Gill-based coach, limo and bus company sold to Beacon Mobility
Published: 09-21-2022 9:40 PM |
GILL — Travel Kuz, the fifth-generation coach, limousine and school bus company headquartered on Main Road, has joined the growing Beacon Mobility family of businesses, it was announced Wednesday.
The Gill company, which is nearly 100 years old, will be the sixth transportation company in the state and the 13th nationwide to become part of Beacon Mobility.
“We’ve sold our business to Beacon, but we remain Travel Kuz. We’re just going to be a part of their house of brands,” Travel Kuz CEO Pam Reipold said in a phone interview on Wednesday. “Personally, I’ve just been thrilled with every single member of their organization that we’ve had the pleasure of working with so far.”
She said the merger was finalized on Sept. 1 but declined to disclose how much Travel Kuz sold for.
Motorists have likely seen “F.M. Kuzmeskus Inc.” emblazoned on the sides of yellow school buses, while “Travel Kuz” is reserved for coach buses. The business is officially F.M. Kuzmeskus Inc. but Reipold said the company has leaned into the Travel Kuz name the past few years because it “rolls off the tongue a heck of a lot easier.”
Reipold said the company has 155 employees, and tallies 1½ million passengers and 2 million miles every year. Travel Kuz sports about 160 vehicles between its offices in Gill, Shelburne Falls, and Brattleboro, Vermont.
Travel Kuz operates more than 100 school bus routes throughout Massachusetts and Vermont, according to its website. Locally, it serves Franklin County Technical School, Greenfield’s public schools, Four Rivers Charter Public School and Erving School Union 28, as well as the Gill-Montague, Mohawk Trail and Pioneer Valley regional school districts.
Reipold said there will be no changes to the company’s payroll. She mentioned Travel Kuz will benefit from Beacon Mobility’s corporate structure and guidance.
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Judith Crawford, CEO of Beacon Mobility, said in a statement that the company is pleased to welcome Travel Kuz to its ranks.
“The dedicated and experienced team at Travel Kuz has served communities in western Massachusetts and southern Vermont for over 90 years, safely and responsibly transporting students, families and residents for a variety of travel needs, including school transportation, local and international tourism, and community events,” she said. “As the Beacon family continues expanding our footprint in Massachusetts and across the nation, we are thrilled to welcome their teams, and look forward to supporting more mobility needs for our wonderful customers.”
Reipold said Travel Kuz will continue to be a family-run business, with her brother, Michael Doyle, remaining vice president, and her son, Trevor Berman, still working in the maintenance department.
“It’s a match made in heaven. It’s such a great fit for our organization,” she said. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”
Other Massachusetts companies in the Beacon Mobility family include Van Pool, NRT Bus, Salter Transportation, Trombly Motor Coach and JYL Transportation. There are also additional companies in New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Illinois, Pennsylvania, California and New Jersey.
Reach Domenic Poli at dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.