CINCINNATI – First Student announces the completion of its acquisition of the Dufresne Group, a Montreal-based provider of school transportation, coach and transit passenger services. The acquisition expands First Student’s home-to-school operations in Eastern Canada.
Established in 1955, the Dufresne Group has delivered safe and reliable school bus transportation daily to thousands of students. The acquisition is a significant milestone in First Student’s growing operations, bringing a fleet of 542 vehicles and providing service to nine education consortiums. First Student operates under its Autobus Transco brand in the province and is the leader in school bus transportation.
“Bringing together the best of the Dufresne Group and First Student’s industry-leading innovation will enhance the bus riding experience for our new student passengers in Eastern Canada,” said First Student CEO and President John Kenning. “We welcome the exceptional team from the Dufresne Group, along with their dedication to ensuring every student has a great beginning and end to the school day.”
“Autobus Transco and Dufresne Group share the vision in operational excellence and delivery of best-in-class transportation solutions to our customers,” said Dufresne Group Owner and President Bernard Roy. “We believe in a bright future of continued service excellence and growth under the new ownership.”
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to applicable contractual and regulatory approvals.
KPMG served as the financial and tax advisor. McCarthy Tetrault served as legal counsel, and Strata Environmental advised for real estate and environmental.
About First Student
As a leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. With a team of highly trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of about 46,600 buses. For more information, visit firststudentinc.com.