Trobec's Bus Service

What Trobec's Bus Service does

Trobec's Bus Service Inc. is a privately held, family-owned transportation company headquartered at 618 21st Ave NE in St. Joseph, Minnesota, with operations dating to 1938. The company operates three business lines: contracted daily school bus transportation for K-12 districts (Sartell, St. Stephen, and St. Cloud) using a fleet of 65 school buses; charter motor coach rentals leveraging MCI deluxe coaches in 56-passenger and 38-passenger configurations; and ancillary commercial vehicle repair and DOT inspection services. Motor coaches are equipped with on-board Wi-Fi, individual climate controls, ADA-compliant wheelchair lifts, GPS tracking, camera monitoring, and audiovisual systems, supporting premium charter pricing for weddings, corporate events, athletic teams, and field trips.

The company's geographic footprint is regional for school bus contracts (Central Minnesota) and effectively national for charter, holding interstate authority since 1981 to operate in 49 U.S. states plus Canada. Trobec's generates revenue primarily through one-time charter rentals (quote-based pricing with deposits), recurring multi-year school district contracts, and professional services for fleet repair. The business is sales-led and direct-to-consumer, relying on phone outreach, online quote forms, and repeat district relationships rather than digital marketing.

Leadership transitioned to the third generation in 2025 when sisters Bethany Bertram (CEO) and Becca Atkinson (President) purchased the company from their father Tim Schubert, retaining the woman-owned, family-operated structure. The leadership team has been professionalized with dedicated roles for operations, routing, safety, sales, recruiting, and dispatch. The company holds the highest FMCSA safety rating and reports a 4.8-star Google rating and 96% Facebook approval, with 250,000+ students transported over its operating history.

Name

Trobec's Bus Service

Legal name

Trobec's Bus Service Inc.

Website

https://trobecsbus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Trobec's Bus Service is a family-owned, woman-led transportation company founded in 1938 and based in St. Joseph, Minnesota, providing contracted school bus routes for Central Minnesota districts, charter motor coach rentals across the U.S., and commercial vehicle repair services from a fleet of 65 school buses and deluxe MCI motor coaches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter and School Bus Transportation Services

NAICS

School and Employee Bus Transportation (48541), Charter Bus Industry (48551), School and Employee Bus Transportation (485410), Charter Bus Industry (4855), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (485210)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

School Bus Transportation Operations (Home-to-School, Field Trips, Athletics) (EDAEADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

School & Youth Group Charters (Non-Route) (THAIAIAD), Long-Distance/Overnight Charter Coaches (THAIAIAL), Coach & Bus Charter Fleet Rental (With/Without Driver) (TLABADAE), School & Public Transit Contract Bus Operators (TLAFAGAE)

Keywords

• Charter bus services
• School bus transportation
• Motor coach rental
• Group transportation services
• Commercial vehicle repair

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Stephen

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Charter Bus Rentals: One-time rental of motor coaches for events including weddings, corporate events, athletic teams, and field trips. Pricing based on itinerary, distance, and vehicle type. Deposits required to hold reservations.
2. School Bus Transportation Services: Contracted daily school bus routes for school districts (Sartell, St. Stephen, St. Cloud). Services include daily pick-up/drop-off, athletic transportation, and field trips. Long-term and short-term contracts available.
3. Vehicle Repair and Maintenance Services: Commercial vehicle repair, DOT inspections, preventive maintenance, and cleaning services for trucks, buses, and other large vehicles. Free estimates provided.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trobec's Bus Service provides motor coach and school bus transportation across Central Minnesota, including 56- and 38-passenger deluxe MCI motor coach charters, a fleet of 65 school buses serving the Sartell, St. Stephen, and St. Cloud school districts, and tailored charter services for weddings, corporate events, athletic teams, and school field trips. The company also operates a commercial vehicle repair and DOT inspection service for trucks, buses, and motorcoaches. Vehicle amenities include WiFi, restroom, ADA wheelchair access, individual climate controls, and audiovisual systems.

