More power options are coming soon to the large school bus space as Cummins prepares to launch a second gasoline engine option for the market and its long-awaited successor to the 6.7-liter diesel engine.
The gasoline or octane engine will be in full production next January, with the new B7.2 diesel engine available January 2027, the company announced earlier this month. The new gasoline engine will be available January 2026.
Both engines are the initial launches of Cummins’ HELM, or Higher Efficiency, Lower emissions and Multiple fuels, platform. The engine lineup is referred to as “fuel agnostic,” the base engine remains the same, but the fuel heads can be swapped for diesel, gasoline and eventually CNG.
Currently, the school bus industry only has one choice in gasoline and propane, that being the ROUSH CleanTech auto-gas system for Blue Bird.
Cummins originally planned on adding a propane offering on its HELM platform but announced last year it would forego that option.
The B7.2 meets the upcoming EPA Greenhouse Gas Emissions Phase 3 rule set to go into effect in 2027. The company said will emit approximately 85 percent less NOx and 50 percent less PM than 2010 model year diesel engines. In an overview provided to School Transportation News, Cummins explained that lower GHG result from the clean-sheet base engine and optimized components.
“One of the most significant changes is the increase in peak cylinder pressure capability, allowing us to extract the energy from the fuel more effectively,” the overview states. “As greenhouse gas emissions are directly proportional to fuel burned, the improvements made to improve GHG emissions also save fuel, reducing the operating costs of the new B7.2.”
The diesel will also be compatible with automatic engine shutdown and stop-start systems that can lower fuel consumption as well as GHG.
Courtesy of Cummins.
On a recent episode of the School Transportation Nation podcast recorded at STN EXPO East, Francisco Lagunas, general manager of the North America bus segment at Cummins, said the B7.2 diesel engine will provide a wider range of torque as the company address the various duty cycles of its customers and the environmental condition they operate in.
“There are big differences north to south, coast to coast. Cummins focuses on reliability and what’s best for the customer,” he added.
This includes ACUMEN that provides access and connectivity to a range of applications for , digital insights.
“Customers can utilize these detailed tools to enhance the driving experience including predictive capabilities and over-the-air features that will reduce visits to the shop, increase uptime and minimize the operations,” Lagunas continued. “It will also take advantage of options like compression brake or extend the oil drain intervals.”
Meanwhile, Lagunas said the new octane engine available next year will provide diesel-like performance for both reliability and durability. He added that fleet operators can expect 10 percent improved fuel economy based on the duty cycle.
CONCORD, N.C. – Expert panels presented by major school bus manufacturers at the Green Bus Summit centered on the theme of industry flexibility and resilience amid questions about the future of federal funding.
Blue Bird: The Right Bus for the Right Route: Managing Mixed Fleets
Tom Hopkins, business development manager for ROUSH CleanTech, speaks during a Green Bus Summit panel at STN EPXO East 2025.
Luke Patrick, director of maintenance and training for the South Carolina Department of Education, oversees a fleet of 5,620 electric, propane, gasoline and diesel school buses. Electric school buses, he said, are purchased using government funding, operate on shorter metro routes, and are placed on routes where depot facilities already have power on site. Propane has been good for the state because of reduced maintenance costs and gasoline buses are used sparsely in more remote areas.
No matter the fuel, he said good working relationships are needed with districts so implementation goes smoothly.
Stephen Whaley, eastern alternative fuels manager for Blue Bird, reviewed the current powertrain energy options of diesel, gasoline, propane and electric as well as their acquisition price tags and approximate range. Most school bus down time results from diesel aftertreatment requirements, he reminded.
Over 2,000 Blue Bird electric school buses are deployed in 42 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, shared Brad Beauchamp, the OEM’s EV product segment leader. “We’re continuing to evolve this product to give you better range,” he confirmed.
He added that a DC fast charge solution is better than Level 2 AC, but a yard planning option is best for long-term fleet electrification goals.
Tom Hopkins, business development manager for drivetrain manufacturer and longtime Blue Bird propane partner ROUSH CleanTech, reviewed the cost savings that buses running on safe, clean, domestically produced, affordable propane Autogas produce compared to diesel.
Whaley reviewed the easy-to-implement and scalable propane infrastructure. While alternative fuel tax credits are generally available, he said he’s not sure they will be renewed by Congress. Even without those incentives, those fueling and maintenance cost savings add up to a savings over diesel, he added.
Real-time Visual Notes created by Ink Factory.
CowFartBus: A Zero Carbon Alternative for Existing Diesel Buses
Robert Friedman, managing director for CowFartBus, speaks during a Green Bus Summit session at STN EXPO East 2025.
Robert Friedman, managing director for CowFartBus powered by Demi Diesel Displacer and Neufuel, explained the company’s mission of converting existing diesel school buses to run on one tank of renewable natural gas (RNG) and another of diesel. There’s no compromise in vehicle or fleet logistics and no need to buy new buses, he said.
He added that Renewable natural gas fueling pressure is lower than regular CNG, so the affordable filling station is simply 2-feet by 2-feet. The bus can still run solely on diesel, if needed. He explained that 26 buses can be converted to CowFartBus for the price of one new electric school bus, resulting in optimal sustainability.
Friedman confirmed the refitted buses’ durability in harsh altitude and weather conditions, as they are being used in multiple districts including Eagle County School District in Colorado, which has six of these buses and is adding eight more with plans to convert the whole fleet.
“We’ve been so happy with this system and see the promise in it,” said Joe Reen, the district’s executive director of operations.
He relayed that the budget is tight with a driver shortage necessitating that 20 buses each run about 100 miles a day in rapidly changing altitude and weather conditions. But the buses do not experience power loss. Even 30-year bus drivers like them, he shared.
Some community members desire greater environmental sustainability while others want cost savings, and CowFartBus hits both those points, he said. It was a good alternative for his district, Reen added, since electric doesn’t work for their region.
“There’s not a single silver bullet,” Friedman agreed.
Luke Patrick, director of maintenance and training for the South Carolina Department of Education, oversees transportation of 170,000 students a day on 5,620 buses with an average route length of 70 miles, consuming 11 million gallons of fuel per year. He said a big draw for the state was that the RNG complements diesel but doesn’t replace it. Charleston School District near the coast is currently running two CowFartBuses, and Patrick said he is looking to acquire 50 more.
Both districts reported high satisfaction levels from the drivers, which is good news for driver retention efforts.
Friedman recommended converting older buses if manufacturer warranty is a concern but confirmed that CowFartBus covers the warranty on buses they convert. “Our longest running bus has 800,000 miles on it,” CowFartBus Director Sam Johnson added.
An IC Bus session on maintenance tools at the Green Bus Summit during STN EXPO East 2025.
