Orders Demonstrate Customer Acceptance of New Technology

High Point, N.C. – With more than 1,500 orders to date for selective catalytic reduction-equipped (SCR) Saf-T-Liner® buses, Thomas Built Buses’ (TBB) sales demonstrate its customers’ support for the new technology. TBB has already taken orders for buses in 44 states and five Canadian provinces, and the orders keep coming. TBB proudly offers SCR technology on all Type C and D vehicles to maximize fuel efficiency and performance, while meeting new federal emissions standards.

American Bus Sales and Service, the TBB dealer for Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia, has the distinction of having placed one of the first large orders for the new buses: 59 Saf-T Liner HDX school buses in December 2009. Those buses will be delivered to Montgomery County, Md. public schools this summer. Now customers from California to New York and from Alabama to Canada have jumped on board and placed orders of their own, relying on TBB to provide safe, reliable buses with proven SCR technology.

“We don’t just buy school buses. We invest in new safety and emissions technology because we know it’s the best thing to do not only for the safety of the students we transport, but also for the environment in the communities we serve,” said Ed Bishop, transportation director for Prince William County School District, who recently ordered 40 SCR-equipped buses. “We have chosen SCR because we understand that it is a proven technology over other alternatives, and we believe it’s the best technology over the long term. We are proud to partner with Thomas Built and its dealer, Sonny Merryman Inc., who understand that customer service cannot be undervalued. We’re not just buying a bus, we’re buying a relationship.”

“Like Prince William School District, other large school districts and transportation providers have welcomed the opportunity to extend their commitment to sound environmental strategies with their selection of proven SCR technology,” said Ken Hedgecock, vice president, sales, marketing and service, Thomas Built Buses. “We’re pleased and proud to be the first choice of so many customers incorporating SCR technology into their fleets.”

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 name plates. Daimler Trucks North America is a Daimler Company.