Product overview

Trobec's Bus Service operates as a transportation service provider offering charter and school bus services. The core portfolio includes motor coach rentals (56-passenger and 38-passenger deluxe motor coaches), school bus services (a fleet of 65 school buses), and various charter services for weddings, corporate events, and athletic teams. The company also provides vehicle repair and maintenance services for commercial fleets. The products are organized by vehicle type and service occasion, with charter services covering field trips, corporate transportation, and wedding events alongside the main school bus and motor coach rental offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Bus Services Daily school bus routes and chartered school bus services for districts including Sartell, St. Stephen, and St. Cloud, using a fleet of 65 yellow school buses each accommodating up to 77 school-aged children (3 per seat) or 60 adult passengers. Trobec's has 75+ years of student transportation experience and holds the highest FMCSA safety rating.
• 56-Passenger Deluxe Motor Coach Top-of-the-line MCI motor coach seating up to 56 passengers with luxury amenities including Wi-Fi, plush reclining seats with foot/arm rests, individual climate control air vents, ADA wheelchair lift and accessible restroom, on-vehicle restroom, tinted windows, reading lights with cup holders, spacious overhead compartments, secure baggage bay, and P/A system with six video monitors and CD/DVD/VCR capability.
• 38-Passenger Deluxe Motor Coach Smaller-group luxury motor coach seating up to 38 passengers featuring jumbo windows, extra legroom, plush seats, power outlets, USB ports, restroom, overhead compartments, and PA system with video monitors.
• Charter Bus Services Motor coach and school bus charter rentals for various occasions including corporate events, field trips, athletic team transportation, and special events, with professional drivers, door-to-door service, and customized itineraries. Pricing is quote-based on itinerary, distance, and vehicle type, with a $100 deposit to hold reservation and balance due 30 days prior to departure.
• Wedding Transportation Services Luxury wedding shuttle and charter services including hotel and airport pick-ups, ceremony-to-reception transportation, and bachelor/bachelorette party charters. A 24-passenger minicoach option is positioned specifically for shuttling wedding parties, with door-to-door service by professional chauffeurs familiar with Central Minnesota venues. A $200 damage deposit applies when alcohol is served on board.
• Corporate Meeting and Event Charter Corporate shuttle bus service for meetings, team-building events, conferences, employee appreciation events, and executive travel. Features mobile workspaces with tables, Wi-Fi, and power/USB outlets on luxury motor coaches, eliminating navigation, traffic, and parking stress for groups.
• Athletic Team Bus Charters Charter bus rentals for sports teams, coaches, and equipment using 77-passenger school buses, 56-passenger motor coaches, and 38-passenger motor coaches with secure baggage bays and overhead storage for gear and luggage. Vehicles accommodate up to 56 passengers per coach plus equipment.
• School Field Trip Transportation Field trip transportation for schools using chartered school buses, standard school buses, and luxury motor coaches with professional drivers trained in student safety protocols. Real-time GPS tracking is available during school events, and the company has safely moved over 250,000 students across 80+ years of operation.
• Large Vehicle Repair and Maintenance Services Commercial vehicle repair, DOT inspections, preventive maintenance, heating/cooling, electrical repairs, and fleet cleaning services for trucks, buses, motorcoaches, and other large vehicles, served from Central Minnesota. Free estimates are provided to external fleet customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Safely transported over 250,000 students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• United Motorcoach Association (UMA)coreOthersIndustry association membership providing networking, advocacy, and resources for motorcoach operators. Logo displayed on company website footer as member organization.
• American Bus AssociationcoreOthersTrade association for the bus industry offering resources, industry standards, and advocacy. Logo displayed on company website.
• Minnesota School Bus Operators Association (MSBOA)coreOthersState association for school bus operators in Minnesota. CEO Bethany Bertram serves on the Board of Directors. Company adheres to MSBOA standards.
• National School Transportation Association (NSTA)coreOthersNational organization representing school transportation contractors. Company is a member and adheres to NSTA standards and best practices.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Coach USA: Large nationwide charter and scheduled motorcoach operator with multiple brand subsidiaries across the U.S. Comparable to Trobec's charter motor coach business but operating at significantly larger scale and broader geography.
• Durham School Services: Major North American school bus and student transportation contractor operating across dozens of states. Comparable to Trobec's contracted daily route business for school districts; broader geographic footprint but similar core service.
• First Student: Largest K-12 student transportation provider in North America, operating a fleet of tens of thousands of school buses under contracts with school districts. Direct comparator to Trobec's contracted school bus business, but at vastly larger scale and with national reach.

Regional players

• Jefferson Lines: Intercity motor coach carrier serving the Midwest including Minnesota. Comparable to Trobec's charter and long-distance motor coach operations in the same regional market, though focused on scheduled route service rather than charter.
• Schmitty & Sons: Minnesota-based school bus and charter transportation operator serving the Twin Cities metro and surrounding areas. Direct regional competitor for both school district contracts and charter work in the Minnesota market.

Direct peers

• Executive Coach: Charter bus and motor coach operator based in the upper Midwest. Closely comparable to Trobec's premium charter offering for corporate events, weddings, and athletic team transportation in overlapping regional markets.
• Anderson Bus Lines: Minnesota-based charter bus and motor coach operator serving schools, sports teams, and corporate clients. Directly comparable to Trobec's charter motor coach service line in similar regional markets.
• Kohlman Bus Service: School bus transportation contractor operating in Minnesota. Most directly comparable to Trobec's contracted school bus business for Minnesota school districts at similar regional scale.

Others

• National School Transportation Association (NSTA): Industry trade association for school transportation contractors of which Trobec's is a member. Comparable as an ecosystem/peer relationship rather than direct competitor, providing industry standards and advocacy.

Emerging players

• Landline (Motorcoach): Tech-enabled intercity bus service that integrates motor coach travel with air and rail networks. Comparable to Trobec's charter and intercity motor coach capabilities through a different distribution model (digital-first booking).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TrobecsBus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trobec's Bus Service