Regional Sales Manager Marc Trucby reviewed updated aspects of OnCommand Connection, a platform that comes standard on all IC buses since 2023 and collects vehicle health data through factory or aftermarket telematics devices.
He also shared information about a prospecting tool that helps districts find green bus funding and a partnership with Sourcewell for streamlining the RFP and bid process.
Gregory Baze, IC’s national account manager for parts, discussed the Repairlink solution that is designed to provide school bus repair shops with 24/7 online parts ordering. It gives technicians an easy way to connect with dealers and suppliers for fast, accurate parts sourcing and communications.
The new addition helps school bus technicians more efficiently search for and reorder the parts they need from a larger inventory selection, he explained. A VIN-based catalog, saved shopping carts, price comparisons and coupon discounts are additional benefits.
“You are essentially your own dealer looking up your parts,” he said.
Attendees asked about various aspects of placing orders and Baze provided details on how school bus mechanics and technicians can do so.
For security purposes, districts can only enter information for school buses they own and operate and save the data into the system so they can shop by bus for any specific parts it needs. Baze confirmed that contracted buses are also eligible for Repairlink and that customer service can work with districts to complete this.
“We do a lot beyond buses,” Baze concluded.
Real-time Visual Notes created by Ink Factory.
Thomas Built Buses: ICE – The Future Outlook for Traditional & Alternate Fuels in School Buses
Francisco Lagunas, the North America bus segment general manager for Cummins, and Daoud Chaaya, vice president of sales, aftermarket and marketing for Thomas Built Buses, speak during a Green Bus Summit session at STN EXPO East 2025.
Thomas Built Buses General Sales Manager Jim Crowcroft stated that diesel is still very much a part of the school bus landscape.
Luke Patrick, director of maintenance and training for the South Carolina Department of Education, shared that his fleet is over 80 percent diesel due to needed range. It also contains over 500 propane buses, which he said have about half the range but lower operating costs and fewer maintenance issues. While his electric school buses (ESBs) come with range concerns, he said that district collaboration is key to improvement.
Amidst upheavals in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and federal government funding, the panelists reiterated OEM commitment to both ICE and electric options to serve customer needs.
“It’s our job to learn what your goals are and support you though it, whether you’re looking at diesel or other alternative fuels,” said Kelly Rivera, general manager for school bus dealer Carolina Thomas.
Daoud Chaaya, vice president of sales, aftermarket and marketing for Thomas, said he sees diesel and octane as a bridge to greater sustainability until ESB Total Cost of Ownership and price parity are achieved. Cummins’ Francisco Lagunas, the North America bus segment general manager, noted that the company’s octane engine will be available by January 2026 and the B7.2 diesel engine by January 2027.
Chaaya said that despite uncertainty in government funding, several U.S. states indicate a firm commitment to school bus electrification, plus both the knowledge and support networks are only growing stronger.
“By the end of the year a lot more clarity will come around,” he predicted.
Rivera pointed out that diesel buses are now being manufactured with cleaner engines by default. Lagunas added that manufacturing cleaner diesel buses increases their price while ESB manufacturing is becoming cheaper as that product improves.
“We need to diversify,” he said of OEMs.
Luke Patrick, director of maintenance and training for the South Carolina Department of Education, and Francisco Lagunas, the North America bus segment general manager for Cummins, speak during a Green Bus Summit session at STN EXPO East 2025.
Patrick spoke to the importance of proactive training when rolling out school buses with a different fuel or energy source than technicians are used to.
Chaaya confirmed that dealers and school districts are all included in the collaborative decision on what an OEM manufactures. “We want to thrive, not just survive in this ecosystem,” he said.
The panelists agreed that clarity, communication and speedy dialogue with the EPA is helpful for unified, stable OEM decisions and concrete answers to districts. “In absence of decision making, rumors and anxiety run wild,” Chaaya commented.
The speakers also expressed optimism for the future as student transporters are a resilient group. “It’s a really exciting time to be in student transportation as there are lots of products out there to meet your challenges,” Rivera concluded.
School bus manufacturing leadership has seen a flurry of activity over the past six months. True to form, Thomas Built Buses looked within the Daimler Truck North America family for its next president and CEO to succeed Kevin Bangston, who now leads Daimler Truck Financial Services. T.J. Reed got his start at Daimler Truck in September 1998 and has spent 19 years total with the company, and nearly another six years spent at Meritor heading its global electrification as well as front drive train businesses. He was tapped in October to lead Thomas.
“It feels like five, six years already, and that’s been a good thing,” he told School Transportation News last month. “Early on, I had my first trade shows. I was blown away [by] how the entire industry was really on the same page, not only the camaraderie and the spirit of working together [but] on a common mission. But it was OE’s, suppliers, districts, contractors really just loving what they do and being passionate about school buses. That’s rubbed off. And you can’t help but feel that when you’re in High Point at Thomas.”
Thomas would not comment on potential tariff impact, but the American Trucking Associations’ outlook is a potential price increases of up to $35,000 for a heavy-duty truck, granted those are made in Mexico whereas Thomas is not.
Meanwhile, Reed said employees are “pumping out” high-quality school buses every single day and benefitting from increased investment to accomplish the job. In July, the manufacturer announced its new Saf-T-Liner HDX2 school bus and moving production to the C2 SafT-Liner plant in Archdale, North Carolina, for increased efficiency and quality.
He also discussed the HDX2 as well as efficiency improvements to the second-generation Jouley electric school bus, the continued role of diesel, and more.
The following transcript was edited for clarity and space.
STN: Talk about why Thomas chose the Accelera e-axle to power the latest Jouley.
TJ Reed: I think the biggest thing, Ryan, and when you look at it, I would say the technical concept or the promise of an e-axle is you’re not only increasing performance from an efficiency perspective, you’re lowering the weight, you’re improving packaging. It’s ideally suited for school bus, even a last mile item. If you think about it, you’re taking a lot of components that are inside the frame rails that add a lot of weight, and you’re basically collapsing it down inside the housing of a carrier. And you got your traditional axle, you’ve got your motor and your transmission all in a compact space, and
that frees up a lot of room for batteries to be placed in between the rails, and you can shorten the wheelbase. That had been some of the challenges with the early generations. You were pretty restricted on the variation of the product. And as we know, school buses are pretty custom. So, this just opens up a lot of flexibility. And the other great thing is this continued maturity of components. The product’s been out in the market for a while, been operating in a heavy-truck configuration. We know it’ll live in the life cycle and certainly Cummins/Accelera is a great partner. They have a lot of resources and know-how. All those things come together. It could be just a much better experience for the districts and the bus operators. Just another step in the progression. This is great to see it come to market now.
