NAPERVILLE, Ill. — FirstGroup’s pending acquisition of Laidlaw International is expected to close in the first week of October, company officials said.

The two companies said they are nearing final agreements with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Group of State Attorneys General.

The deal would position the largest school bus contractor in North America — Laidlaw Education Services — under U.K.-based FirstGroup, which is the parent company of the second largest contractor — First Student.

With the acquisition, FirstGroup would own more than 60,000 school buses in North America.