Host: Aaron Cozort
Guest: Willie Alexander
VIDEO
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DESCRIPTION
This episode gives you a clear look at how group travel really works and how one local company moves thousands of people every year with simple planning and strong service. You get practical insight you can use for your team, school, church, or family trip.
Willie Alexander, Director of Operations at J & T Charters, explains how their fleet of more than 50 vehicles serves universities, schools, churches, families, and corporate clients across the region. You learn how to plan a trip, what a charter service actually provides, and what makes this type of travel easier than juggling multiple cars.
You’ll hear real numbers, real examples, and straightforward answers to common questions about logistics, safety, routes, and destinations.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
•How J & T Charters serves colleges like Grambling State and Philander Smith
•How their fleet ranges from 14 to 56 passengers
•Why families use charters to avoid long drives and multiple vehicles
•How the sales team builds full travel packages with hotels and attractions
•How schools use charter buses for lessons, WiFi access, and long trips
•How they load instruments, luggage, and equipment in undercarriage storage
•How they price trips, match quotes, and handle insurance questions
•The most common destinations like museums, parks, water parks, and Florida
•How strong Chamber visibility increased community demand
This conversation matters because more local groups are choosing charter travel for safety, convenience, and cost control. When you compare the time saved, the coordination avoided, and the ability to keep everyone together, a charter often becomes the simplest solution for any group event or long-distance trip.
Presented with support from:
Southaven Chamber of Commerce, connecting you with local business leaders and resources
Wisdom Integrators, your strategic tech partner for workflow automation and process improvement so your business can work smarter, not harder
Pure Focus Media, the creative team behind the scenes helping Southaven Business Beat and local businesses look and sound their best through professional video and content creation
If you want your organization, school, or church to move people without stress, this episode gives you the direct steps to get started.
Go to our Youtube channel and tap subscribe so you never miss new stories from Southaven Business Beat.
CHAPTERS
- Introduction to the chartering business (00:00 – 00:34)
- Who J and T Charters serves (00:34 – 01:11)
- Black car services and airport transport (01:11 – 01:33)
- Colleges and universities that rely on them (01:33 – 02:29)
- Small trips compared to large multi-coach trips (02:29 – 03:10)
- Regional locations and service areas (03:10 – 03:32)
- How the business started (03:32 – 04:14)
- How first-time customers plan a trip (04:14 – 04:40)
- Full travel package planning (04:40 – 05:20)
- Sponsor message, Pure Focus Media (05:20 – 05:54)
- Churches, social groups, and school customers (05:54 – 06:28)
- How equipment and luggage storage works (06:28 – 07:19)
- Funny group travel stories (07:19 – 08:08)
- Challenges at food stops (08:08 – 08:32)
- Planning tips for group travel (08:32 – 09:16)
- Families using charters instead of multiple cars (09:16 – 09:42)
- Popular destinations and trip types (09:42 – 10:33)
- Technology and amenities on modern coaches (10:33 – 11:22)
- Matching vehicle size to group size (11:22 – 12:11)
- Fleet size and capacity (12:11 – 12:42)
- Impact of the Southaven Chamber (12:42 – 13:28)
- Business goals for 2026 (13:28 – 13:58)
- Safety, insurance, and driver questions (13:58 – 15:02)
- Most common long-distance destinations (15:02 – 15:55)
- Expansion plans (15:55 – 16:19)
- Willie’s path into the industry (16:19 – 17:30)
- What separates J and T Charters (17:30 – 18:15)
- How to book a trip (18:15 – 18:39)
- Closing and sponsor message (18:39 – 20:01)
YOUTUBE URL
