Lakefield’s family-owned Ellwood Hamilton Bus Lines has been purchased by Burlington’s family-owned Attridge Transportation Inc.
Attridge Transportation made the announcement on Wednesday (September 30).
“It’s strong reputation in the region and dedicated staff attracted us to Elwood Hamilton,” write president Glenn Attridge and director of operations James Attridge in a statement. “We believe that every aspect of Ellwood Hamilton aligns with our mission.”
Ellwood Hamilton Bus Lines was established in 1969 by Ellwood Hamilton, starting with a station wagon and growing to provide transportation services for more than 70 school bus routes in Peterborough and area.
The current owner, Lisa Hamilton-Howie, will be retiring the day after when Attridge Transportation takes over — which also happens to be the day her father Ellwood celebrates his 80th birthday.
“My father built a legacy and he did the unthinkable,” Hamilton-Howie writes on Facebook. “He grew and he expanded and I have continued to expand and as of today, with the recent acquired routes from First Student, we are handing over 75 routes to Glenn and James Attridge.”
A huge THANK YOU for all of the love and support I have received since yesterday’s announcement. I didn’t choose the…
Posted by Lisa Hamilton-Howie on Thursday, October 1, 2020
Based in Burlington, Attridge Transportation had a similar trajectory. It was founded in 1976 with two taxis and two station wagons, and grew to include more than 1,400 buses, 36 coaches, and six locations.
Attridge Transportation currently provides transportation services to various school boards in the Greater Toronto Area and, effective Tuesday (October 6), will begin operating the Ellwood Hamilton routes for Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO).
Attridge Transportation will continue to use the Ellwood Hamilton name on local buses and all Ellwood Hamilton bus drivers and staff will retain their jobs.
“We have been working hard behind the scenes to make the transition as easy as possible for all stakeholders including drivers, mechanics, dispatchers, consortium staff, students, and parents,” Glenn and James Attridge write.
“We look forward to working with the great team here in Lakefield and are proud to provide continuous growth and stability in the communities we service.”
