Olander Bus Service began as a partnership between Nathan Olander’s grandfather Lindy and Lowell Arndt – with two buses and a simple goal: provide school transportation for the Callaway and Detroit Lakes districts. The original name? Olander & Arndt Bus Service.

Lowell moved on to building golf courses, and the Olander family carried on the business solo – renaming it simply “Olander Bus Service”. They kept things rolling by driving the routes themselves.

Over three decades, Olander steadily added school contracts and grew their presence across the Detroit Lakes area. School bus charters were a part of the mix – until the passing of Nathan’s grandfather in 1995 brought a pause to that side of the business.

Following his step-grandmother’s retirement, Nathan Olander stepped in to lead the company — with a deep respect for its roots and a fresh vision for the future.

Honoring his grandfather’s original dream, Nathan relaunched Olander’s school bus charter service and introduced motor coaches to the fleet. Since then, the company has grown well beyond Detroit Lakes — serving schools, universities, businesses, and communities across the region.

In 2025, Olander welcomed Red River Trails — a trusted, long-established motor coach operator in the Fargo–Moorhead area — into the fold. With shared values, a strong local reputation, and decades of motor coach experience, Red River was a natural fit for the Olander team. This partnership not only expanded our service area, but also strengthened our ability to provide reliable, high-quality charter service across the region — with more fleet options, more flexibility, and the same commitment to people-first transportation.