STN: We have seen some electric school bus market consolidation recently. What is Thomas’ perspective on ramping up production to meet demand? How is Thomas positioning itself to meet that demand?
Reed: It’s a long-term play. As we like to say, we’re leading with the long view. At the end of day, school bus is the ideal duty cycle when you got majority of ranges under 100 miles a day. You’ve got overnight charging in the depot. You’ve got a lot of stop and go for regenerative braking. It’s ideally set so that it is specific to school buses. But you know, part of Daimler, globally we serve markets all around the world and want to lead in this space. With that, we work with a lot of different partners, from battery partners, drive systems, accessories, financial services. It’s a significant investment for our dealers as well. [Daimler has] continued to invest, like in the Greenlane [charging station joint venture]. Those things take time to put in place, and you don’t make investments on short-term plays. This is a long-term play, and this is an area that we think is going to be not only the right thing to do for our environment, for our communities, but it’s going to be the right long-term play for our customers from an efficiency and certainly from a health and community perspective, especially on school buses.
That’s why it’s important we have what I would call our core business based upon internal combustion engines. That generates the cash flow that allows us to invest in a lot of this technology. We’ve got, I would say, that very phased approach, where we install, we learn, we adapt, we perfect, we continue to move forward. That’s not only just with us, that’s with our customers, as we learn how to put these new vehicles in applications that they hadn’t been in before. We’ve been doing internal combustion engines for over 100 years, and that was always changing and evolving. So, there’s nothing different here. But it’s nice, too, from a Daimler perspective, we have the global toolbox, that know-how. There are components and systems that we can use that work for us in a school bus application, some that don’t. So, we have that optionality to really work with a lot of different partners, including ourselves. That gives us a lot of capability.
STN: We’ll get back to diesel in a moment. Obviously, range is a challenge with electric school buses. But infrastructure has been named by many as the biggest challenge to adoption and scalability. Does that continue to be the number one obstacle? Are there others?
Reed: We have a kind of famous calculation that we always talk about in the marketplace. You’ve got to have infrastructure readiness. You’ve got to have a vehicle that’s ready. Then, you’ve got to have basically the economics from a TCO of operation. If any one of those factors is zero, the calculation is zero. And certainly, we’re still in the very early days of infrastructure. So, for us to get to the point where we’re going to start to scale and see higher volumes, we’ve got to have infrastructure certainly coming in at a much greater pace. That’s not just only for school buses, that’s commercial vehicles, that’s passenger cars, that’s everything, in general. I think that theme hasn’t changed. We’ve seen investment, we’ve seen partnerships, but those need to continue to scale up. Then the second part of the equation is, we ’ve got the vehicles. They’re ready. They’re performing in the market today, and they’re getting better and better every day. And as they do that, that’s going to increase volume. As volume increases, that’s going to start to bring the cost down to help with the TCO parity. All those three things need to line up, and infrastructure remains the biggest challenge, not just in the school bus industry but really across the board.
STN: What role has the EPA Clean School Bus Program played in terms of pricing electric school buses compared to supply chain congestion?
Reed: There’s certainly circular logic when it comes to supply and demand in how that impacts costs. I would say this, from a technology development what we’re looking to do in our longterm plans [is] for component systems that drive down costs, that are getting, I would say better performance, more range. The reality is, in the near-term, those are still very low volume systems, and you know that at the end day that battery-electric
vehicles will be significantly more expensive than internal combustion engines from a
scale perspective. There was the [viewpoint] that battery cell cost was going to start to come down, and then you really saw the supply chain crunch… I would say commodities that go into battery development spiked. So, prices went up. We were dealing with that. And now, too, it is absolutely true in these early days [that] funding is critically important to kind of drive the early development of those early adopters. And as that either steps down or is removed, then the cost obviously goes up, and that then kind of lowers volume. I wouldn’t say it’s going to stop our progress, but it will certainly have an impact and slow it. But again, we see it as a long-term view, that it’s not an if, it’s a when. Now that one, I can’t tell you, but it’s still a situation where we probably got to have the infrastructure coming back in. There’s got to be some level of subsidies for that. In the meantime, we’re all working in unison to bring better technology to market at a lower cost, so that takes time to do, collectively.
STN: We’ve also seen an industry trend toward bigger electric school buses. Do you have any plans that you’re willing to talk about as to an eventual electric HDX2?
Reed: I’ll foreshadow this. Some great news is coming. But what I would tell you is we absolutely see the need in the market. We absolutely see the need in our product portfolio, and we have some great solutions, so stay tuned.
STN: Daimler Trucks North American recently added investment into Detroit Diesel, and the California Air Resources Board ceased seeking additional federal waivers to fully implement its Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule for heavy-duty trucks. How do these developments impact the school bus market?
Reed: The Detroit Diesel investment, that’s more for our heavy-duty products, more on the truck side. Everything that we do on the school bus is medium range. That’s Cummins, our partner there. When you look at that, just in terms of diesel, we believe you need all types because the applications are so vast, that the use cases are so different that you need a lot of different technologies to drive to zero emissions. Diesel has a critical role to play. And you’re right, with a lot of investment not only by us in our proprietary engines but our partners from Cummins and our competitors as well, it is continuing to lower emissions. You’ve got GHG phase three that will be coming in 2027. There’s additional tailpipe reductions. All those are being engineered into our buses now. I mean significantly lower NOx and particulate matter, even over the last 10 years. These are much cleaner running engines today. There are requirements, yes, for the ACT rule, where in some states, in order to be able to sell internal combustion engines, you have to have a certain number of battery electric. But that’s been, I would say, one of the success stories of the Clean School Bus Program. It’s seeded enough diesel capability or opportunity in some of these states, we haven’t had an issue with that. Diesel is going to continue to play a role as well as other modes of propulsion. We’re invested in all.
STN: And in terms of gasoline or octane, Thomas is also coming out with an option provided by Cummins in 2026 or 2027.
Reed: We’re making investments across different modes of propulsion, different emissions technologies. You’ve got to have answers for all your customers, no matter what their duty cycle is. And octane, you know, gasoline will play a big role for that. We’re excited about that as well.
STN: Thank you
Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the March 2025 issue of School Transportation News.
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va.,- GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced that the first four Type D all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission BEAST school buses have been delivered to its West Virginia dealer for the Kanawha County School District under Round 2 funding of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSBP).
Round 2 of the CSBP, which was funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), included an award of $18.565 million for seven West Virginia school districts to deploy 50 GreenPower all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses manufactured by American workers in South Charleston. The contract for the award from EPA was signed by GreenPower of West Virginia, the state’s dealer for GreenPower Motor Company, in December 2024.
