Hotard Coaches returns to Baton Rouge, expanding operations and community partnerships | All Travel Bookings

BATON ROUGE, La. — Hotard Coaches has returned to the Baton Rouge area, reestablishing operations in the city after pandemic-related disruptions forced the company to scale back services several years ago.

The family-operated transportation company, founded in 1935, said plans to return to the state capital have been underway since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected travel and transportation services nationwide.

“Baton Rouge has always been home for us,” said Julie Chalmers, vice president and general manager of Hotard Coaches. “Being back in the area gives us the opportunity to reconnect, build trust, and support the community in a more meaningful way.”

The company’s return will bring operations, personnel and transportation services back to the region, reconnecting Hotard Coaches with established partners while also creating new relationships. The company said its work will include fleet operations, maintenance services and customer support for local transportation needs.

Regaining community role

Hotard Coaches employees have also begun participating in community service efforts. Ahead of Thanksgiving, staff members volunteered with the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank through the company’s “Hotard’s Helpers” initiative. During one volunteer shift, employees packed about 1,500 Commodity Supplemental Food Program boxes — totaling roughly 60,000 pounds of food — for distribution to families and individuals across the region.

The company marked its return with a ribbon-cutting and groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 25 at its new Baton Rouge office.

Hotard Coaches, headquartered in Louisiana, operates motor coach fleets across the Gulf South, including in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Biloxi, Mississippi.

Founded as a line-run service connecting St. John Parish and New Orleans, the company has grown into a regional transportation provider emphasizing safety, reliability, and customer service. Hotard Coaches is part of the All Aboard America Holdings portfolio and operates as a brand within Kelsian Group, an international transportation company.