Federal Stimulus Funds Help Establish Nation’s Largest Concentration of Hybrid School Buses

High Point, N.C. – Thomas Built Buses recently began deliveries of 20 Saf-T-Liner® C2e hybrids to 13 Kentucky school districts, with the potential for additional Thomas hybrid bus orders in the near future. Delivery of the first order began with LaRue County Public Schools on July 27 and will be completed when keys to the last bus of the order are handed to Kenton County School District on October 15.

The Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner hybrid C2e school buses are at the leading edge of a new era in school transportation. The hybrid is powered by a 2010 EPA-compliant Cummins diesel engine, coupled with an Eaton hybrid-electric parallel system. Developed jointly by Thomas Built Buses, Eaton Corporation and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, the fuel-saving hybrid technology leverages Thomas’ years of experience as an innovator in the school bus industry. The regenerative configuration allows schools to operate the new buses without adding infrastructure for plug-in recharging stations.

Ken Hedgecock, Thomas Built Buses vice president of sales, marketing and service points out that, “There is a lot of buzz about hybrid buses, but Thomas Built Buses is the first and only company that is able to deliver school buses with hybrid technology in Kentucky at this time.” The buses were purchased through Louisville, KY-based Thomas dealer Whayne Supply Company.

The purchase was made possible by a $12.9 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant to the State of Kentucky, which will allow the state to replace up to 200 of its oldest buses with cleaner, greener hybrid buses throughout the next school year.

“We welcome the opportunity offered by this federal grant to prove the new technology in our local school districts,” said Dave Mangum, transportation consultant for school buses for the Kentucky State Department of Education.

Thomas Built’s hybrid Saf-T-Liner C2e is expected to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy by 30 percent or more. In addition to fuel economy, the hybrid buses promise reduced brake wear, less component maintenance and cleaner, quieter operation.

Thomas Built Buses (www.thomasbus.com) is the leading manufacturer of school buses in North America, with more than one-third of the market. Since the first Thomas Built bus rolled off the assembly line in 1936, the company has been committed to delivering the smartest and most innovative buses in North America.

Thomas Built Buses, Inc. is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America and a leading manufacturer of class 4-8 vehicles. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets commercial vehicles under the Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses nameplates. Daimler Trucks North America is a Daimler company.