School Bus Rental Archives

6 Leading School Bus Rental Companies in Philadelphia

Posted on April 5, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Established in 1818, the Philadelphia school district is the eighth largest in terms of enrolment in the U.S. The school district operates 214 out of the 300 public schools and they include 149 elementary schools, 16 middle schools, and 49 high schools. The remaining public schools are operated by independent charter schools which are authorized by the school district.

A number of school bus rental companies operating in Philadelphia cater to the transportation needs of these children. Some of the top rental service providers are:

1: YellowBird Bus Company

Since 1981 YellowBird has been providing school bus services for the children of the greater Philadelphia area. Known for providing services on time and quoting competitive rates, it is considered to be one of the most reliable school bus service providers in the area.

Over the years, the company’s fleet has grown from about a dozen vehicles to more than 100 buses and carries hundreds of students on a daily basis to and from schools.

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YellowBird Bus Company is a family-owned business that provides safe rides to school children all over Philadelphia as well as the Bucks and Montgomery counties.

In addition to providing daily transportation services to school children, the company caters to bus needs for special events such as class field trips and wide array of private events. They include sports events, bachelor parties, wedding parties, and senior events, among many others.

2: David Thomas Transportation

The school bus rental company David Thomas Transportation operates the latest model school buses that can carry 16, 20, 48, and 50 students. The company also offers 14 passengers shuttle buses.

Their entire fleet has AM/FM Stereo Radio, Public Address System, CD player, and a cell phone for emergency calls. David Thomas also makes available air-conditioned school buses. They come with more headroom as they are designed for adults.

The company is well known in Philadelphia for operating school buses at affordable rates and providing safe transportation to school children. For chartered trips, the company offers services on all the 7 days of the week.

David Thomas Transportation, established in 2001, caters to the transportation needs of school children in and around the Philadelphia area.

The company also arranges buses for school field trips, after-school sporting events, and many other school activities. The air-conditioned school buses operated by David Thomas are licensed to travel even to destinations outside Pennsylvania.

Finally, the company ensures the buses are clean and well maintained and are driven safely by knowledgeable, friendly, and professional drivers, who always present themselves in uniform.

3: Maytav Bus Company

Maytav Bus operating in Philadelphia specializes in providing low-cost bus services for the metropolitan area. Maytav operates on rental basis on school bus routes for transporting students, taking them to and from school.

In addition, the company rents out buses for other school trips, day camps, senior groups, daycares, and private requirements.

Read Also: Top 10 School Bus Companies

Maytav has a professional set of staffs on their rolls. Further, Maytav’s busses are all equipped with a GPS device. This is to make sure that the passengers reach their destination on time without fail.

In addition to offering quality service all the time, Maytav ensures safe travel at very competitive rates.

4: Total Transportation Corp

The school bus and charter company Total Transportation serves NYC, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. With a professed mission to provide dependable and safe transportation services to its clients, TTc has been operating school bus and charter bus services for more than 40 years now.

Furthermore, the company is committed to offering distinctive and tailored services so as to address the needs of each client.

Total Transportation owns and operates several transportation companies. Mat Bus Corp is the company that operates transportation services for school students in the Philadelphia school district.

5: Durham School Services

Durham is a provider of safe and reliable school student transportation services across the United States of America, including Philadelphia.

The company transports over 1,000,000 students on a daily basis. Schools and school districts making use of their services don’t have to worry about capital for new buses, routing issues, driver recruitment and training, and bus breakdowns.

This is because the company has the expertise and experience in providing transportation services and nation-wide resources.

Durham School Services is a division of National Express LLC which is the subsidiary of the U.K. based National Express Group in North America.

At Durham, the safety of the children is the #1 priority. That’s why the company follows a nationally recognized fleet preventive maintenance program.

The history of Durham School Services can be traced to 1917 when it started its services with just three buses in San Gabriel Valley, California.

Back then, Durham was specialized in providing special education transportation. Today, the company owns over 16,300 school buses. They serve over 400 school districts across 31 states in the US.

6: First Student

This school bus rental service provider is more than one hundred years old. The company serves nearly 1,100 school districts for ferrying children from and to the schools all over North America.

