Jefferson Lines won’t be at new gas station

The future of the Jefferson Lines bus stop in Albert Lea is up in the air as Casey’s General Store has purchased Ole’s Eastside Shell on East Main Street. The sign at the station changed this week.

Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen said during the Monday City Council meeting that Casey’s officials told Jefferson Lines to look for another location.

The bus stop has been in Albert Lea for at least 16 years, said Kevin Pursey, director of marketing with Jefferson Lines. He said the deadline to be out of the present location is early January.

Pursey said the company has talked with some other businesses in the city about relocating there, but he could not comment more specifically on what locations until a decision is made. He said Jefferson Lines has also not ruled out further pursuing its location at the Casey’s store but noted Casey’s does not have a bus stop at any of its other stores.

Jefferson Lines wants the location in Albert Lea to not only be a bus stop but a ticket agent as well, he said.

At the Monday council meeting, 5th Ward Councilor Larry Anderson motioned city staff to draft a letter of support to keep the bus line stop in Albert Lea, whether at its present location or at a new one such as Trail’s Travel Center or Love’s Truck Stop.

Named after the Jefferson Highway — a north-south automobile highway that ran from Winnipeg, Canada, through Albert Lea and south to New Orleans — Jefferson Lines has service in 13 states, according to its website.

Casey’s is based in Ankeny, Iowa,  and, as of October, had 1,856 stores across the Midwest. The chain has plans to build or acquire 78 to 102 stores during 2014.