About Us
In December 1987, Robert King purchased Terrien Transportation, Inc. A transportation company servicing special needs children, transporting them to and from school. Terrien continued on with this service and expanded to a motorcoach company in January 1989, when Robert King, President & Owner of Terrien Transportation, Inc. and Russ Ward, Superintendent of Transportation of Holyoke Street Railway, acquired the operating rights of the old Holyoke Street Railway and started King Ward Coach Lines.
In July of 1994 we lost Russ due to a courageous battle with cancer. His legacy lives on and continues to be seen everyday as we continue to operate King Ward Coach Lines.
In July of 1997, Terrien Transportation, Inc. d/b/a King Ward Coach Lines purchased the assets of U.S. Express and double its size overnight, becoming the second largest bus company in Western Mass.
In October of 2003, Robert King sold the company to his son Dennis King, who had been working with him since 1988.
Terrien Transportation, Inc. d/b/a King Ward Coach Lines has moved to many different homes, beginning with a small 2 bay garage on Union Street in West Springfield, then moving to a facility in Agawam on Main Street near the old Riverside Park, now Six Flags. Then it was back to West Springfield to large warehouse facility at 380 Union Street. In August of 1996 it was on to Holyoke, 110 North Bridge Street. Finally moving to a building of their own in Chicopee, 70 Justin Drive.
In 2019, the company name was changed from King Ward Coach Lines to King Gray Coach Lines. The new name reflects the evolution of the company and welcomes Matthew Gray, grandson of original owner Robert King, as part owner and Vice President. Mr. Gray started with the company in 2002, learning the business by working in every department from the garage to sales.
King Gray Coach Lines currently employs approximately 65 employees and is capable of doing service and repairs on any type of motor coach and school bus.
Motorcoach companies are given the opportunity to attempt to obtain the US Department of Defense (DOD) Safety designation. This designation requires that each DOD approved company undergoes the transportation industry's most stringent annual onsite safety inspection and audit. This annual inspection carefully audits all areas of a company’s safe passenger transport service, including the company’s day-to-day operational practices, equipment maintenance, and ongoing driver education, drug-testing, and training.
As a matter of fact, there are over 3,800 registered motorcoach operators listed with the Department of Transportation throughout North America; and of that number, only 459 possess this DOD safety designation. King Gray Coach Lines is among those four hundred plus motorcoach companies having achieved this level of “operational safety” certified by the US Department of Defense.
History
King Gray Coach Lines is proud to be a member of the following industry associations:
American Bus Association
United Motor Coach Association
Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau
Chicopee Chamber of Commerce
In addition, King Gray is certified by The Department of Defense to support our service men and women as a DoD carrier.