First Student works very closely with all the school districts as they appreciate the fact that the requirements differ from one district to another. In fact, this company ferries a larger number of students on a daily basis than the people transported by airlines in the country.

Further, First Student is the only school bus transportation services company to be given the coveted Green Cross Safety Award by the National Safety Council. This is because the company focuses a lot on the safety of the students they transport from and to school.

That is why First Student has equipped its fleet with real-time tracking devices, efficient communication tools, digital cameras and Wi-Fi routers.

School Bus Rental Companies in Chicago

Posted on March 15, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Student transportation is wrought with complexities, though it is a fundamental issue to the school’s operation.

However, bus rental companies that are run by private transport contractors make the job easy by providing safe and reliable everyday transportation for the students to and from the schools.

Read Also: Top 10 School Bus Companies

This gives the chance for the school authorities to focus on the core assignment of education.

1. Alltown Bus Service, Inc.

For more than 27 years now the “Alltown Bus Service, Inc” has been providing safe, timely and reasonable bus service for school going children in Chicago.

They offer buses for field trips (in and out of the state) from the school, sports trips, and grad-nite celebrations. The drivers representing the organization are professionally trained and reliable.

The company operates over 600 buses over six different locations: with three locations spread over the suburbs of Skokie, Harvey and Decatur, the other three are scattered in the north, south and west sides of Chicago.

The fleet owned by the Alltown Bus Service Company consists of both modern and conventional style buses. They are also suited for transporting special needs students (lifts for physically challenged children, wheelchair accessible ramps, and air conditioning as a medical requirement for some students).

2. First Student

First Student is a 100+-year-old bus rental company that ferries children to and from their schools in North America. This company transports more students in total per day than all Airlines combined in the country.

They are connected to 1100 school districts for providing daily student transportation. In Chicago, they have offices in Skokie, Hodgkins and Elk Grove.

The company offers turnkey contracts as well as specific arrangements as required by specific schools. They are specific in appointing local people for operations and management.

For the parents and authorities, access to the local operations team is complete. The fleets are well maintained by trained and certified technicians.

The First Student buses are equipped with real-time tracking technology as well as relevant engagement and communications tools. The buses are also equipped with onboard Wi-Fi and digital cameras thus controlling student behaviour while on the bus.

3. AM Bus Company

The AM bus company is a family-owned business which has been operational since the year 1993. The mission of the company has been to provide safe, timely and reliable transportation for students to and from school daily. Their services are sought by numerous public schools in Chicago and they have over 2500 clients in the city and Chicago Park District.

4. Sunrise School Bus and Charter Services

Sunrise has been partnering with school districts for over 30 years now. The company offers regular bus transport for ferrying children to and from school daily, charter services for special school trips (field trips, sports trips, etc.) and transport services for students with special needs.

Sunrise buses are implemented with GPS systems so that the location of the buses can be tracked at all times. Their buses are well-maintained and they have a long track record of safety.

5. United Quick Transportation

This company has been working since the year 1990 with school districts, private and charter schools in providing daily transportation for students back and forth schools.

Their services are reliable, economical, environmentally friendly and safe. They also cater to school students’ field trips and sports groups that have to be taken to different places.

The driver acquiring procedure in United is done with great care. The drivers should be above 23 years of age and must have clean records with minimum three years’ driving experience.

The drivers should be adequately-trained by a certified team of mechanics and must be aware of the aides that are responsible to keep the buses well maintained.

6. Latino Express

Founded in 1988 Latino Express is one of the leading companies that provide daily student transportation for school districts, charter schools, day-cares, etc. The company runs over 36000 student rides in a year.

The company claims that its success is mainly due to its staff and drivers that help to transport the students safely every day. The company also specializes in transporting students with special needs.

By implementing GPS systems and digital cameras their entire fleet is modern and well equipped. Their bus fleet holds a Gold Level Green Fleet certificate which recognizes the company’s environmentally responsible practices.

7. Children’s Caravan Transportation, LLC

The service provided by Caravan Transportation is perfectly suited to transport the children of working parents to and from day-cares, private, public, and charter schools, and appointments that they have to keep up, etc.