“We are pleased to have manufactured these first four BEAST school buses for the Clean School Bus Program grant in West Virginia and delivered them within 90 days of the contract being signed with the EPA,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley. “As stewards of public dollars that are being invested by the federal government in the transition to all-electric school buses, GreenPower and other American school bus manufacturers take our role serious to ensure timely delivery of safe, sustainable and sensible school buses manufactured in the U.S. to school districts who are depending on them to provide a safe, healthy means of transportation for 25 million kids per day.”
Delivery of the West Virginia-manufactured school buses under the EPA grant was paused for a few weeks as part of the freeze on spending implemented by the Trump Administration as the new EPA team evaluated program spending. “As a result of the cooperative work done by West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, our dealer was able to receive the Round 2 grant funding for the school buses and we were able to make these first deliveries almost immediately,” Riley continued. “Personally, I am pleased that GreenPower was able to work closely with the Senator to ensure the release of the grant funds, allowing us to build the school buses with an American workforce with appropriate oversight by the Trump Administration.”
Senator Capito, who serves as Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has discussed the need for administrative changes to the implementation of the balance of the CSBP with GreenPower and others in the school bus industry. Those changes include awarding of funds through a competitive system like the Round 2 West Virginia grant instead of a random luck-of-the-draw lottery system. “The Round 2 West Virginia grant represents the intent Congress had when it created the CSBP. It is a well thought out approach that involved multiple school districts and school boards, the school bus OEM, infrastructure providers, utilities, parents and others in the planning,” Riley continued. “When this type of approach is followed, and awards are based on merits and quantifiable results, the most effective use of taxpayer dollars is achieved.”
Over the next few weeks additional GreenPower all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses will be delivered under the Round 2 grant, proceeding toward full deployment of the 50 BEAST and Type A all-electric Nano BEAST school buses awarded to the schools. Grant County Public Schools, who are currently building out their charging infrastructure under the Round 2 grant with Highland Electric Fleets, will be the next district to receive their buses.
As the leading purpose-built American manufacturer of EV school buses, GreenPower is the only all-electric OEM that manufactures both a Class 4 Type A school bus and a Class 8 Type D school bus. The BEAST is a purpose-built 40-foot Type D all-electric, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 90 students. Designed from the ground up as an EV, it is a fully integrated structure that features a strong and corrosion resistant aluminum body made from extruded aluminum, manufactured by Constellium, seamlessly mated to a high strength steel Truss (bus) chassis. The complete flat floor design allows for adjustable track seating with no wheel wells in the passenger compartment, and the high floor keeps students out of the impact zone. Combined port charging is standard with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 85 kW, allowing for full charging in less than three hours.
The School Transportation News award-winning Nano BEAST has a standard 118 kWh battery pack and a range of up to 140 miles. Configured for up to 24 passengers, it features a seamlessly integrated aluminum body made from extruded aluminum manufactured by Constellium. The Nano BEAST is built on the EV Star Cab & Chassis which is the same platform as the EV Star Passenger Van that passed the FTA Altoona Bus Testing program with one of the highest scores ever achieved. The dual port charging is standard, with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 60 kW.
About GreenPower Motor Company, Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo vans and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose-built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com.
The final day of the STN EXPO East conference will feature a behind-the-scenes tour of the Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Plant in High Point, North Carolina.
The March 25 tour will host two groups of 50 attendees each, transported by bus to the plant. Upon arrival, attendees will be escorted in groups of 10 through the plant by Thomas Built Buses regional sales managers, who will answer questions and provide detailed insight into the plant’s workings. Tour attendees will see firsthand the production of Thomas’ Type C and Type D buses as well as new automation on the assembly line, welding, painting and body mounting processes.
Thomas’ Type D bus production, including the Saf-T-Liner HDX2, has been fully transitioned to the North Carolina Saf-T-Liner Plant. A recent press release announced the arrival of the new Saf-T-Liner EFX2 Type D bus, which will also be manufactured at the Saf-T-Liner Plant.
Following the tour, tour attendees will be provided lunch while hearing from company leadership about Thomas’ latest news updates. Attendees will also receive Thomas Built Buses goodie bags and be transported back to Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Concord Golf Resort & Spa.
Space is limited, so secure your spot today at stnexpo.com/east. Main conference registration will also provide access to dozens of educational sessions, the interactive Bus Technology Summit experience, networking events including the Charlotte Motor Speedway Reception, the Green Bus Summit and the STN EXPO Trade Show.
HIGH POINT, N.C. — Thomas Built Buses, a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America, has fully transitioned its Type D product line to its state-of-the-art Saf-T-Liner Plant in Archdale, North Carolina. The introduction of the Saf-T-Liner EFX2 marks the final chapter in this evolution, bringing next-generation innovation, manufacturing efficiencies and enhanced durability to the Type D bus segment.
“This launch represents the end of an era but also the beginning of a new one,” says T.J. Reed, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “With the EFX2, we are delivering a bus designed with modern advancements in safety and reliability, while leveraging the precision and efficiency of our most advanced manufacturing facility. This is the next step forward in our commitment to delivering best-in-class Type D school buses.”
The Saf-T-Liner EFX2 follows the success of the HDX2, integrating key innovations inspired by the industry-leading Saf-T-Liner C2. The move to the newly renamed Saf-T-Liner facility enables production efficiencies, greater quality control and a streamlined supply chain ensuring a more consistent and durable product for school districts nationwide.
Key features of the Saf-T-Liner EFX2:
New exterior design: The EFX2 adopts the C2-style aesthetic with its updated front and rear roof caps.
Enhanced durability and safety: Built with Saf-T-Net construction, the EFX2 integrates advanced adhesives and mechanical fasteners for increased strength. Robotic paint application and in-line body undercoating further improve longevity and corrosion protection.
Optimized production for faster cycle times: The Saf-T-Liner plant transition allows for greater production flexibility, ensuring faster customer cycle times.
Simplified maintenance and service: Designed with fleet efficiency in mind, the EFX2 incorporates common parts with the C2 to streamline maintenance and reduce service complexity.
Proven performance: The EFX2 is powered by a 6.7L Cummins engine that starts at 200 HP, paired with an Allison 2500PTS transmission, ensuring dependable performance. Additional customization options include air disc or heavy-duty air drum brakes and an optional 106K BTU air conditioning system.
Orders for the EFX2 are now open. Limited production will begin in the second quarter of 2025, with full-scale production expected in the latter half of the year.
Building excitement ahead of STN Expo East:
As part of the ongoing celebration of this milestone, Thomas Built Buses is offering an exclusive STN Expo East plant tour. Attendees will gain an insider’s view of the Saf-T-Liner production facility where the EFX2 and HDX2 are built. For more information on the conference or to register for the Saf-T-Liner plant tour, visit here.
