Algoma Central began to enter highway trucking in a big way when it June 1972 it purchased Thibodeau Express Ltd., a family-owned business, which had operated for over 40 years in Southern Ontario with terminals in Windsor, Detroit, Chatham, London, Preston, Hamilton and Toronto. Under Algoma Central it became Thibodeau Express Inc.

In the 1950's a small Thibodeau garage was located on Castleton Avenue in York Township across from the CPR Lambton roundhouse! (Some years later on the other side of the yard on the corner of Maria Street and Runnymede Road was Star Transfer, the trucking arm of Ontario Northland!)

Shortly thereafter in December 1973 Finch & Sons Transport Ltd. was acquired with
headquarters in Brantford and operating between Southern Ontario and Montreal.
An amalgamation in 1975 formed Thibodeau-Finch Express Ltd.

Further expansions included in May 1974 Flanagan Delivery Service Ltd. and Flanagan Storage & Warehouse Ltd. of London. A later addition was 4 Ways Transport and Huron Forwarding of Sarnia.
In 1977 Beauchamp Express Ltd. of Varennes, Quebec, was put under a new subsidiary, Transport T.F. Quebec Limitee.

Algocen Transport Holdings Ltd. was formed to oversee all of the trucking operations, which underwent expansion and modernization. Deregulation of the freight transport industry changed the entire scene causing many old firms to leave the business including CN and CP. Algoma Central sold off all of its trucking operations July 31, 1987 for approximately $25.5 million.

Viking Helicopters Ltd

During 1978 a new area of transportation was entered with the purchase of 50% of Viking Helicopters Ltd.
one of Canada's largest helicopter companies. It provided charter air service mainly for provincial and federal governments as well as mining and exploration companies. It took delivery of 12 Hughes 500D helicopters during 1978. After a brief effort it was decided in 1980 to sell off this unique operation.

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