This year, we’re proud to celebrate a major milestone, 50 years of Crestline! Since 1975, Crestline has grown from a small Saskatchewan start-up into a trusted leader in EMS and specialty vehicle manufacturing.
Crescent Cabulance: The Beginning of Accessible Transportation
Before Crestline, there was Crescent, an ambulance service founded by three young paramedics committed to accessible transportation. To complement their emergency services, they launched Crescent Cabulance in 1971, a non-emergency transportation solution for individuals who couldn’t use taxis to reach medical appointments. Their first vehicle, “The Cabulance,” was equipped with a lift and made its first trip transporting residents from Cedar Villa’s Nursing Home to University Hospital.
After purchasing a second van due to demand for wheelchair transportation, the “Wheelchair Handicab” came onto the scene to bring passengers to and from appointments.
Crestline’s bus division has grown from humble beginnings that started in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, into one of Canada’s leading commercial bus dealerships. In 2000, they entered the Quebec market with some contract in Montreal, which then grew to getting contracts in the rest of the province. Over the decades, what started as a regional operation has expanded coast to coast, with sales and service centres now spanning the entire country. Crestline offers a wide range of buses tailored for public transit, healthcare, education, and shuttle services, including models from top brands like ARBOC, StarTrans, and Forest River Bus. Our products are catered and designed for our wide range of customers throughout Canada, including high-floor and low-floor accessible buses, as well as passenger vans.
In 1980, Crestline made their first purpose-built wheelchair-accessible transportation van for Rosetown Hospital in Saskatchewan. It featured a hydraulic lift, full-height headroom, and dual-position seating with secure restraints. That early project set the tone for everything that followed: a commitment to building vehicles that are inclusive, reliable and provide mobility to everyone.
In 1983, the Edmonton Ambulance Authority purchased an empty Orion bus and tasked Crestline with converting it into a Multiple Patient Unit (MPU) that could transport up to five patients on cots. Even decades ago, Crestline’s skilled engineering team delivered complex bus conversions—custom-built to meet strict specifications and designed with passenger safety as the top priority.
By the mid-1980s, Crestline was building its own Handivan buses, recognizing their production similarities to ambulances. The accumulated decades of knowledge of both buses and ambulances ensured that every customer received the right vehicle for their needs. This 1984 Handivan, equipped with a Fleury lift, was delivered to St. Ann’s Nursing Home in Saskatoon, SK.
To support its growing customer base, Crestline acquired Ambucraft in 1983—an Alberta-based competitor that distributed Handibuses manufactured by Girardin in Cambridge, ON. Crestline’s successful acquisition allowed the company to enter the bus market and better serve customers in Alberta, resulting in the sale of over 800 new and used vehicles between 1983 and 1994.
From the early days to today, Crestline has been proud to serve communities of all sizes and support mobility for all. In the early 1980s, the company supplied many small towns with their first Handibus equipped with wheelchair lifts, offering residents a newfound sense of freedom that remains central to Crestline’s mission today.
Over time, demand grew among nursing homes and commercial customers for buses with larger passenger capacity.
By the late 80s and early 90s, Crestline delivered buses throughout Canada. In 1989, we delivered a Goshen Ford to Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, AB—reflecting our ongoing commitment to supporting the healthcare needs of our communities.
Crestline has a strong history of serving large fleet requirements. In 1990, we delivered four Goshen Ford buses to the City of Yorkton, SK.
In 1991, Crestline delivered a Girardin Ford bus with a wheelchair lift to Carman, MB—helping the community take a big step forward in accessible transportation.
Crestline’s goal has always been and will always be to deliver Canada’s top bus brands, provide exceptional value, and meet Canadian specification requirements. Originally started out as a bus manufacturer, Crestline successfully evolved into a leading distributor representing multiple premium brands. Today, Crestline is laser-focused on partnering with tier-one suppliers to ensure our customers receive only the best vehicles. We have also dedicated resources to support our diverse customer base across Canada, leveraging our engineering expertise for custom orders and offering tendering assistance to smaller healthcare facilities.
Forest River Bus
Having accumulated over 20 years of experience and producing over 100,000 buses for more than 10,000 customers across North America, Forest River has an impressive portfolio and is leading the way in minibus manufacturing. Forest River and Crestline’s partnership strengthens the relationship with companies such as Ford and GM, which provides a stable supply of chassis readily available for our customers.
ARBOC
Crestline is proud to partner with ARBOC, which is part of the NFI Group, the largest manufacturer of zero-emission buses in North America and the United Kingdom. With over 3.5 million square feet of manufacturing space across 14 production sites, NFI can produce more than 8,000 buses annually. ARBOC’s low-floor cutaway buses are an excellent choice for transit, paratransit, and shuttle services. In addition to other well-respected NFI brands such as New Flyer, Alexander Dennis, and MCI, ARBOC enhances Crestline’s ability to provide high-quality, accessible, and efficient mobility solutions.
Since the very beginning, Crestline has proudly delivered best-in-class bus solutions to Canadians. From high- and low-floor buses to passenger vans, we offer a wide range of layout options- backed by our expert engineering team. As Canada’s only bus dealer dedicated to fully tailored solutions, we’ve consistently delivered on our promise to support every customer, now and into the future.
Today, we have delivered more than 4,000 buses and vans across Canada. Whether it’s public transit, healthcare, or accessible mobility, Crestline is proud to support organizations that keep our communities connected and moving.
Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter in Mobility and Care
As we celebrate 50 years of Crestline, we’re not only reflecting on where we’ve been, but looking ahead to where we’re going. What began as a mission to provide accessible transportation has grown into a legacy of innovation, reliability, and community partnership. The road ahead is filled with opportunity, and we remain committed to building vehicles that put people first, ensuring comfort, safety, and accessibility for generations to come. Here’s to the next 50 years of driving care forward.