For more information on the Saf-T-Liner EFX2 or to place an order, contact your local Thomas Built 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 thomasbuiltbuses.com or at 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.
Fewer than half of Wisconsin manufacturers believe the business climate is headed in the right direction, highlighting an underlying sense of uncertainty around the economy, according to a new report.
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Thomas Built Buses (TBB), a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America, has once again achieved a “World Class” Net Promoter Score (NPS), marking its tenth consecutive year earning this distinction. This achievement reinforces the company’s strong commitment to customer experience (CX) and dealer support.
“For a decade, Thomas Built has remained dedicated to delivering a best-in-class CX, reflected in our consistent achievement of a “World Class” Net Promoter Score,” said Anca Matache, general manager of CX and service at Thomas Built Buses. “This ongoing recognition speaks to the strong collaboration between Thomas Built and our dealer network, prioritizing customer satisfaction at every stage of the bus ownership journey. We remain committed to continuous improvement, using advanced tools and insights to further enhance our service and support.”
The NPS is widely recognized as a leading indicator of customer loyalty. On a scale of 0 to 10, customers are surveyed on how likely they are to recommend Thomas Built to a friend or colleague. Scores above 50 are considered “Excellent,” while scores above 70 are deemed “World Class.”
Thomas Built Buses continues to prioritize exceptional customer service, leveraging data-driven insights and dealer collaboration to maintain and improve customer satisfaction.
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 thomasbuiltbuses.com or at 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.
VANCOUVER — GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (Nasdaq: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower” and the “Company”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today reported its third quarter fiscal year 2025 results and provided an update on its manufacturing operations.
“GreenPower’s improved third-quarter performance, with $7.2 million in revenue — an increase of 35% over the previous quarter — underscores the demand for our purpose-built, all-electric vehicles. Importantly this growth also resulted in an improvement in our gross profit,” said Fraser Atkinson, CEO of GreenPower. “As we continue scaling our manufacturing operations, GreenPower is well-positioned to drive long-term growth and capitalize on the industry’s rapid shift toward zero-emission fleet solutions. At the end of the quarter we had available funding of more than $5 million consisting of cash, availability on loan facilities and ability to issue letters of credit to finance production of our growing order book.”
GreenPower spent the quarter continuning to increase its output from the West Virginia manufacturing facility. “As a result of the work we did during the quarter, we are now set to deliver one BEAST per week from the South Charleston facility, with the BEAST production increasing to two per week by April plus Nano BEAST production,” said Brendan Riley, GreenPower President. “To support this growth, we’ve strengthened our leadership team with the addition of James Redd as our new West Virginia production manager. Working alongside Vice President of Production Wendell White, James has been instrumental in laying the groundwork for a second shift at the plant, positioning GreenPower to meet rising demand and scale efficiently.”
On the West Coast, GreenPower finalized plans to expand its California manufacturing footprint in one facility located in the Inland Empire. “Consolidating our operations from three separate locations and five different facilities spread out through California to one larger facility will allow for more cost savings and increased efficiency,” Riley stated.
Third Quarter 2025 Highlights:
Generated revenues of $7.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, an increase of 35% over the previous quarter. Gross profit improved to 14.6% of revenue up from 8.6% for the previous quarter.
Delivered 13 BEAST Type D all-electric school buses, one Nano BEAST Type A school bus, one EV Star Cargo Plus and 13 EV Star Passenger Vans.
At the end of the quarter GreenPower had working capital of $12.8 million, an increase of $2.7 million over the previous quarter, and inventory of $28.2 million, consisting of $10.8 million of finished goods, $13.1 million of work-in-process and $4.3 million of parts and components.
Deferred revenue at the end of the quarter increased to $10.8 million.
Completed an underwritten offering of 3,000,000 common shares raising gross proceeds of $3 million.
For additional information on the results of operations for the period ended December 31, 2024 review the interim financial statements and related reports posted on GreenPower’s website as well as on www.sedar.com or filed on EDGAR.
Shareholder Call Information Date: Tuesday February 18, 2025 Time: 6:30 a.m. PST / 9:30 a.m. EST Participant dial-in: (US) 1-844-739-3982 (Canada); 1-866-605-3852; (International) 1-412-317-5718. Ask to be joined into the GreenPower Motor Company Inc. conference call.
Webcast Link: https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=XkyzR1vx Replay: (US) 1-877-344-7529; (Canada) 1-855-669-9658; (International) 1-412-317-0088 Replay access code: 5816828
About GreenPower Motor Company Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo van and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com.
OTTAWA, Ohio, – Endera, a rapidly growing technology and manufacturing leader in the electric bus market, announced today that it has secured $49 million in its latest funding round. The round includes a $36M equity investment led by Magnetar, a global multi-strategy alternative asset manager, with participation from Pulse Fund–whose founder, Tenzin Seldon, has joined Endera’s board of directors—and Endera’s longtime strategic partner, Pritchard Auto Company. The total also includes a $13M credit facility. This funding will enable Endera to scale manufacturing of its electric shuttle and school buses, expand its product line and create new American jobs at its world-class production facility in Ohio.
As the only vertically integrated American OEM of class 4 electric shuttles and school buses, Endera has built a reputation for delivering high-quality vehicles coupled with complete technology solutions. By leveraging its successful legacy internal combustion engine (ICE) manufacturing business, the company has transitioned into one of the fastest-growing leaders in the EV space, providing complete systems that address the growing demand for zero-emission specialty vehicles, particularly for the underserved government sector.
“This investment will accelerate our mission to revolutionize the specialty vehicle industry and accelerate the transition to clean mobility,” said Endera CEO and founder John Walsh. “At a time when America needs to prioritize domestic manufacturing and sustainability, Endera is leading by example creating jobs, driving economic growth and providing cost-effective solutions all while advancing American ingenuity.”
Endera offers fully customizable ICE and EV shuttles and school buses to achieve best-in-class reliability, safety, and quality, along with a proprietary powertrain that achieves the longest range and fastest charge time available. Endera has coupled this with an in-house fleet management software that features real time insights tailored to the transit sector, which includes a rider app and streamlined service response in one integrated platform. To date, the company has delivered the largest deployment of electric shuttles at a US airport and has been selected as a low-bid vendor for the CalAct contract, the largest state EV bus contract in US history.
“We see both commercial and climate value in Endera’s vertically integrated approach because it enables them to respond to customer needs with speed and precision,” said Tenzin Selden, Founder & Managing Partner of Pulse Fund. “By offering a holistic solution, they’re not just filling in gaps in the commercial EV market but solving challenges at every level. We’re excited to support their next phase of growth and contribute to the broader push for nationwide electrification.”
