Thomas Built Buses
 | |
| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | Perley A. Thomas Car Works, Inc. |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | High Point, North Carolina, United States |
Area served | North America |
Key people |
Kelley Platt President and CEO |
| Products |
School buses Commercial buses Specialty Vehicles |
Production output | 15,000 vehicles/ year[1] |
| Owner | Daimler AG |
Number of employees | 1,600 |
| Parent | Daimler Trucks North America |
| Website | thomasbus.com |
Thomas Built Buses, Inc. (commonly designated Thomas) is an American bus manufacturer. Headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, the company is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America (the parent company of Freightliner). While best known for its yellow school buses, Thomas also produces, activity buses/MFSAB (Multi-Function School Activity Buses), commercial buses, and bus bodies for aftermarket conversion.
Thomas bus bodies are produced in two facilities in High Point, North Carolina; Thomas also produces the chassis for its Saf-T-Liner/Transit Liner EFX and HDX buses.
History
The oldest surviving bus manufacturer in North America, Thomas traces its roots to 1916. As his previous employer, Southern Car Company, closed its doors, Perley A. Thomas founded Perley A. Thomas Car Works in High Point, North Carolina, reopening the former facilities and employing many employees of the Southern Car Company. Thomas Car Works continued production of bodies for wood-bodied electric streetcars; Thomas was trained as a skilled woodworker and engineer. As Thomas Car Works was founded, the industry was in the transition to steel-bodied construction, forcing the company to make the switch.
During the next twenty years, Perley A. Thomas streetcars were built and delivered to communities across the United States, including New Orleans, where they operated on the Desire line made famous by Tennessee Williams' 1947 Broadway play and later film of the same name, A Streetcar Named Desire. As of 2016, New Orleans is one of the only cities where Perley Thomas streetcars still remain in active service in public transportation (as opposed to being preserved as museum examples) nearly 90 years after their construction.
1930s: Transition to bus construction
In the 1920s and 1930s in the United States, usage of public transportation declined as a result of the increase of ownership of personal automobiles. A new trend in public transportation was the use of automotive-based buses in place of rail-based streetcars; although streetcars offered higher passenger capacity, buses offered additional flexibility in route design. Consequently, orders for new Thomas streetcars and renovations began falling off.
Just as the company had made the transition from wooden to steel construction in streetcars, Thomas Car Works would transition from streetcars to buses entirely. In 1934, the company would build 10 transit buses as part of an order for Duke Power of South Carolina.
First Thomas school buses
In 1936, Thomas ceased production of streetcars and launched a new product: the school bus. The same year, the company built 200 wooden-bodied school buses for the state of North Carolina, beginning a long tradition with that state which continues to the present day.[1] In 1938, Thomas made a major change to its design as it introduced its first bus body made completely of steel.[2] Although not the first to build an all-steel bus, Thomas made a major change that would be adopted through the industry. In the internal structure of the bus body, Thomas changed the layout of the roof bows to become constructed of a single piece of metal, essentially giving the bus a multiple single-piece roll bars welded to each side of the floor.[2] Though their design has been modified for additional strength, the usage of one-piece roof bows remains universal among school bus body manufacturers.
In April 1939, the design of the school bus changed forever as an industry conference led to the adoption of 44 industry-wide safety standards; most of the standards concerned aisle width and seating, but the most notable result of the conference would be the development of school bus yellow as a universal color for school buses in the United States.
1940s: Wartime production
In 1940, Perley A. Thomas retired from Thomas Car Works (though remaining president of his family-owned company).[2] Following the outbreak of World War II, as with its competitors, Thomas bus production was shifted towards the armed forces; Thomas also produced various bodies for the GMC CCKW truck.[2] In another shift, Thomas Car Works supplemented its armed forces contracts by refurbishing streetcars; while increased use of public transportation had led to demand for newer equipment, rationed materials required refurbishment of existing streetcars.[2]
Following World War II, with a rise in student populations, Thomas expanded beyond the South, opening dealerships in a number of states across the eastern half of the United States.[2] To better weatherproof its entry door, the company developed a reinforced rubber-covered door hinge; the rubber also covered the gap between the two door panels as the closed.[2]
1950s: First Saf-T-Liner
During the mid-1950s, Thomas Car Works introduced the Thomas Saf-T-Liner name as it developed a new windshield design for its bus bodies.[2] During the decade, Thomas would become an internationally based company, establishing manufacturing facilities in Ecuador and Peru; Thomas would ship CKD bodies from North Carolina in CKD form to be constructed on locally sourced chassis.[2]
In 1958, company founder Perley Thomas died at the age of 84, with sons John W. Thomas and James Thomas overseeing the operations of the company.
