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"To provide transportation for school children in the safest, most efficient and amicable way possible."
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In the early 1940’s, vehicles were few and far between in the village of Navan. In order for teenagers to pursue a secondary school education, they had to be transported to school in Ottawa. From 1946 to 1948, Lorne Bradley attended high school at Lisgar Collegiate in Ottawa. Initially, he drove his family’s 1941 Dodge car to school with five other students however, that left no car at home and no vehicle for the family grocery business. Lorne decided to approach Ed Inglis who, at that time, was providing the first public transit in the former Cumberland Township. Ed was driving an old 42 Ford station wagon daily through Navan transporting workers to and from Ottawa and Lorne thought that perhaps Ed might have another wagon to use. A young teenager, Lorne visited Ed with a plan. He would drive one of his wagons to school and Ed could charge a fee to the other kids requiring transportation. Ed agreed but warned Lorne that he’d “never make a living bringing kids to school.” Ed subsequently started Capital Coach Lines which later became by Laidlaw. Little did both men realize the irony of their initial conversation nor did they recognize the success that both would eventually realize.
Lorne’s career transporting students ended after high school until 1965. At that time, he I tendered on 2 routes with the Cumberland township school boards and was awarded the contracts but had neither drivers nor buses. Morris Lorne Bradley founded M.L. Bradley Ltd. and the wheels began turning with Lorne, Lorne’s father, Morris and long time employee Ted Dashney taking turns behind the wheel. Ed Inglis came to Lorne’s rescue selling him two vehicles from Capital Coach. In 1975, development started to expand in the east and four more vehicles were purchased. The business continued to grow with the next expansion year being 1986 when, in August, Lorne was asked to take on eight new runs. What a challenge, eight new runs with no buses and no drivers, it was just like 1965. A sign was put up in the grocery store saying “Drivers wanted-will train.” There were 12 to 15 applications received and enough people were trained and certified for September. Some of those drivers are still enjoying driving for M.L. Bradley Ltd. today.
In 1990, with 35-40 buses running, M.L. Bradley Ltd. celebrated 25 years of bussing. Up until this time, the buses and a milk transportation business had been run out of the back of the family’s local grocery store, J. T. Bradley and Sons. Plans began to build Lorne’s dream, his own depot and office building, on Frank Kenny Road in Navan. The same year Lorne borrowed an idea from a fellow school bus operator in the St. Catherine’s area and M.L. Bradley hosted the initial “First Time Rider” program in the new facility in August of 1991. The idea that kindergarten children be offered an opportunity to familiarize themselves in the company of their parents with a school bus and to learn some safety rules was a success. In fact, school officials in attendance that day were so impressed by the concept, that they adopted the program for all school boards in the Ottawa Carleton area. Eighteen years later, the program continues with little change, but is partnered with all area school bus operators.
Tragically, Lorne was never able to realize his dream of carrying on business in his new facility as he became terminally ill and passed away on December 10, 1991. However, his legacy continues with his wife Joyce, son in law Gordon and daughter Kathleen continuing the tradition of a family operated business. Today the company operates 70 vehicles transporting children to the four school boards in the Ottawa Carleton district.
At M. L. Bradley Ltd., safety is first and foremost and we are very proud of our maintenance record with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. Richard Desjardins, head mechanic since 1991, operates
All of our buses are equipped with “Child Check Mate Systems.” CCMS was the brain child of co-owner, Gord Both to act as a reminder to drivers to check their vehicles for sleeping children.
We are currently, testing a other safety added features on our vehicles.
In the event of a breakdown, our service department is equipped for immediate roadside service to minimize any delays in the daily schedule.
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a first class garage with fellow Class A bus truck mechanics, Eric St. Denis and Michel Paquette. All of our mechanics take pride in the fleet and are diligent in ensuring that inspections are all up to date. In fact, in some areas, the mechanics have added additional inspections above and beyond those mandated by the Ministry.