Endera, founded in California in 2019, made the strategic decision to manufacture in Ohio at its 250,000 square foot production facility, a former Philips plant, tapping into a skilled workforce and helping to revitalize the Rust Belt by creating sustainable, clean-energy jobs. The company has increased its production output 20-fold since acquiring the former Winnebago Metro Titan group in 2021.
About Endera:
Endera is a pioneering specialty vehicle company specializing in high-quality shuttle and specialty needs school buses, distinguishing itself as America’s only vertically integrated EV OEM. Endera is a technology company specializing in smart electric specialty buses, charging stations, and software solutions. As an end-to-end specialty vehicle maker, Endera provides vehicle design, manufacturing, and technology. Made in America, Endera delivers one of the lowest total costs of ownership over other commercial electric vehicles and provides sustainable solutions that rival its fossil fuel counterparts in price, technology, longevity, profitability, and service. For more information, visit: www.enderamotors.com.
About Pulse Fund:
Pulse Fund is a venture capital fund investing in high-growth climate companies. The team brings together a unique blend of investment and climate science expertise to identify long-term opportunities that drive capital, innovation, and tangible climate progress.
While several industry insiders told School Transportation News last week that it was too early to tell the impact of new Trump administration tariffs on imports, Blue Bird representatives told investors to expect a 5-percent price increase on all non-electric school buses.
The company made the statement last week during its fiscal year 2025 first quarter financial results call, which reported the company’s second-best quarterly profit and margin, the eighth consecutive quarter of beating guidance, and $250 million of electric school buses in “firm order backlog.”
“Our position is that any potential government tariffs will be passed through to the end customer so there will be no net financial impact on Blue Bird,” said Phil Horlock, who is retiring as president and CEO this week but retaining his board of director seat.
Last week, President Donald Trump paused for 30 days a 25-percent tariff on imported goods from both Canada and Mexico, though a 10-percent tariff on Chinese imports went into effect. Essentially, think of tariffs as an added sales tax by the federal government, Blue Bird CFO Razvan Radulescu said during the Q&A portion of the call on Feb. 5.
Meanwhile, Horlock said Blue Bird is confident U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Program funding will continue unfettered. He shared details from a Feb. 4 memo issued by Gregg Treml, the acting CFO of EPA, that stated a federal court injunction pausing Trump administration freezes on unspent federal program funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act “shall not be paused and disbursement of funds shall continue while ongoing litigation proceeds or until otherwise directed by a Court.”
Horlock said Blue Bird also has confirmed political support for the Clean School Bus Program with members of Congress.
He added the court order reversing the freeze should also protect nearly $80 million in Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grant Program funding from the U.S. Department of Energy that was appropriated under the Inflation Recovery Act. The funds are to be used to convert Blue Bird’s diesel motorhome manufacturing plant in Fort Valley, Georgia, into a 600,000 square-foot Type D electric school bus facility.
To address the initial pause in EPA funding, Horlock said Blue Bird reprioritized production to build fully-funded school buses earlier and pushed back build dates for bus orders to be paid for with federal money. He added the manufacturer is also prioritizing “significant new EV orders” paid for by state and local funding. Still, Blue Bird lowered the number of forecasted electric school bus deliveries to 1,000 units from the previous range of 1,000 to 1,300.
The company also noted higher internal combustion engine school bus prices compared to a year ago and at comparable levels with its competitors.
Blue Bird also said the quarter-one results beat the previous guidance and that it remained on track to meet the full-year guidance of Adjusted EBITDA at $200 million and a 14-percent margin.
ELKHART, Ind. – Forest River, Inc., a leading manufacturer of recreational vehicles, pontoons, cargo trailers, buses and vans, is proud to announce its recognition as Ford Motor Company’s Top Sold Volume Account in both the Bus and Mobility and Motorhome segments for 2024. This prestigious accomplishment marks the second consecutive year earning this distinction for Forest River RV and continues a remarkable streak for Forest River Bus & Van, which has achieved this milestone every year since 2006.
This achievement underscores the strength of Forest River’s long-standing partnership with Ford and reflects a shared commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative transportation and recreation solutions to customers. Collaborating with Ford has enabled Forest River, Inc. to equip customers with reliable vehicles that offer safety and superior performance.
“We are incredibly honored to once again be recognized as Ford’s top volume account in these key segments,” said David Wright, Co-CEO of Forest River, Inc. “This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our teams. Together, we continue to push the boundaries of innovation, ensuring our customers receive the best vehicles on the market.”
“We’re committed to further strengthening our relationship with Ford and continuing to set industry benchmarks in both sectors,” said Doug Gaeddert, Co-CEO of Forest River, Inc. “Forest River and Ford are two trusted names, and together we are building a new level of expectation and performance for our customers.”
About Forest River Inc.
Founded in 1996 by Pete Liegl, Forest River, Inc. has evolved into North America’s largest manufacturer of recreational vehicles, cargo trailers, pontoon boats, buses, vans, and commercial vehicles. Its portfolio includes market share leaders in every category, and it is the country’s leading manufacturer of buses and vans for both the private and public sectors. Based in Elkhart, Indiana, Forest River employs 14,000+ employees in 100+ facilities in more than a half dozen states. With a commitment to excellence and a focus on customer satisfaction, Forest River is proud to be a Berkshire Hathaway company.
MACON, Ga.—Blue Bird Corporation (BLBD), the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, announced today its fiscal 2025 first quarter results.
“I am incredibly proud of our team’s achievements in delivering another outstanding result and near record profit in the first quarter,” said Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue Bird Corporation. “The Blue Bird team continued to exceed expectations, improving operations, driving new orders, and expanding our leadership in alternative-powered buses. Market demand remains very strong with nearly 4,400 units in our order backlog at the end of the first quarter. Unit sales were about the same as last year, with revenue down by $3.8M, driven by product mix, and we delivered an exceptional 14.6% Adj. EBITDA margin. With 94% of our first quarter unit sales mix comprised of internal combustion engine (ICE) buses, this result demonstrates the very strong earnings power of our base business.
“In our push to expand our leadership in alternative-powered school buses, we delivered over 130 electric-powered buses this quarter, ahead of the plan we communicated in November. We also saw strong growth in EV orders from both the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program and state/local level programs. As of today, we have approximately 1,000 EV buses either sold or in our firm order backlog, which supports our EV sales target for 2025.
“Based on our strong Q1 performance, we’ve reaffirmed our full-year financial guidance for Adjusted EBITDA at $200 million, with a 14% margin. This will be an all-time full-year record for Blue Bird, and we look forward to sustained profitable growth in the coming years.”
