Bus Firm Ready To Go It Alone Here

July 10, 2015
The Malliette Bus Co. held an open house Wednesday and welcomed a number of prospective new drivers and many of the veterans, just looking to the comrade.“It was a great afternoon,” Tim Grosskurth said as the program was winding down later in the afternoon.

The prospective drivers were put through a number of tests including backing up between those orange cones.

“They did well,’’ Grosskurth said. “I was pleased.”

The Antigo Unified School District made a change in its transportation policy ending the long-standing agreement that allowed two firms to provide the student transportation. In a money-saving move, they took bids and narrowed it to one: Malliette Bus Co.

At the Mary Street headquarters, Grosskurth explained that very few businesses experience a 100 percent growth in one year. And that’s what happened.

Malliette will take over the routes operated by Mid Wisconsin, bought all of the firm’s busses and hired as many of the drivers as they could.

“Some of them were ready to retire,” he explained, and they did. But most came along to the new operation. Grosskurth said he is pleased to have them since they have experience, know the routes and understand how the business operates.

Grosskurth, who certainly knows how to drive a school bus and certainly all of the safety rules, plans to have more meetings with drivers and impress those elements on the new and veterans.

He explained that Malliette has had an excellent crew behind the wheel for decades, and so did Mid Wisconsin.

“We will do just fine,” he said.

At one of the garages this morning mechanics were working and, so was Grosskurth.

Those busses are rolling all of the time for activities in the Langlade County area.

“That’s why it is important having a local company doing this,’’ he said.

 

Tim Grosskurth, right, who operates Malliette Bus Co., posed with friends and drivers Wednesday afternoon at an open house at its facilities on Mary Street was about to end. The firm was the successful bidder to be the lone contractor for the Antigo unified School district's transportation this year, a very big job. For decades it has been split between two local companies. Shown with Grosskurth in the picture are, from the left, Judy Scott, Art King, Angela Potrykus, Kathy Jensen, Melanie Scott.

Tim Grosskurth, right, who operates Malliette Bus Co., posed with friends and drivers Wednesday afternoon at an open house at its facilities on Mary Street was about to end. The firm was the successful bidder to be the lone contractor for the Antigo unified School district’s transportation this year, a very big job. For decades it has been split between two local companies. Shown with Grosskurth in the picture are, from the left, Judy Scott, Art King, Angela Potrykus, Kathy Jensen, Melanie Scott.

Source: Antigo Daily Journal