Thursday, October 1, 2026
As the new year begins, a new bus company has quietly taken over transporting Rockville Centre’s students to and from school.
The district’s former bus provider, Courtesy Bus Transportation, and its parent company, Atlantic Express Transportation, filed for bankruptcy in November, and the contracts that Atlantic Express had across Long Island were sold off to other companies. In Rockville Centre, Bauman Bus Company has purchased the contracts, and will now provide bus service to district schools.
Jan. 6 was Bauman’s first day of operations, and for many, the difference was hardly noticeable. “They assured us prior to the vacation that it would be seamless, and it was,” Superintendent Dr. William Johnson said on Monday. “We didn’t have a single phone call this morning of any complaint whatsoever. We were watching that very carefully.”
James Poisella Jr., Bauman’s human resources director, said that the company had hired many of the same drivers and dispatchers who had been employed by Atlantic Express. “When you have the steady, dedicated drivers, that means a lot when it comes to how well the operation rolls,” Poisella said. “They know the routes. They know the kids.”
Johnson said that the district heard that Atlantic Express was filing for bankruptcy in November, but it was unclear at the time what the outcome would be. It wasn’t until Dec. 30 that Bauman signed the last papers to officially take over Atlantic Express’s operations.
In addition to Rockville Centre, Bauman also assumed the routes for the Baldwin, Freeport and Roosevelt school districts. It also now owns and operates Atlantic Express’s depot on Lawson Boulevard in Oceanside — the property, the dispatch office, the repair shop and all of the buses.
“Right now, we’re operating with the vehicles under the Atlantic Express name,” Poisella explained. “But eventually, that will all be changed.”
Johnson said that, for now, the change in service is not affecting the district. Students are still being picked up as usual, and the new provider is not costing the district any additional money. He said that Bauman is honoring Atlantic Express’s contract through the end of the year.
“There is a possibility it will have to be rebid at the end of the year,” Johnson said, “but we’re still hopeful that we’ll be able to renew as we did with Atlantic Express under the provisions of what the old contract allowed, which was cost-of-living [increases].”
Poisella said he couldn’t offer any details about changes Bauman might make in the future, once it settles into its new role. “Right now, our main purpose is to service the contracts to the best of our ability, and to provide safe, reliable and professional service to all the districts we have now,” he said. “That’s our goal.”