1960s: A move towards safety
In 1962, Thomas Car Works officially expanded its production beyond High Point as it established a factory in Woodstock, Ontario.[2] At the time, the company became the third-largest producer of school buses in the United States.[2]
For 1969, to reduce blind spots in front of the bus, Thomas introduced a convex blind-spot mirror.[2] In various forms, blind-spot mirrors are currently required on all school buses in North America.
1970s: Thomas Built Buses
In the early 1970s, Thomas underwent a number of major transitions in company leadership and market positioning. In 1972, company president John W. Thomas died, giving leadership to his brother James Thomas, who retired within a year. As the company had moved away from construction of streetcars following World War II, in 1972, company leaders chose a new name for the company tied closer to its current product lines: Perley A. Thomas Car Works became Thomas Built Buses, Inc (a name used in its emblems since the 1950s).[1][2] A third generation of the Thomas family assumed control of the company, with John Thomas, Jr. (President) and Perley Thomas II (VP, international operations).[2]
In the 1970s, Thomas Built Buses began to expand its product lineup beyond the Saf-T-Liner cowled-chassis bus. As an alternative to the Blue Bird All American, Thomas developed the Thomas Saf-T-Liner ER (Engine Rear). As with a number of other manufacturers (Carpenter, Superior, Ward, Wayne), Thomas was dependent on a chassis supplied by another manufacturer for its transit-style school bus (using Ford, Dodge, GMC, International Harvester and Volvo). In 1978, as part of an update to the Saf-T-Liner ER, Thomas made a major change to its design: the introduction of a company-sourced chassis for the ER as well as a front-engine EF (Engine Front) counterpart. Thomas would become the first school bus manufacturer to source chassis for both front and rear-engine models, ahead of Blue Bird by a decade (California manufacturers Crown Coach and Gillig Corporation did not manufacture a front-engine model that competed with Thomas).
1980s: Product diversification
The late 1970s and early 1980s was a period of struggle for all school bus manufacturers. Coupled with the slow economy, manufacturers could no longer count on the factor that had driven school bus sales for the past two decades: the entirety of the baby-boom generation had finished school; it would be years before student populations would create sufficient demand again. During this time, a number of manufacturers either encountered financial difficulty or closed their doors altogether. Thomas diversified its product lineup, entering the small school bus market, creating unique products, and redesigning its transit-style buses to compete with newly introduced competitors.
In the late 1970s, Thomas created its first small bus with the development of the Mighty Mite, a bus paired with the Chevrolet/GMC P30 stripped chassis. Designed as a competitor for the Carpenter Cadet and Blue Bird Mini Bird, the Mighty Mite name was first used as a narrow-body variant of the Saf-T-Liner conventional. In 1980, the Thomas Minotour was introduced. A cutaway-chassis bus, the Minotour was produced on both Ford and General Motors chassis.[2]
The 1980s saw an expansion of the Saf-T-Liner model line, as Thomas introduced the WestCoastER, a heavy-duty variant marketed against Crown and Gillig school buses; in addition to heavier-duty driveline and suspension components, the WestCoastER was also available with tandem rear axles on certain versions. In the late 1980s, the Saf-T-Liner product line adopted the MVP suffix (which stood for Maneuverability, Visibility, and Protection).
