CARROLL, Iowa -- Windstar Lines Inc. has purchased the assets and bookings of Rochelle, Ill.-based Dixon Meyers Bus Lines from long-time owners Marv and Bev Binkley.

With the acquisition, Windstar Lines opens its first terminal in Illinois, and sixth overall. The former Dixon Meyers facility is in Rochelle, which is roughly 80 miles west of Chicago near the junction of Interstates 39 and 88.

Windstar Lines has four locations in Iowa (its home base in Carroll, plus Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and Dubuque), as well as a location in Lincoln, Neb.

"Marv and Bev (Binkley) have been in the industry a long time, and decided it was best to focus on their trucking operation at this time," said Jeff Greteman, president of Windstar Lines.

"This acquisition will work out great as having a terminal near Chicago has always been on our radar; its our most popular destination."

All former Dixon Meyers drivers, office staff and shop personnel were offered employment by Windstar.

One of Dixon Meyers four motorcoaches was acquired in the purchase, and that bus is being repainted, refurbished and branded with Windstar livery. The Dixon Meyers Bus name is disappearing.

Dixon Meyers Bus Lines was a family-owned charter bus operation serving northern Illinois, as well as metro Chicago, for nearly 40 years. It also was a long-running member of Trailways.

A sister trucking company, Dixon Meyers Transportation, continues to operate and is leasing part of the Windstar facility in Rochelle.

Windstar Lines is the largest motorcoach company based in Iowa, operating more than 50 coaches. Founded in 1995, Windstar was ranked as the 33rd largest motorcoach fleet in North America by Metro Magazine.

Early this year, Windstar was chosen as the 2012 winner of the United Motorcoach Association Vision Award for large operators at UMA Motorcoach Expo in Long Beach, Calif.

Three Twenty-One Capital Partners, LLC (321 Capital), a Baltimore-based investment banking firm, assisted the Binkleys with the sale of their coach company.