Local Employer Number 1 in Michigan, Number 2 in the Country

Indian Trails has been a thriving Motorcoach company in Owosso for over 116 years.  By connecting over 100 towns in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, Indian Trails enables hundreds of thousands of residents to explore beyond Michigan and just as many to visit our state.  Last year, the company recorded over one million passengers. 

A large part of their success is having well-trained drivers who are not only safe but also very customer-oriented. Their self-developed training program helped set the standard for the Federal Highway Administration’s “Model Curriculum for Motorcoach Drivers.”  In addition, Indian Trails was just voted second best in the country out of nearly 9,000 bus companies nationwide according to USA Today’s “10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.”

The drivers’ training is extensive, covering many real-life scenarios to maintain the highest possible safety standards and on-time rates.  Drivers spend many hours driving with a mentor before they can take routes of their own.  Because Indian Trails invests so much in their drivers, they have a high retention rate and low turnover.  Part of that investment is the WIOA On-the-Job-Training (OJT) program.  This program allows the company to receive reimbursement for the initial training costs involved with training new drivers.  Indian Trails received $2,160.00 to train one new driver who is now not only driving locally, but also extended routes.

Jennifer, Indian Trails Human Resource Manager, stated, “We are truly grateful for the On-the-Job Training funds. They have been a lifeline for our business, allowing us to grow and hire new drivers without the burden of excessive training costs.”