FY2025 Guidance and Long-Term Outlook Reaffirmed
“We are very pleased with the first quarter results, with the second highest ever Q1 Adj. EBITDA” said Razvan Radulescu, CFO of Blue Bird Corporation. “Our business is in a very strong position and we continue to deliver ahead of the plan we have been messaging. We are reaffirming our full-year 2025 guidance for Net Revenue to $1.4-1.5 Billion, Adj. EBITDA to $185-215 million and Adj. Free Cash Flow to $40-60 million. Additionally, we are confirming our long-term profit outlook towards an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 15%+ on ~$2 billion in revenues.”
Fiscal 2025 First Quarter Results
Net Sales
Net sales were $313.9 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, a decrease of $3.8 million, or 1.2%, from the first quarter of last year. Bus sales decreased $5.3 million, reflecting a 1.9% decrease in average sales price per unit, primarily due to customer and product mix changes (lower EV volumes). In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, 2,130 units were booked compared with 2,129 units booked for the same period in fiscal 2024. Additionally, Parts sales increased $1.5 million, or 6.2%, for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared with the first quarter of fiscal 2024. This increase is primarily attributed to price increases, driven by ongoing inflationary pressures, as well as higher fulfillment volumes and slight variations due to product and channel mix.
Gross Profit
First quarter gross profit of $60.3 million represented a decrease of $3.2 million from the first quarter of last year. The decrease was primarily driven by the $3.8 million decrease in net sales, discussed above, and partially offset by a corresponding decrease of $0.5 million in cost of goods sold.
Net Income
Net income was $28.7 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, which was a $2.6 million increase from the first quarter of last year. The increase was primarily driven by $2.6 million in emission credits that the Company sold in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, recorded in other income (expense), net, with no similar income in the first quarter of fiscal 2024.
Adjusted Net Income
Adjusted net income was $30.6 million, largely consistent with the $29.7 million from the same period last year.
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA was $45.8 million, which was a decrease of $1.9 million compared with the first quarter of fiscal 2024. This decrease results primarily from the lower gross profit, partially offset by improvements in other income(expense), net, as described above..
Conference Call Details
Blue Bird will discuss its first quarter 2025 results in a conference call at 4:30 PM ET today. Participants may listen to the audio portion of the conference call either through a live audio webcast on the Company’s website or by telephone. The slide presentation and webcast can be accessed via the Investor Relations portion of Blue Bird’s website at www.blue-bird.com.
Webcast participants should log on and register at least 15 minutes prior to the start time on the Investor Relations homepage of Blue Bird’s website at http://investors.blue-bird.com. Click the link in the events box on the Investor Relations landing page.
Participants desiring audio only should dial 404-975-4839 or 833-470-1428. The access code is 393430.
A replay of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the call concludes via the same link on Blue Bird’s website.
About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 20,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses in operation today. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.
Across a career’s worth of pioneering product designs, Doug Field’s work has shaped the experience of anyone who’s ever used a MacBook Air, ridden a Segway, or driven a Tesla Model 3.
But his newest project is his most ambitious yet: reinventing the Ford automobile, one of the past century’s most iconic pieces of technology.
As Ford’s chief electric vehicle (EV), digital, and design officer, Field is tasked with leading the development of the company’s electric vehicles, while making new software platforms central to all Ford models.
To bring Ford Motor Co. into that digital and electric future, Field effectively has to lead a fast-moving startup inside the legacy carmaker. “It is incredibly hard, figuring out how to do ‘startups’ within large organizations,” he concedes.
If anyone can pull it off, it’s likely to be Field. Ever since his time in MIT’s Leaders for Global Operations (then known as “Leaders in Manufacturing”) program studying organizational behavior and strategy, Field has been fixated on creating the conditions that foster innovation.
“The natural state of an organization is to make it harder and harder to do those things: to innovate, to have small teams, to go against the grain,” he says. To overcome those forces, Field has become a master practitioner of the art of curating diverse, talented teams and helping them flourish inside of big, complex companies.
“It’s one thing to make a creative environment where you can come up with big ideas,” he says. “It’s another to create an execution-focused environment to crank things out. I became intrigued with, and have been for the rest of my career, this question of how can you have both work together?”
Three decades after his first stint as a development engineer at Ford Motor Co., Field now has a chance to marry the manufacturing muscle of Ford with the bold approach that helped him rethink Apple’s laptops and craft Tesla’s Model 3 sedan. His task is nothing less than rethinking how cars are made and operated, from the bottom up.
“If it’s only creative or execution, you’re not going to change the world,” he says. “If you want to have a huge impact, you need people to change the course you’re on, and you need people to build it.”
A passion for design
From a young age, Field had a fascination with automobiles. “I was definitely into cars and transportation more generally,” he says. “I thought of cars as the place where technology and art and human design came together — cars were where all my interests intersected.”
With a mother who was an artist and musician and an engineer father, Field credits his parents’ influence for his lifelong interest in both the aesthetic and technical elements of product design. “I think that’s why I’m drawn to autos — there’s very much an aesthetic aspect to the product,” he says.
After earning a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, Field took a job at Ford in 1987. The big Detroit automakers of that era excelled at mass-producing cars, but weren’t necessarily set up to encourage or reward innovative thinking. Field chafed at the “overstructured and bureaucratic” operational culture he encountered.
The experience was frustrating at times, but also valuable and clarifying. He realized that he “wanted to work with fast-moving, technology-based businesses.”
“My interest in advancing technical problem-solving didn’t have a place in the auto industry” at the time, he says. “I knew I wanted to work with passionate people and create something that didn’t exist, in an environment where talent and innovation were prized, where irreverence was an asset and not a liability. When I read about Silicon Valley, I loved the way they talked about things.”
During that time, Field took two years off to enroll in MIT’s LGO program, where he deepened his technical skills and encountered ideas about manufacturing processes and team-driven innovation that would serve him well in the years ahead.
“Some of core skill sets that I developed there were really, really important,” he says, “in the context of production lines and production processes.” He studied systems engineering and the use of Monte Carlo simulations to model complex manufacturing environments. During his internship with aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, he worked on automated design in computer-aided design (CAD) systems, long before those techniques became standard practice.
Another powerful tool he picked up was the science of probability and statistics, under the tutelage of MIT Professor Alvin Drake in his legendary course 6.041/6.431 (Probabilistic Systems Analysis). Field would go on to apply those insights not only to production processes, but also to characterizing variability in people’s aptitudes, working styles, and talents, in the service of building better, more innovative teams. And studying organizational strategy catalyzed his career-long interest in “ways to look at innovation as an outcome, rather than a random spark of genius.”
