Longtime pupil transportation stalwart Barry Stock announced that he will retire at the end of July.

Stock, currently executive vice president of business development for National Express Corp., has been a fixture in the school bus industry since he launched Stock School Transport in 1988.

The company, based in Ontario, Canada, merged with two other school bus companies in 1992 to form Stock Transportation. The Stock family grew the business to 2,200 buses before it was acquired by National Express in 2002.

(National Express also operates Durham School Services in the U.S.)

“Barry has made tremendous contributions to the school bus industry, Stock Transportation and Durham School Services,” said John Elliott, president and CEO of National Express. “He is a well-known and respected leader in the industry who has been instrumental in advancing our business to where it is today.”

Stock has been affiliated with many industry groups during his years in student transportation. He served as president of the National School Transportation Association from 2008-09, and he has been a key figure in the American School Bus Council.

“I am proud to have been associated with such great talent within these industry organizations as we have collectively worked to positively position the school transportation industry,” Stock said.

In 1997, Stock was named SCHOOL BUS FLEET’s Contractor of the Year. Then, Terry Thomas, president of Community Bus Services in Ohio, pointed to Stock's innovative ideas as one of the major reasons for his success.

"He is in the business of doing the right things the right way," Thomas said in an interview with SBFat the time. "He has a commitment to excellence, and he doesn't just use it as a buzz word."

In announcing his retirement, Stock described his career in pupil transportation as “exhilarating and rewarding” and said he is grateful for the colleagues and customers he has worked with.

“I am comfortable that the time is right to retire,” Stock said. “I know Durham School Services and Stock Transportation have a strong leadership team in place and that these companies are well-positioned for the future.”