Adirondack Trailways, Pine Hill Trailways and New York Trailways
Eugene J. Berardi, Jr., President & CEO
Corporate Headquarters: Hurley, NY
Major Cities Served: Albany, Buffalo, Montreal, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto
The next time you're in one of the 5,000 seats of our 125 luxury motor coaches, relax, and enjoy the ride, because Trailways has a long and successful history of bringing people just like you to their destinations comfortably, safely, and reliably on time.
Our companies began operating in 1926, the year that company founder John Van Gonsic, Sr. launched the Rip Van Winkle Line between Kingston, N.Y. and New York City. Following a series of early successes in the newly emerging bus industry, service was then extended to the northern Hudson Valley and Capital Region in the mid-1930s. The decision was also made at that time to change the company's name to Adirondack Transit Lines, or "Adirondack", which more accurately illustrated the growing network of regularly scheduled bus service it provided in rural upstate New York. In 1937, Adirondack Transit Lines became one of the earliest members of the newly formed National Trailways Bus System. Then, as now, the close affiliation between Trailways and our companies has benefited passengers with lower fares and a wider array of travel choices nationwide.
Adirondack Trailways continued to operate steadily after World War II as the New York State Thruway and major urban transportation hubs - including the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City - facilitated the growing demand for interstate bus service in the region. A new generation of motor coaches also became available as manufacturers including General Motors and Motor Coach Industries quickly adapted to provide larger and more comfortably appointed buses to serve the growing commuter and long-distance markets. But along with the new structural and technological possibilities, a series of unexpected transitions were also in store for Adirondack.
Following the death of the founder in 1964, John Van Gonsic, Jr. assumed the role of President and CEO, leading the company into the next era of operations. His transition into company life was marked by the continuing stability of Adirondack, and his brief tenure as president culminated with the expansion of service throughout the entire Catskill Mountain region. This was achieved when Pine Hill Trailways was formed in 1965. Eager to continue with other professional pursuits, John Van Gonsic, Jr. soon relinquished day-to-day control of the company to his brother-in-law, Eugene J. Berardi, Sr. Barely four years later the company lost its third president in a decade when Mr. Berardi's death resulted in control of the company being passed once again, this time to his wife Cynthia Van Gonsic Berardi. In 1988, after several years as President, Mrs. Berardi passed leadership of the company to her son, Eugene J. Berardi, Jr. who continues as it's President today.
Under the direction of Eugene J. Berardi, Jr., Adirondack and Pine Hill Trailways have weathered the best and worst of times. The acquisition of Empire Trailways in 1994 resulted in the most significant expansion of our operating system in almost three decades. Reorganized under the name New York Trailways, service was resumed along the primary Albany-Buffalo corridor once substantial improvements were made to the fleet and operating structure. Two years later, Adirondack Trailways also benefited from an extension of its operating area, when regularly scheduled service was extended north to Montreal. Since our expansion north to Montreal, service has been initiated between Albany, NY and Binghamton, NY as well as service north of Syracuse to Watertown, Massena and other North Country communities.
Today, the companies Adirondack, Pine Hill, and New York Trailways continue to operate from same Mid-Hudson Valley region they have called home for over eighty-five years.
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