Suffolk Transportation Service

What Suffolk Transportation Service does

Suffolk Transportation Service, Inc., together with its operating affiliate Suffolk Bus Corp., is a privately held, family-owned ground transportation company headquartered in Bay Shore, New York, operating exclusively within Suffolk County, Long Island. Founded in 1922, the company runs a fleet of more than 1,800 vehicles and a workforce of 2,800-3,000 employees across 15 facilities, providing four service lines: K-12 school transportation for 31 districts serving 62,000+ children daily, public transit (Suffolk County Transit) through a public-private partnership, paratransit and door-to-door adult transportation for special-needs riders, and charter services for events and corporate clients. The company is led by second-generation President and CEO John J. Corrado.

The business model is anchored in long-duration managed-services contracts with government and institutional buyers, supplemented by per-trip charter revenue and ridership-based fare collection. Pricing on the enterprise side is negotiated through RFPs with school districts and the county, while charter services are priced per booking through direct phone and online channels; transit fares are collected via the FastFare mobile wallet and traditional fare systems. Technology is built around three proprietary or integrated layers: WheresTheBus, a GPS parent communication portal; TransLoc, a real-time transit tracking and ridership-analytics platform; and FastFare, a mobile ticketing application. Adjacent capabilities include digital video surveillance, Child-Check motion-sensor safety systems, and advanced route-mapping software intended to reduce district transportation spend.

Revenue concentration sits primarily with public-sector counterparties (Suffolk County government and K-12 school districts), with secondary exposure to nonprofit healthcare and human-services organizations (AHRC Suffolk, Head Injury Association, Maryhaven Center of Hope). The company is differentiated by regulatory compliance credentials (99% NYS DOT inspection pass rate, consecutive perfect safety scores, 99% TSA threat-assessment score), industry awards (60+, including National School Bus Contractor of the Year), 150+ years of combined executive transportation experience, and a recently initiated electric-bus fleet program funded via a 2020 DERA grant, an offensive strategic move positioning the company for clean-energy mandates and continued school district renewals.

Name

Suffolk Transportation Service

Legal name

Suffolk Transportation Service, Inc.

Website

https://suffolkbus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Suffolk Transportation Service is a family-owned, Suffolk County-based ground transportation operator providing K-12 school bus, public transit, paratransit, and charter services across a 1,800+ vehicle fleet. It serves 31 school districts, the Suffolk County government, and special-needs adults under President/CEO John J. Corrado.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

School Transportation Services

NAICS

School and Employee Bus Transportation (485410), School and Employee Bus Transportation (4854), Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113)

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

Regional/County Public Bus Operators (THAIAEAB), School & Youth Group Charters (Non-Route) (THAIAIAD)

Keywords

• School bus services
• Public transit services
• Paratransit transportation
• Charter bus services
• Student transportation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bay Shore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. School Transportation Services: Contracted school bus transportation services for school districts throughout Suffolk County. Company serves 31 school districts and agencies transporting more than 62,000 school children each day through long-term contractual relationships.
2. Public Transit Services: Public transportation throughout Suffolk County operating as a public private partnership between Suffolk County and Suffolk Bus Corp. Revenue generated through fare collection via FastFare app and traditional fare systems.
3. Adult and Special Needs Transportation: Transportation services for adults with special physical and emotional needs, including services for organizations like AHRC Suffolk, Head Injury Association, and Maryhaven Center of Hope. Door-to-door paratransit service.
4. Charter Services: Charter bus services for field trips, athletic trips, weddings, corporate shuttles, summer camps, airport transportation, and wheelchair accessible transportation. Booked directly by customers via phone or online form.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Suffolk Transportation Service and its operating subsidiary Suffolk Bus Corp. provide student transportation for 31 K-12 school districts, public transit and paratransit services for Suffolk County, specialized adult and special-needs transportation for nonprofit organizations, and charter bus services for events and trips. A fleet of more than 1,800 vehicles is supported by proprietary GPS tracking, mobile ticketing, and route optimization technology.

