HIGH POINT, N.C. – July 23, 2024 – Thomas Built Buses (TBB), a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America, announced significant enhancements to its Type D product line with the introduction of the Saf-T-Liner HDX2. This bus is known for its flat-front construction, unparalleled driver visibility and industry-leading passenger capacity.   Thomas Built remains committed to its best-in-class Type D products. Moving manufacturing of the buses to the company’s state-of-the-art Saf-T-Liner C2 Plant in Archdale, North Carolina, has enabled Thomas Built to take advantage of the technology and capabilities at the facility, leading to operational refinements, efficiency gains and enhanced product quality for customers including: 

• New exterior look: The HDX2 features a refreshed aesthetic in line with the C2, including taller and wider windows, new front and rear ends and C2-style side exit and entrance doors.  
• Improved construction: The HDX2 will employ the C2’s Saf-T-Net construction, utilizing adhesive technologies along with mechanical fasteners for increased safety. The C2 plant’s robotic painting capabilities will enhance paint quality, ensuring a consistent and durable finish. The move to the C2 plant also enables production line undercoating, further improving the overall durability of the buses.  
• Production rate flexibility: The C2 plant enables increased production capacity due to its modern production line and automated processes, translating to faster delivery times for customers. 
• Streamlined service and maintenance: The integration of common parts between the C2 and HDX lines streamlines service, reducing the complexity of maintaining mixed fleets with fewer service parts. The reduction of line side wiring and 100% harness content simplifies the serviceability and maintenance of electrical components.   

“The Type D segment has gone without innovation for some time,” said Kevin Bangston, president and CEO of Thomas Built. “Moving our Type D operations to our C2 plant is a smart move that will make our buses more efficient to build and get to our customers faster. At Thomas Built, we’re focused on what our customers need, and we’re excited about how this change will make the next iteration of our Type D buses even better. This investment in the HDX2 is a lever to continue to develop the product and symbolizes our dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions to our customers and continuing to push innovation in the school bus industry.” 

Orders for the HDX2 will commence later this month, with customer builds happening as early as Q1 2025. 

Thomas Built Buses continues to innovate its Type D school bus offering. For more information on upcoming products, contact your local Thomas Built dealer. 

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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 https://thomasbuiltbuses.com or at https://www.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. Daimler Truck North America is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck, one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.