Astro Travel And Tours: A Family Legacy Powered By Prevost

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Brandi and Matt Brown are shown next to their new motorcoach at Prevost’s facility in Canada. (Photo courtesy of Prevost)

Astro Travel and Tours is more than a motorcoach company — it’s a family love story that spans generations, built on passion, hard work and an unwavering commitment to world-class service.

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. In 1976, Mr. Hunter was the radio DJ at a local radio station that Mr. Rudd and Mr. Hazelton also owned together. The two businessmen saw great potential in Charlie, and they offered him the opportunity of a lifetime — to join Astro Travel and Tours as the general manager.

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. A year later, Charlie became sole owner and began expanding the fleet, working closely with coach salesman Dan Wiltgen to acquire several Prevost Le Mirage models and the company’s first H3-45.

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.

In 2013, Brandi and her husband, Matt Brown, officially took the reins, continuing the love story and family legacy with an all-Prevost fleet. At the time, they operated 12 Prevost coaches. Today, that number has grown to 26, including two 2024 H3-45s and two 2025 models, with two more 2026 coaches scheduled for delivery in September.

A Lasting Partnership With Prevost Astro has remained loyal to Prevost for decades, citing not only the superior build quality but also the unmatched customer support.

“Prevost is a step above in the industry,” explains Matt Brown, President and CEO of Astro. “Our drivers enjoy driving a Prevost coach. The ride is stable. The driver’s area, with lower, more separated consoles and modesty panels, makes the drivers feel comfortable and focused. For them, it’s not just a coach; it’s their office.”

This mutual commitment goes both ways. Serving major college and professional sports teams, school field trips, and the U.S. military among other travel groups, Astro relies on dependable equipment and responsive support. While occasional breakdowns are inevitable, Prevost ensures Astro is never left stranded — whether by providing a replacement coach or sending service vans to resolve issues quickly.

Prevost’s customer support managers Eric DeGeorge and Robert Hitt have become integral to Astro’s operations. Eric, in particular, maintains a close relationship with the team, visiting often and calling the head technician, Luke Moyer, every Monday to check on weekend performance.

“The call is automatic,” says Matt. “It’s the kind of after-sales support that is hard to live up to.”

A 100-Year Experience

“Astro’s partnership with Prevost has been a gigantic part of what has made us one of the elite motorcoach providers in the Southeast all these decades,” says Matt. “It’s allowed us to be as good as we are.”

That strong relationship came full circle at Prevost’s 100th anniversary celebration in Canada.

“It was our first time visiting Prevost and our first time in Canada,” says Brandi Brown, Chief Operating Officer. “We got to see our brand-new coach roll off the line and even got a picture with it. We got to attend the parties and loved the celebrations. It was such a cool experience.”

From its humble beginnings as a travel agency in 1970 to its current status as a premier motorcoach provider, Astro Travel and Tours is a testament to what happens when passion meets partnership. With Prevost by their side, the journey continues — driven by family and fueled by excellence.

Visit astrotravel.com and prevostcar.com.