Jefferson Lines

Jefferson Lines (JL or JLI) is a regional intercity bus company operating in United States. The company's name originates in the Jefferson Highway, a north-south route in the early National Auto Trail system which once ran from Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, south to New Orleans, Louisiana. The service to Winnipeg was cut back to Grand Forks, North Dakota on October 7, 2010. Today, the Jefferson Lines system extends from Grand Forks south to Dallas, Texas. The company is operated by Jefferson Partners L.P., based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jefferson Partners also operates the Jefferson Tours charter bus service for tours and other group services.

Founded in 1919 during the early days of motorcoach travel, the company serves 13 states as of 2011:

• Arkansas
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

In 1990, the company was believed to be the second-largest intercity bus company in the country. Intercity bus lines underwent many changes in the 2000s decade after Greyhound Lines declined into bankruptcy and subsequently shed off many bus routes. Jefferson Lines has taken over operation of many former Greyhound routes and has been able to improve ridership significantly on some of them. The company is now believed to be the country's largest intercity bus system outside of the busy East Coast market.

The company's president and CEO is Charlie Zelle. He had been an investment banker in New York City until returning to Minnesota in 1987 to take over the company from his late father, Louie. Due to poor real-estate investments, such as in the St. Anthony Main project in Minneapolis, the company was in danger of foundering, but Zelle helped restructure the company under Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1989 and 1990. The company was founded by Zelle's grandfather—Charlie Zelle marks the third generation of his family to work at Jefferson Lines. He owned 60% of the company as of 2010, with the remaining 40% owned by business partner Fred Kaiser of Texas. As of 2011, Charlie Zelle is also chairman of the board of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce.

According to the company website, Jefferson Lines has 265 employees including roughly 150 drivers. Jefferson Lines is a member of the American Bus Association, United Motorcoach Association, and National Tour Association. The company has about 70 buses in its fleet.