About Buses and More in Bloomington
Our involvement in all aspects of the bus industry gives us the advantage of being able to provide you with the right coach for your needs. Operating one of the most successful independently owned motor coach repair And maintenance companies (C&J Bus Repair in Bloomington, MN), an authorized MCI Service And Warranty center gives us the experience to know a good coach when we see one and the costs to the operator to maintain and repair the different coach models. Operating an established charter and tour company gives us the experience necessary to know what is important to the bus driver/owner as well as the needs of the passengers.
Founder: James (JD) Dickenson
JD was raised on his family’s 300+ acre Dairy Farm located in Pine County, MN while attending junior high and high school. At the same time he worked at his family’s bus company, which provided school bus service to the local community.For 18 years, JD raced every Friday And Saturday night on the local dirt oval tracks in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. He won many “NASCAR” and “Wissota” Championships driving cars based on a chassis designed and manufactured by his race team co-owner, DRE Chassis.
After graduating from High School, JD worked for his family’s transit bus remanufacturing business, which had over 300 employees at its peak and gross revenue in excess of 20 million annually. At the same time another division of the company was formed which sold and leased used tour, charter and transit buses. When this company was sold, JD founded Bus and Truck Works that specialized in the repair, maintenance and customization of motor coaches, transit type buses, heavy-duty trucks and other large equipment. One noteworthy project was to design a complete new electrical system for Stewart and Stevenson’s 6×6 Military Truck they were manufacturing for the US Government in Sealy TX. The electrical system designed had absolutely no detectable radio frequency (RF) emissions making it electrically invisible to high tech military tracking equipment. This project required the vehicle to pass the government’s 400 EMI and CFAT military tests.
In 1995, JD took on the responsibility of Managing C&J Bus Repair in Bloomington MN for his longtime friend And business associate, Tom Schwartz. He helped build the company into one of the most successful independently owned motor coach repair and maintenance companies (which is also an authorized MCI Service and Warranty Center). In 2004, JD formed Transportation Advisors Co. offering a wide range of Commercial Vehicle Services besides vehicle sales, including commercial vehicle consulting for DOT compliance, safety, and maintenance. JD provides the important service of creating complete vehicle maintenance programs and budgets for operators that do not have a shop of their own and rely completely on out-sourcing all of their maintenance and repair services.