CINCINNATI — First Student Inc. and Mile Square Transportation, a yellow school bus service in lower Westchester County, New York, announced a joint venture to provide student transportation services in the Hudson Valley, Westchester and Bronx areas in New York under the name First Mile Square LLC.

The new venture will build on Mile Square’s customer relationships, existing fleet and staff and First Student’s safety practices, training programs and scalable resource model. First Mile Square will continue to be based in Yonkers, and Mile Square President Horacio Rodriguez will maintain a senior leadership role in the new venture.

An Argentinian immigrant, Rodriguez began his school bus company in 1990 with one vehicle. Today, Mile Square Transportation has about 460 yellow school buses that are housed in seven locations throughout lower Westchester.    

“It has been sometimes overwhelming running the business alone," Rodriguez said. "I believe First Student will provide the expertise, support, training and access to technological advances needed to ensure Mile Square Transportation’s future success.”

“It is a privilege to serve Hudson Valley, Westchester and the Bronx, and to lend our support to the trusted relationships that have been built here,” First Student President Dennis R. Maple added. “Our focus throughout this transition has been on the vitality of the local community. The First Student vision of ‘keeping people moving and communities prospering’ is what we are committed to continuing as First Mile Square.”

First Mile Square will be fully operational by Sept. 1, officials said.

“We will take on an even greater role in the service of our community and will keep focused on continually improving safety and reliability," Rodriguez said. "After all, we are carrying our children, who are precious cargo. They are our first concern — and will always be the first priority at First Mile Square.”