(Sept. 4, 2007) — FirstGroup first announced its intent to purchase Laidlaw International, and the school bus division at Laidlaw Education Services, in early February. Now, six months later, the deal appears to be near completion.

The school bus contractor forecasted that the U.S. federal government will issue a final ruling in favor of the deal sometime during the first week of October. Laidlaw released word that it has “made substantial progress” in its negotiations with the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division. Meanwhile, it disclosed in a press release that FirstGroup continues its own talks with the feds and with a group of state attorney generals who have scrutinized the possible merger.