• Fleet Size – 119 Owned Seated Coaches , 23 Entertainer Coaches , 5 Semis
• In 2019 , our fleet traveled 7.3 Million miles and used $ 3 Million worth of diesel fuel . In 2020 , those numbers were slashed by more than 50 %.
Uniquely enough , Village Travel didn ’ t start out as a motorcoach operation . When the Wichita-based company was founded in 1980 , they were focused on planning ski tours to Colorado , shuttling customers to the airport and arranging rides to the slopes upon their arrival . One thing led to another , and by the end of the first ski season , the original owners had purchased their first motorcoach – an Eagle Model 10 . In the last 40 years , Village has grown to be one of the largest charter bus and bus tour companies in the nation . Today , they plan 220 + group tours each year and operate more than 140 motorcoaches . Since 2011 , Village has either expanded into another market or made an acquisition every year . Today , they have 7 locations throughout Kansas , Oklahoma , Arkansas and Missouri .
In 2018 , the company established a Senior Leadership Team to help navigate these changes and cultivate a culture that would allow them continued success for many more decades . Serving as part of this group are Jenny Keeton , Director of Tour Operations , and Amy Hendricks , Controller . These two women are an integral part of the Village Travel team , and have led the company well through the adversity COVID-19 introduced .
After a successful 2019 , which included a rebrand and new corporate headquarters , Village entered 2020 with a lot of momentum and a full calendar . In early-March , their plans came to a screeching halt . The formerly busy spring break schedule was wiped clean in a matter of days . While not ideal , Village has been extremely fortunate to have ongoing charter work providing healthcare shuttles in both New York City ( March-July ) as well as throughout the state of Texas ( beginning in July ).
AMY HENDRICKS , VILLAGE TRAVEL CONTROLLER
Amy Hendricks isn ’ t a stranger to the transportation industry . Prior to joining Village Travel in 2016 , she worked as the Director of Financial Planning & Analysis for a criticalcare air-transport company , which operates helicopters and airplanes across the United States . “ You only needed their services because it was the worst day of your life . Now as part of Village Travel , I like to say , if you use our services , it will be one of the best days of your life . I was very excited but had come reservations about working for a bus company because it was such a different industry . In reality , they were very similar . Both transported people , had operations in multiple locations , required skilled mechanics to insure the revenue generating assets were maintained and ready to roll when requested , had dispatch centers to coordinate trips and handle changes or resolve issues during the trip and both had experienced significant growth over the last 10 years and
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BUSRIDE | 50 STORIES FROM 50 STATES had a commitment to continue that growth . The biggest difference ; the people being transported by Village Travel are having fun !” said Amy .
At Village , Amy is responsible for the accounting department which includes all cash receipts & disbursements , revenue & expenses , fixed assets , inventory , allocations and financial statement preparation . In addition , she manages all the insurance , taxes ( IFTA ), property taxes , licensing related items for all the Village coaches , facilities , and vehicles . She also collaborates with Jeff Arensdorf ( CEO ) on growth , strategies , and recommends alternate financial strategies for the business .
During her 5-year tenure , she seen the company experience tremendous growth , growing from only 88 motorcoaches to the current total of 141 . After an acquisition in 2018 that resulted in a record 33 % increase in the number of coaches in one month , it was time to reinforce the company ’ s foundation and focus on systems and company structure . Amy ’ s team dedicated 2019 to implementing a new accounting system , payroll system , and maintenance & inventory system all based in the Cloud .
JENNY KEETON , VILLAGE TRAVEL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS - TOUR DEPARTMENT Jenny Keeton joined Village in 2018 , leaving behind a 12-year career in the Technology field . Throughout that career she managed Village ’ s account and had to learn the technical ins-and-outs of their organization . When Jenny was promoted to an operations role , she had to delegate her accounts out . “ I knew I needed to keep Village as my client . I had so much knowledge of their industry and built strong relationships , I couldn ’ t pass them over ,” said Jenny . As the Tour Division grew , Village Travel needed to add talent to their team .
Jenny ’ s tenacity and ability to problem solve are two of her greatest strengths . She ’ s implemented several new processes which have improved workflow for her team and customer deliverables . Jenny oversees several employees , including Tour Coordinators , Tour Reservationists , Tour Directors and Drivers . Together as a team , Jenny and her employees help our travelers from the very beginning to the end of their tour , ensuring their happiness and safety for the entire journey . The tourism industry has been drastically affected by COVID-19 , but Jenny has remained determined , innovative and optimistic . “ Navigating through the pandemic has been a bit of a roller coaster . We ’ ve had to establish stricter health and safety protocols , become more creative with our tour offerings and develop different marketing strategies . The key for me was communicating with our customer base so they know we ’ re here when they are ready to travel ,” said Jenny .