The bus drivers have years of driving experience and are well trained in CPR and first-aid treatment. They are trustworthy and have the safety of the children as their utmost priority.

The pick-ups and drop-offs are timely and the parents are duly kept informed of route changes and any delays in pick-up or drop-offs.

The buses have entertainment options and maintained by qualified technicians. The children are picked up from and dropped off from their doorsteps or any specified designated location.

8. Walls Transportation, Inc.

Walls Transportation was established in 1977 as a family owned Transportation Company. Started with one school bus they grew large over the years, now having a fleet that has over 30 buses and other motor coaches. The school buses can carry from 16 to 71 passengers.

Contracted with the Public School System in Chicago, the buses run in several routes. The buses also transport homeless children and special education children.

Walls Transportation provides charter services to schools outside of Chicago as well. The company staffs are courteous, well-groomed and professionals.

Top 8 School Bus Rental Companies

Posted on March 11, 2019 by TSB Super Admin

Outsourcing transportation of students in a school has been successful in majority of the cases, where the authorities have partnered with private bus rental companies.

The transportation contract has stipulations under which the contractors work. This allows the authorities to focus more on the core function of education.

Schools usually engage private bus rentals when the school bus fleet is aged and there are no funds available for bus upgrades, increased transportation costs, and administrative headaches.

All these problems can be solved by outsourcing the school bus service. Private bus contractors have the singular aim of providing this service in the most cost-effective and efficient manner while maintaining the highest levels of safety and reliability. Some of the best-known school bus rental companies are listed below.

Read Also: Top 10 School Bus Companies

1. First Student, Ohio

First student ensures that students have a safe and reliable transport system to and from school. They are the leading school bus provider in the USA. With over 50000 employees and over 44000 school buses, they have transport contracts with over 1100 school districts.

Their Specialities

They provide end-to-end school bus transport solutions and route optimization advice
The staff and drivers are locally hired from among the familiar communities with a view to transporting the students safely
They have implemented technologies and innovations to improve operating performance, driver output and safety
They follow stringent maintenance programs to keep their fleet in a well-maintained condition
They have over 100 years of expertise in transportation

2. Royal Coach Tours, California

This company provides School Pupil Activity Bus services in California. This includes school-sponsored events such as Proms, Field trips, Sports events, Grad Nites, etc.

The buses are certified to transport children during school-sanctioned events. They have the requisite charter bus certification called SPAB (School Pupil Activity Bus) and are regulated by the California Highway Patrol.

Why they are special

They are extensively trained in defensive driving techniques, vehicle inspections, and mechanical flaw detection.
They offer modern fleets with different sizes of coaches, configurations and seating capacities; they have 56-seater, 47-seater, and 36-seater coaches
They have all the safety features that are required
They have been in business for about 60 years
Their buses are equipped with event data recorders, tire monitoring systems, and fire-fighting systems.

3. StorerCoachways, California

This company started off in the year 1952 when the need for transporting students with special needs increased. This company was founded by Walter and Gladys Storer after they submitted a bid and volunteered to transport 13 handicapped children from their homes to the school.

After the contract that was in force for one year, Storer Transportation Services was contracted to carry mentally retarded children to the Prescott School. Soon children with hearing and visual disabilities started using this service.

This company specialized in the door-to-door transport of these handicapped students. The original station wagons and stretch limousines that served as buses were painted school bus yellow and fitted with flashing lights. Some of the later vans of STS had electric lifts installed onto the rear side of the van.

Why they stand out

They have a modern fleet of motorcoaches.
They offer different sizes of coaches, configurations and seating capacities; they have 54-seater, 45-seater, and 21-seater and 11-seater coaches.
The coaches are embedded with the latest amenities.
Their rental rates are very competitive in the marketplace.

4. Transportation Charter Services, California

Transportation Charter Services (TCS) has been serving the people of Southern California with SPAB certified coaches for a long time now. The company services educational groups that are inbound in addition to local ones.

