Greyhound is an American transportation company that offers scheduled intercity bus service in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. As of 2020, Greyhound Lines, Inc. and its sister companies are part of the British-owned FirstGroup. The company is the largest provider of intercity bus transportation, serving more than 3,800 destinations across North America.
Greyhound was originally founded as the Greyhound Corporation in Hibbing, Minnesota, in 1914. The company was founded by Carl Wickman, who wanted to provide a reliable transportation service for miners who wanted to travel between Hibbing and Alice, Minnesota. Soon after, he partnered with Ralph Bogan to expand the service beyond Hibbing.
In the 1920s, Greyhound busses began to expand their services to larger intercity routes, becoming one of the first nationwide bus services in the United States. In the 1930s, the company launched a marketing campaign aimed at promoting the advantages of taking a bus over either train or car travel. These campaigns emphasized affordability, reliability and cleanliness.
In the 1950s, Greyhound began to purchase smaller bus companies in order to expand its routes across the country. At the same time, Greyhound also began to make improvements to its busses, such as air conditioning and reclining seats. The company also began to introduce meals and beverage services for passengers.
In 1972, Greyhound was purchased by Dial Corporation. Dial was a subsidiary of UK-based conglomerate Higgs and Hill. Under the new ownership, Greyhound continued to expand its operations, eventually becoming the largest provider of intercity bus transportation in North America.
In 1987, Greyhound merged with Trailways and Peter Pan Bus Lines. The merged companies formed the largest bus transportation service in the United States. By 1990, Greyhound’s fleet of busses was approaching 10,000 vehicles.
In 2007, Greyhound was purchased by FirstGroup, a British transport conglomerate. FirstGroup is the largest transport operator in the United Kingdom and also has operations in North America, Europe, Africa and Australia. Under FirstGroup, Greyhound continued to expand its routes across the United States and Canada, while also entering the Mexican market.
Today, Greyhound is one of the largest bus companies in North America, providing service to more than 3,800 cities, towns and villages. The company continues to offer reliable, affordable and safe transportation services to millions of passengers each year.
