Contact: nicholas.smith@daimler.com

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Nov. 15, 2016 – Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country, has purchased 71 Saf-T-Liner® C2 CNG school buses from Thomas Built Buses. Thomas Built’s Saf-T-Liner C2 CNG is the first Type C compressed natural gas bus in the industry. With the purchase of these new buses, LA Unified becomes the latest in a growing number of districts incorporate Type C CNG school buses in its fleet.  

In 1994, LA Unified implemented a long-term replacement strategy to decrease its environmental impact and refresh its older fleet of buses. Through a $300,000 grant from California Energy Commission (CEC), the district has been replacing many of its older buses with compressed natural gas units and updating its CNG infrastructure.   

Today, LA Unified operates 1,300 school buses, more than half of which run on alternative fuel, which includes 475 CNG, 100 ultra-low emission and 126 propane buses. The district has the largest fleet of CNG-powered school buses in the United States and operates CNG fueling stations on San Julian Street, Gardena and one in Sun Valley. 

“Together, Thomas Built Buses and LA Unified are making history,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “LA Unified has made great strides over the past few years by incorporating alternative fueled vehicles into their fleet. The addition of Thomas Built’s Saf-T-Liner C2 CNG school buses paves the way for other school districts to deploy Type C CNG buses into their own fleets. LA Unified trusts CNG, and we are proud that they’ve chosen Thomas Built Buses as their supplier.”

The new Saf-T-Liner C2 CNG utilizes the Cummins Westport ISB6.7 G 6.7 liter natural gas engine and an Allison 2000 series transmission. It is CARB-certified, meets ARB’s optional low oxides of nitrogen (NOx) standard of 0.1g/bhp-hr and meets EPA 2016 emissions and 2017 EPA greenhouse gas (GHG) requirements. Like all other C2 models, the Saf-T-Liner C2 CNG features excellent driver ergonomics and maneuverability, along with the best visibility, safety and durability in its class.

Thomas Built leads the industry in incorporating green technology into its buses. The company introduced its first compressed natural gas bus nearly 20 years ago, and since then CNG has grown in popularity due to an abundant domestic supply and stable fuel costs. Today, Thomas Built offers the new Saf-T-Liner C2 CNG, along with other green fuel options including the Saf-T-Liner® C2, Saf-T-Liner® HDX, Saf-T-Liner® EFX, Minotour®, Saf-T-Liner® C2 Propane, Saf-T-Liner® HDX CNG, Minotour® Propane and Minotour® CNG,. 

For more information about the Saf-T-Liner C2 CNG, customers may contact their local Thomas Built Buses dealer.

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 www.thomasbus.com or at www.facebook.com/thomasbuiltbuses.                                                          

Thomas Built Buses, Inc., headquartered in High Point, N.C., 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