Multiple private school bus contractor companies have recently announced new business deals, ranging from acquisitions and new districts to one name change. Here's what's new.

Student Transportation of Canada Acquires Ontario Contractor

Student Transportation of Canada, the Canadian division of Student Transportation of America, acquired G&L Stevenson Transport Ltd., effective July 31, 2026.

Based in Emeryville, Ontario, Stevenson operates over 120 school buses, serving the Windsor Essex Student Transportation Services Consortium. The acquisition grows STC’s footprint in eastern Canada.

According to the announcement, the Stevenson family has chosen to retire from the business they have operated since 1964.

“We are delighted to welcome Stevenson to STC,” said Chris Harwood, president of STC. "Our philosophy is simple: local teams know their communities best. The drivers, mechanics, dispatchers, trainers, and office staff who support students and customers each day make the decisions that matter most. Our role is to provide additional resources, expertise, and opportunities while preserving the local identity and values that have made Stevenson successful for over six decades.”

STC said it will work closely with Stevenson’s leadership and employees to ensure a seamless transition for customers and staff, and day-to-day operations will continue without interruption.

Durham School Services Grows California Footprint

In early August, Durham School Services announced it was selected by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) as its new student transportation partner. Durham and CCCOE will work together through 2031 to provide transportation to its students. Durham previously served the Concord community and CCCOE for several years and said it is excited to serve them once again.

For CCCOE, Durham will operate 64 special education routes with a fleet of 71 buses. Each bus will be equipped with Samsara, Zonar, and Seon technologies. Local operations are being led by General Manager Julie Cortez.

This latest service area expansion builds on several California partnerships announced by Durham earlier this year, including Alhambra and Val Verde. With the addition of CCCOE, Durham now serves over 350 schools in California.

Pennsylvania District Extends Partnership with Matthews Bus Company

The West Jefferson Hills School District and Matthews Bus Company celebrated a 60-plus year partnership by announcing their six-year contract extension through 2032. The team will continue to run 60 routes for the school district, including regular education, special education, and extended school year services.

“The West Jefferson Hills School District is thankful for the ongoing partnership with Matthews Bus Company,” said Dr. Janet Sardon, superintendent, West Jefferson Hills School District. “We are fortunate to have dedicated, hardworking drivers and monitors who put the best interest of the students first every day. In addition, the mechanics, routers, managers, and safety personnel continuously make certain our buses are well kept, safe on the roads and travel the most efficient routes. We look forward to the ongoing partnership for our schools and community.”

First Student Gains N.J. Contract

According to records found online, the Howell Township Board of Education entered into a New Jersey Department of Education multi-route student transportation contract with First Student for the 2026-2027 school year. The agreement is valued at $234,900 and covers nine public school routes from the Morganville terminal between September 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027.

Minnesota Coaches Changes to Reliant Student Transport, Acquires HALO Transportation

Minnesota Coaches is set to rebrand, with its name heading into retirement over the next 18 months, according to Tom Nightingale, CEO, Reliant Transportation Group, the business' new parent company.

"Our business is on a significant growth trajectory, and the new name is meant to preserve and honor the legacy of Minnesota Coaches while providing a strong brand foundation to support geographic expansion and strategic investment as we continue to scale," Nightingale told School Bus Fleet. "The Reliant name reflects our collective value, that customers can confidently rely on us to deliver on our promises."

Each school bus operating company under the parent company will maintain its unique name and branding to preserve and reinforce the ties to the local communities they serve, the company explained.

The company also recently acquired Halo Transportation, which serves the Fridley, Anoka-Hennepin, Spring Lake Park school district. Their corporate office will remain in Hastings. Its name will remain on the side of the company’s vehicles, and there will be no changes to routes served or interruption to the service students, families, and the community depend on, Nightingale explained.

“HALO Transportation is a labor of love, and I’m so proud of what our team has built over the years and the capable hands that we are in going forward,” said Mike Severson, who founded HALO17 years ago. “Time and again, when school districts had complex routes or needed someone they could trust, our team stepped up and delivered. As I planned for the company’s next phase, it was critical to find a buyer that was committed to keeping our culture, team and outstanding service to local communities intact. Reliant was the clear choice.”

Since HALO started in 2010, the business has grown to more than 70 vehicles and 80 employees. Severson will remain part of the HALO team through a transition period before retiring after 47 years in the school transportation industry.

Minnesota Coaches was founded by the Regan family in 1959. Today, it has over 20 other service centers across the Upper Midwest and a combined fleet of over 1,300 school buses, motorcoaches, and other vehicles.