Suzanne Thornburg Named Busline Magazine’s ‘Women To Recognize In Busing’ Award Winner

By Harrell Kerkhoff, Busline Magazine Editor

Suzanne Thornburg is President & CEO of Alabama-based Capital Motor Lines DBA Capital Trailways and Colonial Trailways.

The first annual Busline Magazine “Women To Recognize In Busing” award is being presented to Suzanne Thornburg, President & CEO of Alabama-based Capital Motor Lines DBA Capital Trailways and Colonial Trailways. The award recognizes female leaders in the public and private bus industries whose accomplishments have set a solid foundation for all women to succeed in the future.

Thornburg has been part of day-to-day operations of Capital and Colonial Trailways since April 2019, after holding a board of directors’ position with the companies starting in 2011, shortly after the passing of her ex-husband, Frank Montgomery III. He had owned and operated the companies prior to his death in 2010. Thornburg initially joined the board in the interest of her four then-minor children, who represent the fifth generation of family ownership.

Thornburg took the helm of the companies on a full-time basis less than one year prior to the COVID pandemic devastating bus transportation. With her grit, determination, and “faith over fear” philosophy, Thornburg successfully guided company team members and made tough decisions to help sustain the business through the unknown. Today, Capital and Colonial Trailways have experienced renewed growth. Thornburg is quick to acknowledge the rebound has truly been a team effort.

“Somebody once told me that to be a good leader you must surround yourself with people who have knowledge about the things that you don’t,” Thornburg said. “We have been truly blessed at Capital and Colonial Trailways with a strong group of professionals who help our business, and me, in a positive and impactful way.”

Thornburg has also been active in promoting the bus industry in various ways. That includes sitting on the American Bus Association (ABA) Foundation Board, as well as the Trailways Board of Directors, of which she serves as treasurer. She is also a member of the Trailways Executive Committee, ABA’s Women in Buses Council, and has been active with the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) and the Alabama Motorcoach Association (AMA).

Thornburg’s journey in the bus business has been full of both challenges and successes. While enjoying a successful 25-year career in regional and corporate banking, it was not her intention to become involved with bus transportation, although she always held the industry in very high regard. Thornburg knew it was full of hard working and highly dedicated professionals and esteemed companies.

“In 2018, the existing president of our companies announced his retirement and asked if I would ever consider becoming involved with the day-to-day duties of the organization,” Thornburg said. “At the time, I had not considered such a move, but after talking with my husband, Craig Thornburg, who is a retired chemical engineer, and with a lot of prayer, I made the decision to leave my career in banking and work full time at Capital and Colonial Trailways.”

The career change forced Thornburg to learn as much as she could about the bus transportation business, diving into educational resources and studying industry trends. The good news was business in 2019 had been booming for Capital and Colonial Trailways when she took over as president & CEO. The future remained bright as well during the first few months of 2020. Then the pandemic struck.

Like just about every bus carrier, Thornburg and her staff began receiving phone calls during the middle of March 2020 from customers wanting to cancel their scheduled trips. No one seemed interested in taking a trip with other people during a global pandemic.

“We made the decision early on to refund every customer as we didn’t know what the future was going to bring,” Thornburg said. “We spent a lot of time praying as a team. The months that followed were turbulent. I participated in many industry calls as well as the online UMA Town Hall meetings, which helped people stay connected as an industry. As a company, we also remained in constant contact with our employees, vendors and longtime customers throughout the pandemic, proving to be very beneficial.”

Experienced in financial management, Thornburg and her team were especially conscientious about controlling costs, which helped sustained the company during the COVID shutdowns.

“We slowly started coming back to life by July 2020 due to our military-related work and our scheduled-service partnership,” she said.

Today, Capital and Colonial Trailways’ representatives are busy again, focusing on emerging business opportunities, new equipment purchases, and the hiring of new employees.

“One benefit to the pandemic experience is that it allowed us time to examine our current processes and find ways to improve and build for the future,” she said. “That included refocusing on the hiring process, with the emphasis of attracting great talent for the future of our company.

“I believe another thing COVID taught us was the importance of bus companies properly pricing their services. Our industry is full of bus operators who deliver a safe and reliable product to the travelling public and do so while also heavily focusing on customer service. It’s important that such companies are properly paid for their high-end efforts.”

Strong History / Bright Future

The histories of both Capital Trailways and Colonial Trailways date to the early days of bus transportation. In 2025, Capital will celebrate its 95th year and Colonial its 90^th year of operation. When Trailways formed in 1936, both carriers were among the first to join its network. Today, the combined organization operates from three Alabama locations: Montgomery, Madison/Huntsville, and Mobile.

Thornburg sees a sales-driven culture and a fresh perspective as the way ahead for the organization. Meanwhile, her oldest son, Frank Montgomery IV, is now vice president of Capital and Colonial Trailways, and is based at the Madison/Huntsville location. He worked as an intern with Colonial Trailways in 2019 in the Mobile office while attending the University of South Alabama and working toward his bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in marketing. He joined the business full-time after graduating in June 2020 and is a fifth-generation co-owner of the companies, along with his three siblings, Katelyn, William, and Kellie.

Overall, Capital and Colonial Trailways operate a fleet of motor coaches, minibuses and trolleys, with charter services that extend into Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and other points in the United States and Canada.

As president & CEO, Thornburg said her primary day-to-day function is overseeing the management of the three company locations while working closely with the management team.

“I’m kind of a ‘jack of all trades,’ and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said. “I enjoy rolling up my sleeves and helping anyway I can. That is what I love about our entire team of employees, everybody here has the same mentality of working together.

“I also enjoy being part of different bus-related organizations, helping to promote the importance of our industry. That includes educating people on how we, as a network of bus companies, help with such activities as transporting members of the military and evacuating people during natural and man-made disasters. And, I enjoy attending industry-related conferences, which help me share important educational information with our staff.”

Opportunities For All

Although the first part of her career was spent in banking, Thornburg has become a big believer in the growing number of career opportunities available today for women in the bus industry.

“A key focus at Capital and Colonial Trailways is understanding the importance of diversity in the workforce, and making sure we are hiring based on skill set, education, and experience,” Thornburg said. “Women, in particular, are finding many opportunities today in the transportation field, and I feel that focus will continue to grow.

“There was a time when the bus industry wasn’t so inviting to women when it came to career opportunities. Times, however, are changing. More women are being supported in their efforts to make a difference in this line of work. It’s essential to continue creating a level of awareness and letting the public know women are working in a variety of roles when it comes to bus transportation, including management.”

Busline Magazine would like to thank Suzanne Thornburg for her hard work and dedication to the bus industry. We would also like to recognize the other nominees for this first-ever award. Their stories can be read in the September/October 2024 issue of Busline Magazine. Visit buslinemag.com.