Rush Truck Centres announced the acquisition of Leeds Transit, a leading Canadian bus dealership group covering Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes.

The newly formed division will operate under the name Rush Bus Centres of Canada and will function as a separate business unit within Rush Truck Centres of Canada.

As part of the acquisition, Rush Bus Centres will continue operations at Leeds Transit’s current dealership locations in Elgin, Ontario; Woodstock, Ontario; and St-Roch-de-l’Achigan, Quebec. The division will offer the full lineup of IC Bus and Collins Bus products throughout its regional territory.

“We are very excited to announce this transaction,” said Kevin G. Tallman, CEO of Rush Truck Centres of Canada. “Leeds Transit is a highly respected name in the bus industry. We are grateful to Kelly Backholm and his family for the opportunity to carry forward the legacy of this outstanding company. This acquisition supports our strategic goal to expand our geographic dealership footprint in Ontario and further diversify our product portfolio in Canada. I am pleased to welcome all Leeds Transit employees to the Rush Enterprises family, and we look forward to working with them to serve both existing and future bus customers across Eastern Canada.”

“After 55 years serving the Canadian bus market, Leeds Transit is very pleased that Rush Truck Centres of Canada will be leading our company forward. Rush Truck Centres is by far the best choice for all our employees and customers with their many service dealerships that were built on the same family values as ours," added Kelly Backholm, president, Leeds Transit. "To all our Leeds employees, past and present, I would like to say thank you on behalf of Aaron, Brennan and myself, it’s been one of the greatest honors of my life to work with you, and I’m looking forward to your continued success and growth.”