Salter Transportation

What Salter Transportation does

Ocean State Transit is the legal and operational entity identified for Salter Transportation, with an operating address in East Providence, Rhode Island. It is a private student-transportation contractor serving public school districts through home-to-school and specialized transportation, and it offers charter services to schools and community organizations. Its go-to-market motion is primarily sales-led and contract-based: the company seeks inclusion on school-district bid lists, while charter services can be requested through a direct online channel.

Ocean State Transit supports these services with GPS tracking, digital camera systems, child check-mate alerts, crossing gate arms, routing software, a web-based learning management system, and preventive-maintenance management software. Management reportedly has 100 years of combined Rhode Island transportation experience, and the company is part of Student Transportation of America, which provides access to training programs and operational resources. Revenue is generated through school-transportation service contracts; specific public pricing and contract values are not disclosed.

Name

Salter Transportation

Legal name

Ocean State Transit

Website

https://oceanstatetransit.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ocean State Transit is a private Rhode Island school-transportation contractor serving public school districts, students with special needs, and community organizations through home-to-school, specialized, and charter bus services. It supports operations with GPS, routing, safety, training, and maintenance systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

School Bus Transportation Services

NAICS

Charter Bus Industry (48551), Special Needs Transportation (485991)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs / Paratransit Student Transportation Services (EDAEADAH)

Keywords

• Student transportation services
• School bus contracting
• Special needs transport
• Charter bus services
• Student safety programs

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. School Transportation Contracts: Contract-based student transportation services provided to school districts in Rhode Island. The company bids on school district transportation contracts and operates as a contractor providing home-to-school transportation, special needs transportation, and charter services. Revenue is derived from service contracts with public school districts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Salter Transportation (operating as Ocean State Transit) is a Rhode Island-based student transportation carrier that provides home-to-school transportation, special needs transportation, and charter bus services to public school districts and community organizations. The company operates through contracted service agreements secured via a formal bidding process, supporting daily student routes, specialized transportation for students with disabilities, and charter rentals for extracurricular and community events.

Product overview

Ocean State Transit operates as a student transportation carrier offering three core service lines: School Transportation (home-to-school routes with routing software), Special Needs Transportation (specialized training and equipment for students with disabilities), and Charter Services (short-trip bus rentals for extracurricular activities). These core services are supported by three supplementary programs: Driver Safety & Training (annual training with nationally-recognized curriculum via web-based LMS), Student Safety Programs (in-classroom education on bus safety), and Vehicle Safety & Maintenance (preventive maintenance with certified technicians). The company is part of the Student Transportation of America (STA) family of companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Transportation Home-to-school student transportation service using state-of-the-art routing software for maximized route efficiency, provided to public school districts in Rhode Island that outsource transportation.
• Special Needs Transportation Specialized transportation service for students with disabilities, delivered by dedicated and highly trained drivers and managers who receive comprehensive Special Needs Training covering lifts, mobility devices, and special needs types.
• Charter Services Charter bus rental service for extracurricular events including school trips, museum visits, zoo adventures, sightseeing tours, senior excursions, and church activities throughout Rhode Island.
• Driver Safety & Training Program Annual driver training program using a nationally-recognized Driver Training Course system, including classroom learning, behind-the-wheel instruction, in-service training, monthly safety meetings, and a web-based learning management system (LMS) delivered via STA.
• Student Safety Programs In-class educational program taught by school bus drivers and officials covering school bus safety topics including danger zones, street crossing procedures, bus evacuation plans, and student safety resources.
• Vehicle Safety & Maintenance Program Preventive vehicle maintenance program utilizing comprehensive maintenance management software, ASE-certified technicians, and adherence to manufacturer intervals alongside DOT, DMV, and RMV regulatory requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Strict 5-minute vehicle idling limit demonstrates environmental and cost efficiency commitment
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Student Transportation of AmericacoreOthersOcean State Transit is part of the Student Transportation of America (STA) family of companies. The parent organization provides operational support, training programs, and resources including the nationally-recognized Driver Training Course, web-based learning management system, and access to STA Family of Companies resources such as NAPT certification support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Durham School Services: Major U.S. school bus operator owned by National Express, serving public school districts with home-to-school, special needs, and charter transportation. Operates the same contract-bidding model with similar safety and routing technology investments.
• First Student: Largest student transportation provider in North America, operating a school bus fleet across the U.S. and Canada. Direct competitor in the same RFP-based school district contracting model, with similar home-to-school, special needs, and charter service offerings.
• GO Riteway Transportation Group: Wisconsin-based student and motorcoach transportation provider offering home-to-school, special needs, and charter services. Directly comparable service mix and contract-based GTM with similar safety technology investment narrative.
• Krapf Bus Companies: Regional school bus and charter operator serving districts across Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic. Comparable in scale and multi-service model (home-to-school, special needs, charter) with similar foundational technology and safety focus.
• Cook-Illinois Corporation: Family-owned school bus and motorcoach operator based in the Midwest, providing home-to-school, special needs, and charter services. Similar mid-sized regional operator profile with comparable GTM through competitive school district bidding.

Emerging players

• HopSkipDrive: Technology-driven student transportation platform serving districts and families with supervised ride services. Overlaps in the special needs and student transportation use case but competes primarily on technology rather than owned fleet operations.
• Zum Services: Tech-enabled student transportation platform serving school districts with routing software, real-time tracking, and managed services. Comparable end customer (school districts) and overlapped service line, but with a fundamentally different technology-first go-to-market.

Others

• Student Transportation of America: Parent organization of Ocean State Transit, operating a portfolio of regional student transportation companies across North America. Listed as 'others' because it is the corporate parent rather than a direct competitor, but obviously the most directly comparable operating entity in the same family of companies.

Broad incumbents

• Transdev: Global public transportation operator with a U.S. school bus and paratransit division. Directly comparable in special needs and student transportation services, though it operates across a much broader portfolio including fixed-route transit and shuttle services.

Regional players

• Atlantic Express: Northeastern U.S. school bus and charter operator with overlapping service territory in the New England region. Comparable in scale and service mix, serving districts through the same competitive bidding process.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ridestbus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ridestbus
• Facebookfacebook.com/ridestbus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salter-transportation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Salter Transportation