WATERBURY – When the kids from the Waterbury Police Activity League (PAL) travel to future events they will do so safely and in style thanks to All-Star Transportation.

All-Star Transportation today donated a new and uniquely painted school bus to Waterbury PAL during a special ceremony held at the PAL facility in Waterbury. The exterior of the bus features a colorful collage of photographs taken during PAL activities. The interior is specially equipped with storage racks that make it possible for kids to safely stow their equipment while traveling. The bus also uses propane fuel, making it an environmentally friendly form of transportation.

“We have worked with PAL for 11 years,” said John Dufour, president of All-Star Transportation, noting the company bought the organization its first bus.

He recalled his first contact with PAL, remembering he was told that when “we get children when they are young, we can turn them into good citizens. It really struck me. We have now worked with PAL for 11 years. It’s been great.”

Dufour said that last year he decided to buy PAL a new bus, but he didn’t want just an ordinary bus. “We need to do something really, really cool,” he said.

So, he had the bus wrapped in a full-color graphic. The wrap, which was donated, took 212 hours to apply. To complete the unique look, Zeller Tire of Torrington donated chrome wheels for the bus.

“When everyone works together, good things happen. When good things happen, the corporate community notices and steps up,” said Waterbury Mayor Neil M. O’Leary, as he praised the contributions of All-Star and others.

Waterbury PAL is a not-for-profit organization that provides educational, athletic and recreational programs for children aged 4 to 18. A partnership between law enforcement and the community, PAL serves more than 4,400 children from the Greater Waterbury area, including many from the city’s low-income households.

All-Star Transportation provides school transportation services to more than 30 communities in Connecticut. The privately held company operates 18 terminals with more than 900 employees and 800 vehicles. It transports more than 35,000 students daily during the school year.