Thomas Built Buses Adds FuelSense™ as Standard Equipment
Contact: tracy.darchini@daimler.com
High Point, N.C. – July 31, 2014 – Thomas Built Buses has teamed up with Allison Transmission to offer FuelSense™ fuel-saving technology as standard equipment on its Saf-T-Liner® C2, Saf-T-Liner EFX and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses produced on or after October 1, 2014.
The standard FuelSense package will include Allison 5th Generation Electronic Controls; EcoCal, which is a defined set of low and “super” low speed shift schedules designed to keep the engine speed at its optimum point; and Dynamic Shift Sensing, which automatically selects between EcoCal or a higher-speed shift schedule, based on the vehicle load and the operating grade, to provide the best fuel economy and performance for the given operating conditions.
There are two optional packages available: FuelSense Plus™ and FuelSense Max™. FuelSense Plus adds the Neutral at Stop feature to reduce non-productive fuel consumption when the bus is stopped. The top of the line package, FuelSense Max, includes the features in FuelSense Plus, buts also adds Acceleration Rate Management, which, based on vehicle load and operating grade, controls the torque of the engine to mitigate aggressive driving and further maximize fuel savings.
Buses with the FuelSense Max technology can achieve maximum fuel economy and realize fuel savings up to 10%, compared to school buses with the baseline Allison transmission.
“The addition of FuelSense technology on our school buses allows our customers to lower their total cost of ownership even more by lowering their fuel costs,” said Ken Hedgecock, vice president of sales, marketing and service for Thomas Built Buses. “Fuel costs are among the highest annual expenditure for school bus fleets and these new fuel-saving features can deliver significant savings.”
For more information about FuelSense, customers can speak with their local dealer or visit www.allisontransmission.com.
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 http://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.