In 1989, the Thomas Vista was introduced, adding a second conventional to the Thomas model line. In contrast to the standard Saf-T-Liner conventional, the design of the Vista featured a number of modifications to optimize forward sightlines for drivers. As with a front-engine transit-style bus, the engine was placed next to the driver instead of in front of the driver, shortening the hood length and repositioning the driver seat forward.
1990s: Acquisition
In 1991, the Saf-T-Liner ER saw its first redesign since 1978, with major improvements on forward visibility. To compete with the Blue Bird TC/2000 and Ward Senator (later AmTran Genesis), Thomas introduced the All Star as a replacement for the Saf-T-Liner EF; the All Star would become the Saf-T-Liner MVP EF/ER in 1994. In 1992, Thomas Built Buses would become operated by a fourth generation of the Thomas family.[2]
In 1996, the company would open a third facility, in Monterrey, Mexico; the same year, Thomas became the largest school bus manufacturer in the United States (by market share).[2]
In 1997, the Thomas Saf-T-Liner FS-65 was introduced, marking the debut of the Freightliner FS-65 chassis.[2] In 1998, Thomas was acquired in 1998 by the Freightliner division of Daimler AG (then DaimlerChrysler), becoming the third body manufacturer acquired by an associated supplier (along with AmTran and Carpenter). Following the 2001 closure of Carpenter, Thomas would become one of only three principal builders of large school buses in North America.
1998–present: division of Freightliner
In 1997, Freightliner had launched the FS-65 conventional school bus chassis based on its FL-Series medium duty truck; Freightliner was the first new chassis producer since Chrysler stopped production of Dodge school bus chassis in 1977. The purchase of Thomas allowed Freightliner to offer the FS-65 through a single body manufacturer, and the gamble worked. Throughout its production run, the FS-65 was used throughout many districts around the US. The last FS-65 was produced and delivered on December 13, 2006, to O'Brien Bus Service, Inc. of Maryland.[3]
From 2001 to 2011, the Thomas full-size bus lineup underwent a series of revisions. In 2001, the Saf-T-Liner HD (later the HDX) was introduced to replace both the Saf-T-Liner and MVP ER models. While distinguished by its large mirrors (integrating side-view, convex, and cross-view into a single unit), the HD also showed the increased use of Freightliner components on Thomas buses (headlights and instrument panel). In 2003, all Thomas Conventionals became based on the FS-65 chassis. A much larger change came in 2004 with the introduction of the Saf-T-Liner C2. Intended as the replacement for the FS-65 Conventional, the C2 was based on the Freightliner M2 Business Class. Wearing an all-new body, the C2 differs from previous buses in its body construction; it also uses the M2 dashboard in its entirety. In 2009, Thomas launched a new Type A design called the MyBus; while not a replacement for the Minotour, the MyBus is geared specifically towards the activity bus market.[4] It is available in three sizes on a GM chassis.[5] In 2011, the Saf-T-Liner EFX was introduced to replace the Saf-T-Liner EF; featuring the windshield from the HDX, the EFX is the first new front-engine Thomas bus since 1991.
In 2004, Perley A. Thomas, founder of the Thomas streetcar and bus building companies, who died in 1958, was among the first inductees into the Raleigh-based North Carolina Transportation Hall of Fame.
Products
In addition to school buses, Thomas also offers activity buses,commercial buses, specialty busses and child-care buses derived from the Minotour, Mybus, C2, EFX, and HDX lines. For custom-built vehicles based on its school buses (applications such as bloodmobiles and mobile command centers), Thomas collaborates with Matthews Specialty Vehicles, Inc.
