First Student Acquires Safety Bus, Expands in New Jersey

First Student, a provider of student transportation to school districts across North America, is expanding its operations in the Northeast. The company has acquired Safety Bus, a trusted provider of school bus and motor coach transportation in New Jersey.

“We respect Safety Bus’ operations and admire the dedication they have shown to serve their communities over the past 60 years,” said First Student CEO and President John Kenning. “Their team is a great fit for First Student. We both continually seek a better way to do things with innovation, sustainable practices and operational excellence. We are excited to work together, leveraging our insights to deliver an extraordinary experience for all our customers and bus riders.”

Safety Bus is headquartered in Pennsauken, N.J. The company operates 106 vehicles with a team of 140 employees. Safety Bus was founded in 1960 and has steadily grown over the years to serve both school districts and charter customers. First Student will continue to operate all the company’s existing services.

“My family is proud of what we have accomplished over the past six decades, always focusing on providing high-quality transportation service,” said Jim Dugan, Safety Bus owner. “By combining operations, we can better serve our customers and passengers for generations to come. They will benefit from First Student’s commitment to invest in cutting-edge technologies and their fleet, including electric vehicles, ensuring a safer and cleaner ride to school or an event.”

Terms and conditions of the transaction were not disclosed.