FORT DODGE, Iowa Loren Joes, who bought Northwest Iowa Transportation 20 years ago and has run the tour-and-charter coach company since, sold his operation on the first of October to another Iowa operator, Hawkeye Stages of Decorah.

Jones bought Northwest Iowa Transportation in 1987 from its founder, Vernon Mersman, who had started the business as a tour company in the 1970s. Mersman began operating buses in 1981 when he purchase a 22-year-old GM PD4104.

During the years Jones owned the company it grew from 5 coaches to 20. The growth was fueled in part by the acquisition of smaller companies. Ten years ago, Jones company joined International Motor Coach Group.

Jones decided to sell his operation after weathering the strain of managing a motorcoach company in a tough business environment and years of contemplation.

"The last few years have been economically challenging," says Jones. "I've always been able to pay the bills and the employees, but there hasn't been a lot left over to update coaches, improve facilities and the like. God answered (my) prayers and brought me together with a great buyer."

The owner of Hawkeye Stages, Steve Tjossem, and Jones were introduced by a mutual industry friend three years ago. The two kept in touch and talked about ways they could co-promote or work together.

During talks in August about collaboration to fill fall tours, the talks eventually led to Hawkeye purchasing most of the assets of Jones company.

Hawkeye Stages is a 50-year-old, family-owned tour-and-charter company headed by current-generation owner Tjossem. The acquisition of Northwest Iowa Transportation will increase total Hawkeye employment to roughly 110 and bring the number of coaches operated by the company to 32.

Tjossem has hired Jones to manage the combined Hawkeye-Northwest Iowa Transportation retail tour division; Jones will continue to work out of the Fort Dodge office.

Jones retained the real estate he owns in Fort Dodge and Waterloo, Iowa, and is leasing it to Hawkeye, which also has an office in Marshalltown, Iowa.