As of 2016, Thomas is currently the only school bus manufacturer to produce its own bodies for both small and full-size buses.[1]
School Buses
| Current Product Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Model Name | Thomas Minotour/MyBus | Saf-T-Liner C2 | Thomas Saf-T-Liner (EFX, HDX) |
| Photo |  |
 |
 |
| Year Introduced |
|
2004 |
|
| Assembly | High Point, North Carolina | ||
| Configuration |
Type A (cutaway van)
|
Type C (conventional) |
Type D (transit-style) (front engine, rear engine) |
| Chassis Manufacturer |
Ford Motor Company General Motors |
Daimler Trucks North America LLC
|
Thomas Built Buses
|
| Fuel Type(s) |
Minotour
MyBus
|
|
EFX
HDX
|
| Passenger Capacity | 14-30 | up to 81 | up to 90 |
| Other Notes |
Minotour
MyBus
|
|
EFX
HDX
|
| Former Product Lines | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model Name | Years Produced | Configuration | Chassis Supplier | Notes | |
Mighty Mite  |
mid 1980s-early 1990s | Type B (integrated) |
General Motors
|
| |
Saf-T-Liner Conventional  |
1962-2002 | Type C (Conventional) |
Chrysler Corporation
General Motors
International Harvester Company/Navistar International
|
| |
| Saf-T-Liner FS-65
|
1997–2007 | Type C (Conventional) |
Freightliner
|
| |
| Vista
|
1989-1998 |
Type C (Semi-forward control conventional) |
General Motors (1989-1991) Navistar International (1992-1998) |
| |
| Thomas Saf-T-Liner (EF, ER, WestCoastER)
|
|
Type D (transit-style)
|
Thomas Built Buses |
Saf-T-Liner EF
Saf-T-Liner ER
WestCoastER
| |
| Saf-T-Liner MVP EF/ER, All-Star
|
|
Type D (transit-style)
|
|
All-Star
Saf-T-Liner MVP EF
Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
| |
Other Buses
Thomas sold commercial derivatives of the Minotour, Conventional, Vista, along with the following:[6]
- Transit Liner MVP EF/ER- commercial derivative of Saf-T-Liner MVP school bus
- TL960 - rear-engine transit bus derived from Saf-T-Liner ER[7]
- Chartour- rear-engine transit bus
- CL960 - rear-engine transit bus
- SLF200 (Super Low Floor) series - transit bus jointly developed with Dennis Specialist Vehicles, based on Dennis Dart SLF
| Thomas Built Buses, Inc. Timeline | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bus Type | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| '72 | '73 | '74 | '75 | '76 | '77 | '78 | '79 | '80 | '81 | '82 | '83 | '84 | '85 | '86 | '87 | '88 | '89 | '90 | '91 | '92 | '93 | '94 | '95 | '96 | '97 | '98 | '99 | '00 | '01 | '02 | '03 | '04 | '05 | '06 | '07 | '08 | '09 | '10 | '11 | '12 | '13 | '14 | |||||||
| Type A | Minotour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MyBus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type B | Mighty Mite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type C | Conventional | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas/Freightliner FS-65 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saf-T-Liner C2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vista | Vista | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type D | Saf-T-Liner EF/ER | Saf-T-Liner ER | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saf-T-Liner MVP EF/Saf-T-Liner EF | Saf-T-Liner EFX | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saf-T-Liner MVP ER | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saf-T-Liner HD | Saf-T-Liner HDX | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All Star EF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Images
|
See also
- Thomas Dennis Company LLC, a joint venture between Dennis and Thomas Built Buses (1999–2003)
References
- 1 2 3 4 "About Us--Quick Facts". Thomas Built Buses website. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Thomas school bus history,Perley A. Thomas Car Works, Thomas Built Buses, Thomas Built Buses div. of Freightliner, Thomas Built Buses div. of Daimler Trucks, High Point, N.C. - CoachBuilt.com". www.coachbuilt.com. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
- ↑ "Thomas retires the FS-65". Thomasbus.com. 2006-12-13. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ "Thomas Built Introduces New Activity Bus". Thomas Built Buses (June 3, 2009). Press release about MyBus. Retrieved 2010-04-30
- ↑ "Our Buses". MyBus website. Retrieved 2010-04-30
- ↑ "Archived Thomas website". Web.archive.org. 1997-04-01. Archived from the original on April 1, 1997. Retrieved 2014-01-04.
- ↑ "comtl96". Web.archive.org. 2000-04-23. Archived from the original on April 23, 2000. Retrieved 2014-01-04.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas buses. |
- Official website
- Matthews Specialty Vehicles, Inc. - converter of Thomas buses to specialty vehicles
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
