Our History

History of Arrow Coach Lines & Houston-Bigelow Bus Line

Houston - Bigelow Bus Line was established in 1944 by Henry Lienhart of Little Rock, Arkansas.  He started operations with several local routes in and around Pulaski County.  These routes were operated under jitney permits issued by the City of Little Rock and were purchased from E.L. Sante.  His first bus was an early 1940 model GMC Calaver.  The name Houston-Bigelow derives from two small towns in Perry County, Houston and Bigelow, Arkansas.  Those towns along with Roland and several other small towns were serviced by Houston-Bigelow Bus Line with service to Little Rock, Arkansas.

Henry Lienhart wed Catherine Ahne in October 1948. Catherine became active in the company in the early 1960's. She accompanied Henry on most business trips. When the company was incorporated in 1975 she was appointed Sec Treas. Catherine was in charge of all receivables and kept the accounting books up to date. She was an accomplished seamstress and repaired seat covers and even made custom head rests for the seats in the buses. She was very involved in the company up until her death in April 1998.

In 1956, Henry Lienhart and R.L. Duncan began Arrow Coach Lines by purchasing 4 buses and operating rights from Missouri Pacific Transportation to operate regular schedules through Pine Bluff, Dermont and Warren, Arkansas.  In 1959, Henry Lienhart bought-out R.L. Duncan and became sole owner of Arrow Coach Lines and Houston-Bigelow Bus Line.  A few years later operating rights were purchased from MidwestBus Line (Trailways) to operate regular schedules through Pine Bluff, Monticello, and Lake Village, Arkansas; Lake Providence, Louisiana, and Greenville, Mississippi.

After a long ICC battle with Trailways, Greyhound and Crown Coach, Arrow Coach Lines received ICC charter rights out of Pulaski County to any point in the USA.  These new charter rights provided a much needed economic boom to Arrow because also at this time regular route patronage was declining.

Today, Arrow Coach Lines is owned and operated by second generation family members.  Jim, Janie, and Henry Lienhart Jr. still own and manage the company, specializing in charter, tour and contract motorcoach operations.