Bus facility to open in Waupaca

By Angie Landsverk

Construction began late last November on a 6,000-square-foot building in Waupaca’s business park.

Go Riteway Transportation Group bought the approximately five-acre parcel from the city to build a bus maintenance garage and office there.

“We plan to be in our new building on July 1,” said Lee Nowicki, operations manager of Go Riteway’s Waupaca terminal.

This school year, the Waupaca School District began contracting with the company for its bus transportation services.

Go Riteway is using the district’s existing bus garage while its facility is under construction.

The new space is at 1846 Godfrey Drive, which is in the city’s Tax Incremental Financing District No. 3.

That fact and the property’s close proximity to U.S. Highway 10 were attractive to the company.

“It was just a good fit for our building needs and all that we were looking for,” said Nowicki.

When Go Riteway starts serving a new community and has the opportunity to grow and expand, it traditionally builds a new facility, he said.

MSI General Corporation, in Oconomowoc, is the general contractor for the project.

“They have built multiple buildings for Go Riteway,” Nowicki said.

The most recent terminals it built for the company were in La Crosse and Mequon, he said.

Go Riteway’s history dates back to 1957.

Rollie and Pearl Bast started the business with four school buses, Nowicki said.

They serviced the Germantown School District, north of Milwaukee.

He said Go Riteway is currently servicing more than 30 school districts.

The company is driving 1,035 school buses in the state, as well 33 motorcoaches and 29 executive sedans, Nowicki said.

Central Wisconsin is a new area for the company.

Go Riteway’s closest terminal is in Portage, Nowicki said.

“We do hope to grow with other school districts and communities as their needs change,” he said. “We’d like to be their contractor of choice.”

The Waupaca terminal will have parking for 39 buses, he said.

It will have four bays, with bay four being the portable station for washing buses inside, Nowicki said.

“It is also Go Riteway’s intent to eventually house motorcoach buses here,” he said. “They’re putting things in place for future growth.”

There will be four parking stalls here for motorcoaches, Nowicki said.

Go Riteway has full size and mini coaches.

He said it is the company’s intent to look at what it can possibly stage here in the future.

Nowicki said Waupaca would be a central location for motorcoaches.

They would be available not only to Waupaca’s school district, but to the entire community, he said.

Motorcoaches could be booked for weddings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, as well as for trips to Milwaukee to see the Brewers play.

In addition to motorcoaches, Go Riteway also has executive sedans and a 12-person van.

The van may be used for the school district and also rented out by others, Nowicki said.

When Go Riteway moves into its new building, everything will be under one roof.

He said there will be a room for drivers to congregate and check trip sheets, with a kitchenette there as well.

There will be office space and also a tool room.

“Right now, we don’t have a designated area for tools,” he said.

Having a larger building also allows for the addition of a portable lift to raise buses when the mechanic needs to check one.

“It makes things easier and safer for the mechanic,” Nowicki said.

Outside the building, everything will be paved and well lit, with no fencing or gates, he said.

The landscaping will be cosmetically appealing to the public, Nowicki said.

Go Riteway continues to hire new drivers.

Those interested may apply online or visit the office to pick up an application.

Currently located on Tenth Street in Waupaca, the office is open from 5:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Nowicki said the company offers flexibility and covers 100 percent of the training cost.

People may opt to drive in the morning or afternoon, be a substitute driver or do weekend and charter work, he said.