Second-time honoree recognized for continued leadership across the Thomas Built dealer network

Daoud Chaaya (far left), Jeff Allen (second from left) and T.J. Reed (far right) of Thomas Built Buses recognizing the Carolina Thomas team as 2025 Dealer of the Year.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – May 27, 2026 – Thomas Built Buses (TBB), a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America and a division of Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles, recognized Carolina Thomas as its 2025 Dealer of the Year during its annual dealer meeting, where top-performing dealers from across the network are honored each year. The distinction celebrates the dealership’s exceptional customer support, operational excellence and ongoing commitment to student transportation.

Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Carolina Thomas has been a long-standing partner within the Thomas Built Buses dealer network, serving customers across the region with a strong focus on service and support. This marks the dealership’s second Dealer of the Year honor, having previously earned the distinction in 2016, continuing a legacy of consistent, high-level performance across the Thomas Built network.

“Carolina Thomas continues to set the standard for excellence across our dealer network,” said Daoud Chaaya, vice president of sales, aftermarket and marketing for Thomas Built Buses. “From delivering a best-in-class customer experience to investing in technician training and service capabilities, their team consistently demonstrates what it means to uphold the full Thomas Built value proposition. We congratulate Carolina Thomas on earning their second Dealer of the Year recognition. We appreciate the partnership.”

“Carolina Thomas is truly honored to be named the Thomas Built Buses 2025 Dealer of the Year,” said Kelly Rivera, General Manager of Carolina Thomas. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire team—across sales, service, parts, and support—who work each day to deliver for our customers and the communities they serve. We are proud to play a role in supporting safe, reliable transportation for students, and we’re deeply grateful to our customers for the trust they place in us. To be recognized among such an outstanding network of Thomas Built Buses dealers makes this achievement especially meaningful.”

Each year, Thomas Built Buses evaluates dealers across its network based on key performance metrics, including customer service, parts availability, training participation and sales performance. The Dealer of the Year award represents the highest level of achievement among all TBB dealers in North America.

Thomas Built Buses also recognized additional top-performing dealers at the annual dealer meeting:

2025 Honors Class:

• Carolina Thomas, LLC – Greensboro, North Carolina
• Matthews Bus Alliance, Inc. – Orlando, Florida
• Hoekstra Transportation, Inc. – Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Thomas Bus Texas – Dallas, Texas
• Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc. – Silver Lake, Indiana

2025 President’s Club Platinum:

• Carolina Thomas, LLC – Greensboro, North Carolina
• Matthews Bus Alliance, Inc. – Orlando, Florida
• Hoekstra Transportation, Inc. – Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Thomas Bus Texas – Dallas, Texas
• Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc. – Silver Lake, Indiana
• New England Transit Sales, Inc. – Tyngsboro, Massachusetts
• Mid-South Bus Center, Inc. – Murfreesboro, Tennessee
• American Bus Sales & Service – Annapolis, Maryland
• Sonny Merryman, Inc. – Evington, Virginia
• Interstate Transportation Equipment, Inc. – Columbia, South Carolina
• Nelson’s Bus Service, Inc. – Whitewater, Wisconsin
• Transportation South, Inc. – Pelham, Alabama
• Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Shawnee, Kansas
• Thomas Bus Sales of Georgia – Forest Park, Georgia
• Matheny Motor Truck Company – Mineral Wells, West Virginia

2025 President’s Club:

• Rohrer Bus Sales – Duncannon, Pennsylvania
• Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Van Buren, Arkansas
• H.A. DeHart & Son, Inc. – Thorofare, New Jersey
• W.C. Cressey & Son. Inc. – Kennebunk, Maine
• Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – El Reno, Oklahoma
• Midwest Bus Sales, Inc. – Litchfield, Illinois
• Complete Bus & Specialty Vehicles – Clarksburg, Ohio
• Empire Truck Sales, LLC – Richland, Mississippi
• Matthews Buses, Inc. – Ballston Spa, New York
• Gordon Truck Centers, Inc. – Pacific, Washington
• Schetky Northwest Sales, Inc. – Portland, Oregon
• Premier Bus Group of Manitoba – Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Autobus Thomas Inc. – Drummondville, Quebec
• Warner Industries – Regina, Saskatchewan

In addition to Dealer of the Year recognition, Thomas Built Buses also announced its newest class of Platinum Support dealers for 2025. The Platinum Support Dealer Program recognizes dealerships that go above and beyond in customer service, parts availability and service capabilities, demonstrating a strong commitment to delivering an exceptional ownership experience.

2025 Platinum Support Dealer Program – New Additions:

• Kent Mitchell Bus Sales & Service, LLC – Louisiana
• NOVA Enterprises Limited – Nova Scotia
• Premier Bus Group – Manitoba
• Truck Center Companies East, LLC – Iowa
• Gordon Truck Center – Alaska
• Premier Truck Group – Ontario
• I-State Truck, Inc. – Montana/Wyoming
• I-State Truck, Inc. – North Dakota/South Dakota

Established in 2015, the Thomas Built Buses Platinum Support Dealer Program is focused on improving the customer experience through continuous operational improvement and advanced service training. Today, 96% of Thomas Built dealers are Platinum Support-certified.

About Thomas Built Buses:

Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America. Since the first Thomas Built bus rolled off the assembly line, the company has been committed to delivering the smartest and most innovative buses in North America. Learn more at thomasbuiltbuses.com or facebook.com/thomasbuiltbuses.

Thomas Built Buses, Inc., headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America LLC, a leading provider of comprehensive products and technologies for the commercial transportation industry. The company designs, engineers, manufactures and markets medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis and their associated technologies and components under the Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp and Detroit brands. Thomas Built Buses and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. together form Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles. Daimler Truck North America is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.