The W.A.F. Transportation Co.

At the end of World War II, McHenry was facing a transportation problem. Many thought that the train service to town was lacking and were looking to get to Chicago and the city’s surrounding areas. Also, traveling to different areas in McHenry County could be problematic. Those who didn’t own cars or couldn’t walk to their desired destinations were left with few options. People in areas such as McCullom Lake, felt especially isolated. Enter the W.A.F. Transportation Company in the spring of 1946. Named after founders, Bob Winkel, Lennie Antonson and Richard Freund, the company offered a bus service that would take people to most towns in the area, as well as local train stations.

Despite an apparent need and a market, the W.A.F. Transportation Company faced an uphill battle, which started in the spring of 1946. First, in order to run their business, W.A.F. needed to file for a franchise license with the Illinois Commerce Commission, which they did in 1946. The problem was that another business, the Fox Valley Bus Line, had filed for a license in the same geographic area weeks after W.A.F. had filed theirs. In order to plead their case, W.A.F. president, Bob Winkel, and the company attorneys had to go to a series of Commerce Commission hearings in Chicago to clear the matter. At the final hearing, several people from this area also testified to the Commission about the need for a local bus line. On April 23, 1946, W.A.F. and the Fox Valley Bus Line got together and worked out an agreement that would prevent further delays and submitted the agreement to the Commission. Roughly a week later, the W.A.F. Transportation Company received their franchise.

As the technical matters of governmental licensing where being completed, W.A.F. was getting ready for business. The two most important matters the company had to worry about As the technical matters of governmental licensing were being completed, W.A.F. was getting ready for business. The two most important matters the company had to worry about were obtaining vehicles for their customers to ride in and laying out a schedule. During the final hearings with the State, the W.A.F. had acquired 2 buses from a local company and had them painted to look like new. For the schedule, the two things that they wanted to work with were getting to as many local towns as possible and working with the local train schedules. Towns that the buses would travel to included: Woodstock, McCullom Lake, Ringwood, Greenwood, and Wonder Lake. Interestingly, there wasn’t a direct line between McHenry and Woodstock. Per the agreement with the Fox Valley Bus Line, the FVBL would get that direct route. The first run for the bus line took place on June 2, 1946. Starting from McHenry and arriving at McCullom Lake, the bus was greeted by a band and a ribbon-cutting. The bus was supposed to fit 27people, yet left for Ringwood with over 50 aboard that morning.

Between Jun 1946 and October 1946, the W.A.F. buses made 20 trips and met 12 trains per day. During the first year, the company worried that the summer crowd would leave for Chicago and business would dry up, however that didn’t happen. In fact, around their one-year anniversary, the company bought two more buses to add to their line. In the next couple of years, W.A.F. would start an expansion program that started another circuit which included the towns of Crystal Lake, Wauconda, and Barrington. When the company started, customers could pay a single fare of .25 or a week-long ticket at $1.96. Later a ticket for a month-long, or 50 ride ticket, cost $7. However, almost three years after they started applying for their franchise, the W.A.F. discontinued their service on April 14, 1950. The reason for the closing was that the company simply wasn’t making any money. 

Sources

• “Citizens Are Asked To Attend Hearing For New Bus Line” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 21 Mar 1946, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 14 Jul 2021.
• “Bus Decision Will Be Given April 23.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 28 Mar 1946, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 14 Jul 2021.
• “Final Hearing Of Proposed Bus Line Is On Apr 23” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 18 Apr 1946, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 14 Jul 2021.
• “W.A.F. Is Granted Transportation Bus Franchise” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 2 May 1946, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 14 Jul 2021.
• “For The Past Fifteen Years….” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 6 Jun 1946, 2. Newspapers.com. Web. 14 Jul 2021.
• “The W.A.F. Transportation Co…..” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 28 Nov 1946, 2. Newspapers.com. Web. 14 Jul 2021.
• “W.A.F. Transportation Co. Observes Its First Anniversary This Month” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 19 Jun 1947, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 14 Jul 2021.
• “Bus Service Of W.A.F. Company Is Discontinued” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 20 Apr 1950, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 14 Jul 2021.