GO Riteway Acquires Indiana-Based Cardinal Buses

GO Riteway Chairman Ronald Bast Oak Creek, Wisc. — Riteway Bus Service (d.b.a. GO Riteway Transportation Group) has acquired Cardinal Buses. Milwaukee investment bank, Bridgewood Advisors, represented GO Riteway in the transaction.

GO Riteway has 1,475 employees in 22 locations with over 1,250 passenger transportation vehicles, including school buses, motorcoaches, minicoaches, black cars, and airport shuttles. Cardinal Buses is headquartered in Middlebury, Ind., and has satellite offices in Mishawaka, Ind., and Holland, Mich. The company has 120 employees operating over 50 vehicles.

GO Riteway was founded in 1957 by Rollie and Pearl Bast with four school buses in Germantown, Wisc. Today, it is co-owned by four members of the Bast family: Ronald, Rochelle, Wendy, and RJ. Cardinal Buses was started in 1923 when Branston Shoup purchased Middlebury Bus Lines. Branston’s son John took over the business in 1954 and today, the company is owned by John’s sons Matt and Dan Shoup.

When the companies are combined, the GO Riteway/Cardinal Bus operation will become one of the largest diverse fleets in the Midwest. The owners of Cardinal Buses were nearing retirement age and were looking for a business partner who would maintain the company legacy.

“We have been looking to grow the geographic footprint of our motor coach business for years, but it was important for us to find a company that shared our family values,” said GO Riteway Chairman Ronald Bast. “We respect the business the Shoup family and their valued employees have built. We plan to keep the Cardinal name in the markets where they operate,” Bast said. “Just like our name in our markets, their brand is a long-time symbol of safe and reliable passenger transportation,” he added. “Not only do we plan to retain all Cardinal employees, we expect there will be excellent career opportunities in the future as we look to grow this business regionally.”

Visit goriteway.com for more information.

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