About Us
Nagel Coaches, a family owned, Alberta based business, has been driven to remain something special since its beginning over 45 years ago.
Nagel Coaches has been built over the years based on service and excellence due to the drive of our founders Bob and Pat Nagel.
The Beginning
Bob and Pat come from an entertainment background. Both were very involved with music and the operation of Marching Bands in the 1970’s. The famous Alberta All Girls Drum and Bugle Band, the Alberta Boys Band and the Hobbema Girls Marching Band were among the Nagel’s projects. Bus travel became a way of life, moving from one performance location to the next. Bob and Pat became impressed with the quality of coach travel in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Europe. As entrepreneurs, they realized that they could build a business by using improved quality of motor coach equipment.
The Start of the Company
Nagel Coaches and our sister company Nagel Tours launched in 1977. The bus business was heavily regulated at this time. We had some hard work ahead of us to launch our services. Lengthy public hearings were held so that we could prove a need for our service as well as prove our financial stability to the Alberta government. Hundreds of supporters travelled to Edmonton to participate in these hearings. Our first approval only allowed us to operate our coaches within the Province of Alberta. Permission to travel to other provinces and outside of Canada came later. Our initial fleet of coaches, three GM model 4107s, were put on the road. Soon we celebrated two successful, expanding businesses.
Our Founders, Bob and Pat Nagel
Building the Business
Nagel Tours focused on organizing worry-free escorted tours for seniors, and Nagel Coaches carried them around Canada and the United States. Meanwhile, we expanded our business to include public charter groups and also built a diverse contract business. We transported passengers for both inbound and local tour companies, as well as working with sports teams and celebrities.
Over the years we’ve had the pleasure of having NHL teams and NBA players on our buses. Entertainers such as Anne Murray, Billy Ray Cyrus and James Brown have travelled with us, among many others. Nagel Tours founded the Okanagan Valley Wine Train in 1999, operating out of Kelowna BC. It was a busy time, and Nagel Coaches was there to bring people from all over Alberta to ride the scenic train!
Nagel Coaches Today
As time went on, we scaled down our fleet to focus on what we do best. We joined industry associations to keep ourselves up to date with changes in the business. We are members of Motor Coach Canada, the Ontario Motor Coach Association and the American Bus Association. Today, Nagel Coaches can take your group anywhere in Canada or United States. We still follow our original starting principles: we operate quality luxury motor coaches, with safety and comfort for passengers our top priority.
Come ride on our coaches to enjoy luxurious travel while leaving the worries to us!
Our History in Photos
