Industry Icon Passes Tomas Gallagher passed away
in January at the age of 82. Fa- ther of Student Transportation of America Chairman and CEO De- nis Gallagher, Tomas had worked alongside his son as a consultant for the school bus contractor since 1999. “Even as his health failed, he
would have his caregiver drive him to work so that he could tend to our titles and registra- tions,” said Karin Falkinburg,
manager of internal communications for STA, who worked with Tomas Gallagher since 1987. “He lived for his family and the school bus industry.” But his school bus career did not start there. In 1922, Tomas’
father, Denis J. Gallagher, assumed control of Coast Cities Buses. As a boy, Tomas worked for his father, starting as a bus wash- er. A few decades later, in 1946, Tomas founded Coast Cities
❝
He lived for his family and the school bus industry.❞
— Karin Falkinburg, STA
Coaches, which he owned until 1987, when he sold it to Laid- law. After working with Laidlaw for a little more than a decade, Tomas made his move to STA, two years after his son Denis founded the company in 1997. “He taught me the first three letters of the word ‘business’,”
said Denis Gallager. “He owned a family business, and he carried those traits through to Laidlaw and definitely to STA.” Tomas’ contributions to his community of Avon, N.J., did not
end when he left the STA offices. As troop master of local Boy Scout Troop 89, Tomas helped shape young lives for 40 years. ■
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tomas Gallagher’s name to: Boy Scout Troop 89, 31 Garfield Ave., Avon, N.J. 07717.
www.stnonline.com 25
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