Ontario-based school bus contractor Landmark Transportation entered into an agreement to purchase Sinton Transportation and sealed the deal March 15.
Landmark Principal Barry Stock told STN that having a customer in Simcoe County marks a return to the company’s original roots in student transportation. Jerry and Jeff Stock operated Stock Bros. Bus Lines in Simcoe County during the 1960s and 1970s.
“The synergies of awarded Landmark and Sinton routes with current Sinton facilities, combined with the operations that Sinton had with two other significant customers, made the marriage of the two companies attractive,” said Stock.
He added that Landmark plans to retain all Sinton managers, staff and school bus drivers.
“The Sintons, and their staff, have developed a business focused on safety, reliability and responsiveness,” said John Turney, Landmark vice president of operations. “Drivers would stay on their present routes, maintaining consistency for students and their families.”
Floyd Sinton launched Sinton Bus in 1952 and worked alongside wife Barb and son Stan. Stock noted that Stan took over operations and grew the business considerably, before passing away in 2009.
“We are proud of our history,” said Floyd Sinton. “Over 60 years in the school bus Industry for myself, 45 years for Barb and over 20 years for Stan. We proudly gave all we could to the industry, trying to improve it for our employees and the communities we served.”
Landmark will acquire all of the equipment and facilities of Sinton Transportation, including the service yards in Barrie, Collingwood and Newmarket. In addition, Landmark plans to open a new site in Alliston by September.
Last fall Sinton’s largest customer, Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium, put approximately 500 routes out for RFP, and Stock said Landmark was successful in obtaining approximately half of those routes. Sinton retained a number of routes, but their overall allotment was down, he explained.
“We’re proud to be continuing Sinton Transportation’s tradition of safely serving the families and schools of York and Simcoe County,” Turney said.