The company has been functional in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas for more than three decades now. The company’s mission has been to provide end-to-end safe, reliable and comfortable group transportation for any client.

Why choose TCS

The company has the highest safety rating in the charter bus industry
Their buses have all the amenities including luxury seating, Wi-Fi on board, and AV hook-ups.
The bus fleet are new (2008 model or newer)
The school buses can hold 54 passengers
The drivers are trained to be courteous and are always on time during the trip
The company staff is always willing for last-minute route or itinerary changes
The school buses are available for sports groups transfers, day trips or overnight trips from schools and ferrying students to and from campsites
The buses are SPAB certified
The buses undergo the requisite inspections by the CHP regularly (every 45 days or at the completion of 3000 miles), fully insured and licensed by the state

5. DATTCO, Inc, Connecticut

This company operates over 1000 school buses in Rhode Island and Connecticut every single day.The company is family owned and has been providing service for over six decades. DATTCO provides charter services to school groups of all sizes for different kinds of trips.

This company started providing school bus services in 1949 and now services over 30 school districts. The company currently transports over 110000 students on a daily basis during a school year.

Their Specialities

They have over six decades’ experience in transporting children to and from school
The company has a fleet size of 1350 school buses
Dattco is an authorized dealer for the IC brand of school buses
Their training & Safety department has two Master Instructors and 19 State Certified Instructors on rolls
They run student safety programs in schools
Their buses are designed to cater to special needs students
They are known for their high-quality driver training programs
The company provides an instantaneous and unique way for parents to find their ward’s route information
The company has 60 certified mechanics and 8 road service vehicles (fully-equipped)
DATTCO is affiliated to the Association of Boards of Education, State School Transportation Association and many more organizations connected to the administration of schools

6. The Free Enterprise System, Indiana

The company was started in the year 1976 as a family-owned business and they started serving the US Postal Service by hauling mail for them. They are still providing this service.

Maintaining consistent and superior levels of service they have been able to reach very high levels of reputation. They provide a gamut of services including school trips. They provide safe and premium transportation for school groups on their different trips.

Why Choose Free Enterprise

They have a diverse fleet and different coach options that can accommodate student groups of any size
Their coaches feature disc brakes, no tires that are recapped, automatic slack adjusters, reflective decals, LED lights, ABS brake systems, etc., among others
Their coach driver are chosen after a rigorous background check and are trained frequently
The coach drivers are subject to random drug screening
The drivers are regularly trained in customer service aspects

7. Northfield Lines, Minnesota

Benjamin Bus has been ferrying schoolchildren in Minnesota for many years now. Truly caring about the children they transport, they have established a reputation for themselves.

They work in close contact with the school district administration to plan their bus stops and bus routes. Their services include daily student transportation, special needs students’ transportation, and field trips for students, summer school and camp trips.

They are known for the expert training they provide to school bus drivers. In addition to behind-the-wheel training, they provide training manuals and videos to the drivers.

The new drivers are even subjected to a ride-along evaluation by a driver with experience. They have to attend regular safety meetings. The drivers have to do a pre-trip safety check before any bus departure.

Why they stand out

They are experts in routing and scheduling
They adhere to strict fleet preventive maintenance schedules with first-rate facilities and equipment
They conduct numerous school bus safety programs for school children and the school authorities
They subject their drivers to random drug testing procedures

8. Arrow Stage Lines, Nebraska

Started in the year 1928, this company provides many services including school bus rentals. This bus rental company offers school bus transportation for students in select markets such as Omaha and Lincoln in Nebraska.

With a high safety record, the bus service providers are known for their on-time record. Their buses are known to travel long distances without any kind of mechanical disruption.

Their specialities

They employ top drivers and have a nationwide network operating in many states. They follow an elaborate preventive maintenance system. Their drivers are well trained in safety procedures, customer service and operational procedures.

They are expected to be physically fit from the fitness tests that held regularly. The company is known to have invested millions of dollars on its buses to keep customers safe.

Wrap Up

School districts are under great pressure to deliver safety to the students and to give them a good quality education experience. Contracting student transportation helps the school districts to make substantial savings which they can redirect to making education better and therefore more sought after.