Diversified Transportation Awarded Industrial Busing Contract Supporting Commute for Construction Teams to Lithium Americas' Thacker Pass Site

WALL, N.J., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Diversified Transportation LTD, a member of the Student Transportation of America (STA) family of companies, is pleased to announce that the industry-leading transportation and fleet service organization has been awarded an industrial busing contract from Bechtel Infrastructure and Power Corp, the engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) contractor for the construction of Thacker Pass Phase 1. Under the agreement, Diversified Transportation LTD will provide motorcoach transportation services to construction workers and staff, traveling from Winnemucca, Nev. to Lithium Americas' Thacker Pass development and construction project in rural northern Humboldt County, Nevada. Together, Lithium Americas and General Motors (GM) are part of a joint venture focused on bringing Thacker Pass to production to significantly improve the domestic output of critical lithium supply, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, create new jobs, and bring economic activity to northern Nevada.

"We are incredibly proud to expand Diversified Transportation's footprint with entry into the United States. Through support of our STA of Nevada team and new local partners, we are fully committed to providing quality industrial busing services to Thacker Pass," said Gene Kowalczewski, CEO of Student Transportation of America. "We are honored to be selected to provide transportation services for this critical project and look forward to forging a trusted partnership through our safe, reliable, and on-time services."

Service began in February 2025 with the initial fleet consisting of two buses. At peak construction, more than 50 motorcoaches from Diversified Transportation's industrial shuttle division will be used daily to support the commuting needs of more than 2,000 employees, skilled trade and construction workers, and staff. Bechtel is tasked with managing construction of the Thacker Pass processing facilities for the production of battery-quality lithium carbonate. Funded by the US Department of Energy under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program and General Motors, the project is expected to be a three-year build. Crews will regularly need to be transported from their accommodations in Winnemucca to the construction site, located more than 60 miles northwest.

"We're excited to announce the launch of our new transportation service for our on-site workers, connecting Winnemucca to Thacker Pass. Service officially began on February 6, 2025, marking an important milestone in our commitment to supporting both our workforce and the local community," said Richard Gerspacher, Lithium Americas Executive Vice President, Capital Projects. "The safety of our workers is of utmost importance and that was one of the reasons we chose Diversified, in addition to their invaluable experience and existing ties to Winnemucca. We are particularly proud that two Winnemucca residents have joined the team as bus drivers, further strengthening our local connections."

"We understand the needs that come along with industrial busing and I'm proud to say that our Diversified Transportation team will be able to deliver a fully-managed transportation solution that includes regular fleet maintenance, optimized routing, driver recruitment and retention, day-to-day managerial oversight and more," said Tim Lindsay, Executive Vice President, Canadian Business Group, STA. "Above all, our strongest asset continues to be our professionally-trained drivers who put safety first. Our drivers receive comprehensive training and many of them are already actively involved in the Winnemucca community so they understand what a critical role they will be playing in this project to build America's largest lithium operation."

Thacker Pass is the largest known Measured and Indicated lithium resource in North America.

Tapping into the expertise of its local partners, Diversified Transportation has also established a partnership with Western States Investments LLC and Schommer Construction to supply its on-site teams with additional parking, maintenance support, bus washing, and office space throughout the duration of the contract.

To learn more about Student Transportation of America, STA's family of companies, and explore career opportunities, please visit www.ridesta.com.

About Student Transportation of America
Student Transportation of America (STA), an industry leader in school transportation and fleet services, was founded in 1997 on the bedrock of family, community, and a safety-first mindset. Operating more than 22,000 vehicles, STA provides customers with the highest level of safe and reliable student transportation, management, logistics, and technology solutions throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company is focused on fostering a safety-driven culture that empowers its employees to feel proud of their work, delivering safe, reliable, and on-time service. Additionally, STA's commitment to positively impacting the health of our passengers and the planet is evident through its conscious decision to undertake each initiative to decrease its carbon footprint to help move the company and industry toward a greener future. For more information, please visit www.rideSTA.com.  

SOURCE Student Transportation of America