide. Directly comparable as a multi-state charter and contract shuttle provider, but at materially larger scale.
Direct peers
- DATTCO: Family-owned charter bus and student transportation operator in the Northeast with similar mix of school, athletic, and corporate charter work. Comparable privately-held mid-size peer.
- GO Riteway Transportation: Midwest-based charter, school, and corporate shuttle operator. Comparable private mid-size peer with overlapping fleet types and customer mix including schools and corporate groups.
- Mears Transportation: Multi-service ground transportation company offering charter motorcoach, shuttle, and tourism services. Comparable in product breadth (charter, tours, contracted shuttles) and target markets.
- Lorenz Bus Service: Pittsburgh-based charter bus operator partnered with Windstar for Pennsylvania coverage (per Windstar's own sales contacts). Same charter model, similar size, and overlapping customer segments.
- Sun Diego Charter Company: San Diego-based charter motorcoach operator with similar fleet (minibus to VIP/sleeper) and customer mix of schools, sports teams, and corporate groups. Comparable scale and service offering.
- Arrow Stage Lines: Omaha-based charter bus operator serving the Midwest with a comparable fleet mix (minibus, motorcoach, executive coach). Most direct regional peer to Windstar with overlapping customer segments including schools, sports, and corporate groups.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Windstar Lines social profiles
Digital presenceWindstar Lines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Windstar Lines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Windstar Lines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Windstar Lines M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Windstar Lines
What does Windstar Lines do?
Windstar Lines rents charter buses and motorcoaches to groups for transportation across 14 U.S. states, using a fleet of over 250 vehicles ranging from 21-passenger minibuses to 56-passenger motorcoaches, VIP double-deckers, and 46-passenger sleeper coaches. Services include one-way departures, round trips, multi-day tours, employee shuttles for industrial worksites, airport transfers, ADA-accessible transportation, and 24-hour emergency response. The company also operates fully planned guided group tours with accommodations and itineraries through its travel agency roots.
Is Windstar Lines a public or private company?
Windstar Lines is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Windstar Lines founded?
Windstar Lines was founded in 1995. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Windstar Lines based?
Windstar Lines is headquartered in Carroll, United States, in the North America region.
How does Windstar Lines make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Charter Bus Rental is the primary driver. The others are guided Group Tours and employee Shuttle Services.
Who are Windstar Lines's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Greyhound Lines, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Academy Bus and Coach USA. Direct peers are DATTCO, GO Riteway Transportation, Mears Transportation, Lorenz Bus Service, Sun Diego Charter Company and Arrow Stage Lines.
Does Windstar Lines have an API?
No public API is recorded for Windstar Lines.
What industry is Windstar Lines in?
Windstar Lines's product category is Charter Bus and Motorcoach Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAIAIAC, Corporate & Employee Shuttle Charters, with a secondary code of THAIAIAH, Government & Military Group Transport Charters. Its NAICS code is 4855 and its SIC code is 4100.