CharterUp bus-booking platform moves HQ to Austin, plans to add 100 jobs
CharterUp, which runs an online charter bus-booking platform, is moving its headquarters from Atlanta to Austin and plans to add 100 local jobs.
Founded in 2018, CharterUp runs a tech-based bus booking and management system. It works with companies, government organizations, schools, sports teams and private groups to contract and manage one-time or recurring bus services for events, group travel and employee commutes.
The company says its goal is to let customers charter a bus in 60 seconds or less. Customers that have used CharterUp for group transportation include Amazon, Apple, Ashley Furniture, Delta, Facebook, Google, H-E-B, Hilton, Hyatt, Microsoft, Sysco and Texas Instruments.
“Austin is leading the charge in innovation and technology nationwide, making it an ideal base for CharterUp as we embark on this exciting new chapter,” said CEO Armir Harris.
Austin will serve as the company's tech and product hub, while sales, customer service and financial services will remain in Atlanta.
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Recent multimillion investment
In October, CharterUp raised $60 million in a deal led by Austin-based Tritium Partners, which specializes in investing in online marketplaces, logistics and software companies.
At that time, CharterUp said the company had experienced more than 100% annual growth and had surpassed an annual revenue run of $150 million in 2022. CharterUp said it would use the money to expand its presence in current markets and break into new ones, as well as expanding its product and engineering teams.
“CharterUp’s unique and trusted position in this industry caught our attention,” said David Lack, managing partner at Tritium Partners. “CharterUp has established itself as a valuable business partner to its operators and a compelling, one-stop marketplace for consumers, businesses and government partners seeking to secure charter bus capacity. We see enormous potential in CharterUp’s mission to transform the charter bus industry.”
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The company announced service in Austin and San Antonio in December. At the time, CEO Harris said:
“Austin and San Antonio are big cities that thrive on big ideas. As Texas’ Innovation Corridor continues to grow into one of the country’s most exciting tech hubs, Austin and San Antonio are a perfect fit for our services. The influx of tech companies and businesses establishing corporate headquarters in the area will continue to transform the area into a center for commerce and convening, making Central Texas a place primed for CharterUp to support organizations in need of easy, accessible group transport.”
It currently offers service in more than two dozen cities, including Chicago, New York City, New Orleans and Las Vegas. In Texas, in addition to Austin and San Antonio, CharterUp services Dallas, Houston and Plano.
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What's next?
In addition to new funding and plans to hire dozens of workers in the Austin area, the company has added three executive hires.
Brian Showers has been named chief technology officer. Showers served in executive roles at Austin-based RetailMeNot and Dosh. At RetailMeNot he led the development of the company's technology platform.
Nick Donelson has been named vice president of product. He led product teams at several startups and Fortune 500 companies, including Walmart e-commerce.
Evan Hopkins will be the company's vice president of supply. Hopkins served as Austin-based Outdoorsy's vice president of global sales and customer operations.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: CharterUp moving its HQ from Atlanta to Austin, plans to add jobs
