One of the few city bus lines never operated by a government agency, Rochester City Lines is a family-owned company committed to providing you with personal service and promoting family values.

Since 1959, George and Marilyn Holter, along with their family, have diligently worked to provide the finest transportation using the most comfortable and dependable equipment available. Starting in the Twin Cities, and soon expanding to Rochester, the company grew along with the Holter family.

Richfield Bus Company was founded in 1959. In the summer of 1966 they started Rochester City Lines when the city of Rochester had been without any bus service for several months. With the encouragement of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce, George and Marilyn Holter went to the Rochester City Council and were granted a franchise “to establish, maintain, and operate a public regular route bus transit system and related services…” in the city. RCL has steadily worked to develop and maintain a world-class bus system in Rochester since that time.

1978 saw RCL expanding beyond Rochester city limits with the first commuter and park & ride buses offering daily service to and from Stewartville, with Kasson and Byron soon following. In 2003 Rochester City Lines was honored as “Transit System of the Year” by the Minnesota Public Transit Association, given for excellence in service, reliability, and safety.

Today, commuter buses serve over 40 communities in Southeast Minnesota. RCL’s efforts were recognized in the January 2012 issue of Metro Magazine, which named RCL an “Innovative Operator.”

George and Marilyn’s sons Dan and Stan, currently manage the company. They have worked to surround themselves with experienced and knowledgeable staff, eager to provide enjoyable and dependable transportation for travelers of all ages.