"The journey began in 1970 when Hurley Rudd and Frank Hazelton founded Astro as a full-service travel agency, specializing in airline tickets, cruises, hotel bookings, and international travel. While Rudd and Hazelton were building a thriving business, a man named Charlie Hunter, a high school football star turned radio DJ, followed his high school sweetheart Rachel Martin, to Tallahassee, FL. They fell in love and were married."
"Under Charlie's leadership, the company flourished. In the late 1980s, Mr. Hazelton passed away. Because he didn't have any children, he left most of his shares to Charlie, giving Charlie minority ownership. By 1996, as Brandi, Rachel and Charlie's daughter, graduated high school, Astro purchased its first bus - a 24-passenger Turtle Top - marking a pivotal shift toward motorcoach operations."
"As the travel industry evolved - driven by the rise of the internet, changing consumer habits, and the impact of 9/11 -- Astro made a strategic pivot. The company phased out its travel agency services to focus exclusively on motorcoach transportation. That same year, Astro relocated from downtown Tallahassee to a four-acre facility to accommodate its growing fleet and operational needs."
Astro Travel and Tours began in 1970 as a full-service travel agency founded by Hurley Rudd and Frank Hazelton, specializing in airline tickets, cruises, hotel bookings, and international travel. Charlie Hunter joined as general manager in 1976 and later acquired minority ownership after Hazelton's death. The company purchased its first bus in 1996, initiating a shift toward motorcoach operations. Following industry changes and the impact of 9/11, Astro phased out travel agency services to focus solely on motorcoach transportation and relocated to a four-acre facility to support fleet growth. Brandi and Matt Brown took leadership in 2013, continuing the family legacy.
Read at Busline News
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