Product overview

Suffolk Transportation Service operates as a transportation services company with two main divisions: Suffolk Transportation Service, Inc. (school transportation) and Suffolk Bus Corp. (public transit). The company provides a portfolio of integrated transportation services including school bus services serving 31 districts and over 62,000 children daily, public transit (Suffolk County Transit) with fixed-route and paratransit services, adult transportation for special needs passengers, and charter services with multiple vehicle types. Technology products including WheresTheBus (GPS parent tracking app), FastFare (mobile ticketing), and TransLoc (real-time transit tracking) complement the core transportation offerings. The fleet consists of over 1,800 school buses and approximately 275 transit/paratransit vehicles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Transportation Services Contracted daily school bus transportation for K-12 students across 31 school districts and agencies in Suffolk County, transporting more than 62,000 school children each day. Includes pre-K transportation, special-needs transportation, field trips, and athletic trips. Equipped with GPS tracking, digital video surveillance, and Child-Check safety systems.
• Suffolk County Transit (Fixed-Route and Paratransit) Public transportation service providing fixed-route bus and curb-to-curb paratransit service for elderly and disabled passengers throughout Suffolk County. Operates 195 paratransit buses and 78 transit buses with approximately 555 team members, serving 10,000+ passengers daily. Operated by Suffolk Bus Corp. in partnership with Suffolk County.
• Adult Transportation Services Door-to-door and specialized transportation for adults with physical, intellectual, and emotional special needs. Serves organizations including AHRC Suffolk, Head Injury Association, and Maryhaven Center of Hope for medical appointments, day programs, and community access. Drivers are specially trained in sensitivity and dignity-for-all-students-act (DASA) protocols.
• Charter Bus Services Charter bus rental for field trips, athletic events, weddings, corporate shuttles, summer camps, and airport transportation. Includes wheelchair-accessible options. Vehicle types include school buses, activity buses (66 children / 44 adults), school vans (28 children / 18 adults), activity vans (19 people, wheelchair accessible), and specialty wheelchair vehicles (4 wheelchairs). Booked directly via phone or online form.
• WheresTheBus (WTB) Parent App Mobile application providing parents with real-time school bus location, arrival time notifications, route alerts, and live driver analytics. Available to parents through partner school districts including Central Islip.
• FastFare Mobile Ticketing Mobile application allowing Suffolk County Transit riders to pre-purchase tickets and store them in a digital wallet on their smartphone for cashless fare payment. Available on iOS App Store and Google Play.
• TransLoc Real-Time Tracking Real-time bus tracking application that allows transit riders to see where their bus is, when it will arrive for scheduled pick-up, and how long it will take to reach their destination. Gathers ridership data to support route efficiency analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62,000+ school children transported safely each day
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreOthers · 1 October 2020Awarded $1,152,687.26 DERA grant for 7 all-electric school buses through CLEAN BUSES initiative. Partnership with Bay Shore Union Free School District to reduce diesel particulate matter for communities affected by respiratory illness and asthma.
• United Way of Long IslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuffolk Transportation Service works very closely with United Way of Long Island and many other local organizations supporting important programs for people in need. The company participates in Stuff-A-Bus charity event supporting underprivileged students with essential school supplies.
• Bay Shore Union Free School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for DERA grant initiative to deploy 7 all-electric school buses, providing significant reductions in diesel particulate matter for residents of Bay Shore School District.
• Brentwood School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProposed expansion of all-electric initiative to include Brentwood school district as part of clean air initiative to address diesel particulate matter in minority communities.
• Central Islip School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProposed expansion of all-electric initiative to include Central Islip school district as part of CLEAN BUSES program targeting communities with high rates of asthma-affected youth.
• Suffolk County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic private partnership between Suffolk County and Suffolk Bus Corp. providing safe, reliable and affordable public transportation to all of Suffolk County. Company operates Suffolk County Transit system.
• SUNY FarmingdaleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial community shuttle service for students at SUNY Farmingdale.
• Blue Bird CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationFirst school bus operator in the Northeast to utilize Blue Bird's all-electric school bus in its fleet. Partnership for electric vehicle technology deployment.
• New York School Bus Contractors Association (NYSBCA)coreOthersCompany leadership holds seats on NYSBCA board. CEO John J. Corrado plays integral role in formulating safety standards that govern the bus industry through affiliation with NYSBCA and Bus Association of New York (BANY).
• Bus Association of New York (BANY)coreOthersCompany leadership affiliated with BANY. STS host, conduct, and participate in school and transit safety events, educational seminars, and training.
• National School Transportation Association (NSTA)coreOthersCompany leadership serves on NSTA board. Participation in national school transportation industry events and standards.
• New York Association for Pupil TransportationcoreOthersCompany participates in and receives safety awards from NYAPT alongside other industry recognitions from NYSBCA and National School Transportation Association.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• First Student: Largest North American school bus operator, providing contracted K-12 transportation across the U.S. and Canada. Directly comparable as a multi-district school transportation contractor with similar RFP-driven GTM and fleet scale.
• Durham School Services: Major U.S. school bus contractor serving hundreds of school districts nationwide. Operates an analog contracted-school-bus model with comparable fleet management, safety programs, and district RFP relationships.
• Student Transportation of America: Top-3 North American school bus contractor operating 13,000+ vehicles across school, paratransit, and charter segments. Closest comparable in terms of multi-vertical contracted transportation and similar fleet scale.
• National Express Transit: Operates school bus, paratransit, and public transit contracts across the U.S. through National Express LLC. Comparable diversified contracted-transit platform with overlapping service mix.
• Coach USA: Major U.S. charter, commuter, and shuttle bus operator with significant Northeast presence. Comparable charter/specialty bus service line and customer overlap (corporate shuttles, group charters).

Broad incumbents

• MV Transportation: Largest U.S. paratransit and fixed-route transit contractor, operating thousands of vehicles nationally. Comparable on the transit/paratransit and adult-transportation service line.
• Transdev: Global public transportation operator with significant U.S. paratransit and transit contracting presence. Overlaps with STS on the Suffolk County Transit P3-style fixed-route and paratransit operating model.

Regional players

• Academy Bus: Privately held charter, commuter, and transit bus operator based in the NY/NJ metro area. Comparable on regional charter, commuter, and contracted-transit operations in the same Northeast geography.
• The Trans Group: Long Island-based bus operator providing school, charter, and contract transportation services. Direct regional comparable operating in overlapping Suffolk/Nassau County territory with similar school-bus and charter mix.
• Atlantic Express: Former large NY-area school bus and paratransit contractor with overlapping school transportation footprint. Comparable regional school and paratransit operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/938363468?share=copy

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Suffolk Transportation Service