“So many things I was lucky to be exposed to at MIT,” Field says, were “all building blocks, pieces of the puzzle, that helped me navigate through difficult situations later on.”
Learning while leading
After leaving Ford in 1993, Field worked at Johnson and Johnson Medical for three years in process development. There, he met Segway inventor Dean Kamen, who was working on a project called the iBOT, a gyroscopic powered wheelchair that could climb stairs.
When Kamen spun off Segway to develop a new personal mobility device using the same technology, Field became his first hire. He spent nearly a decade as the firm’s chief technology officer.
At Segway, Field’s interests in vehicles, technology, innovation, process, and human-centered design all came together.
“When I think about working now on electric cars, it was a real gift,” he says. The problems they tackled prefigured the ones he would grapple with later at Tesla and Ford. “Segway was very much a precursor to a modern EV. Completely software controlled, with higher-voltage batteries, redundant systems, traction control, brushless DC motors — it was basically a miniature Tesla in the year 2000.”
At Segway, Field assembled an “amazing” team of engineers and designers who were as passionate as he was about pushing the envelope. “Segway was the first place I was able to hand-pick every single person I worked with, define the culture, and define the mission.”
As he grew into this leadership role, he became equally engrossed with cracking another puzzle: “How do you prize people who don’t fit in?”
“Such a fundamental part of the fabric of Silicon Valley is the love of embracing talent over a traditional organization’s ways of measuring people,” he says. “If you want to innovate, you need to learn how to manage neurodivergence and a very different set of personalities than the people you find in large corporations.”
Field still keeps the base housing of a Segway in his office, as a reminder of what those kinds of teams — along with obsessive attention to detail — can achieve.
Before joining Apple in 2008, he showed that component, with its clean lines and every minuscule part in its place in one unified package, to his prospective new colleagues. “They were like, “OK, you’re one of us,’” he recalls.
He soon became vice president of hardware development for all Mac computers, leading the teams behind the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro and eventually overseeing more than 2,000 employees. “Making things really simple and really elegant, thinking about the product as an integrated whole, that really took me into Apple.”
The challenge of giving the MacBook Air its signature sleek and light profile is an example.
“The MacBook Air was the first high-volume consumer electronic product built out of a CNC-machined enclosure,” says Field. He worked with industrial design and technology teams to devise a way to make the laptop from one solid piece of aluminum and jettison two-thirds of the parts found in the iMac. “We had material cut away so that every single screw and piece of electronics sat down into it an integrated way. That’s how we got the product so small and slim.”
“When I interviewed with Jony Ive” — Apple’s legendary chief design officer — “he said your ability to zoom out and zoom in was the number one most important ability as a leader at Apple.” That meant zooming out to think about “the entire ethos of this product, and the way it will affect the world” and zooming all the way back in to obsess over, say, the physical shape of the laptop itself and what it feels like in a user’s hands.
“That thread of attention to detail, passion for product, design plus technology rolled directly into what I was doing at Tesla,” he says. When Field joined Tesla in 2013, he was drawn to the way the brash startup upended the approach to making cars. “Tesla was integrating digital technology into cars in a way nobody else was. They said, ‘We’re not a car company in Silicon Valley, we’re a Silicon Valley company and we happen to make cars.’”
Field assembled and led the team that produced the Model 3 sedan, Tesla’s most affordable vehicle, designed to have mass-market appeal.
That experience only reinforced the importance, and power, of zooming in and out as a designer — in a way that encompasses the bigger human resources picture.
“You have to have a broad sense of what you’re trying to accomplish and help people in the organization understand what it means to them,” he says. “You have to go across and understand operations enough to glue all of those (things) together — while still being great at and focused on something very, very deeply. That’s T-shaped leadership.”
He credits his time at LGO with providing the foundation for the “T-shaped leadership” he practices.
“An education like the one I got at MIT allowed me to keep moving that ‘T’, to focus really deep, learn a ton, teach as much as I can, and after something gets more mature, pull out and bed down into other areas where the organization needs to grow or where there’s a crisis.”
The power of marrying scale to a “startup mentality”
In 2018, Field returned to Apple as a vice president for special projects. “I left Tesla after Model 3 and Y started to ramp, as there were people better than me to run high-volume manufacturing,” he says. “I went back to Apple hoping what Tesla had learned would motivate Apple to get into a different market.”
That market was his early love: cars. Field quietly led a project to develop an electric vehicle at Apple for three years.
Then Ford CEO Jim Farley came calling. He persuaded Field to return to Ford in late 2021, partly by demonstrating how much things had changed since his first stint as the carmaker.
“Two things came through loud and clear,” Field says. “One was humility. ‘Our success is not assured.’” That attitude was strikingly different from Field’s early experience in Detroit, encountering managers who were resistant to change. “The other thing was urgency. Jim and Bill Ford said the exact same thing to me: ‘We have four or five years to completely remake this company.’”
“I said, ‘OK, if the top of company really believes that, then the auto industry may be ready for what I hope to offer.’”
So far, Field is energized and encouraged by the appetite for reinvention he’s encountered this time around at Ford.
“If you can combine what Ford does really well with what a Tesla or Rivian can do well, this is something to be reckoned with,” says Field. “Skunk works have become one of the fundamental tools of my career,” he says, using an industry term that describes a project pursued by a small, autonomous group of people within a larger organization.
Ford has been developing a new, lower-cost, software-enabled EV platform — running all of the car’s sensors and components from a central digital operating system — with a “skunk works” team for the past two years. The company plans to build new sedans, SUVs, and small pickups based on this new platform.
With other legacy carmakers like Volvo racing into the electric future and fierce competition from EV leaders Tesla and Rivian, Field and his colleagues have their work cut out for them.
If he succeeds, leveraging his decades of learning and leading from LGO to Silicon Valley, then his latest chapter could transform the way we all drive — and secure a spot for Ford at the front of the electric vehicle pack in the process.
“I’ve been lucky to feel over and over that what I’m doing right now — they are going to write a book about it,” say Field. “This is a big deal, for Ford and the U.S. auto industry, and for American industry, actually.”
“So many things I was lucky to be exposed to at MIT,” Doug Field says, were “all building blocks, pieces of the puzzle, that helped me navigate through difficult situations later on.”
Headlines reflect how U.S. states, school districts, and manufacturers are navigating new funding and emissions rules from the Trump presidential administration.
Mitzii Smith is the assistant director of transportation for Maine School Administrative District 6, a Maine School Safety Specialist, president-elect of the Maine Association for Pupil Transportation, and a 2024 STN Rising Star. She discusses running propane buses, promoting emotional intelligence to support staff, and what she’s looking forward to at STN EXPO Charlotte in March.
President Donald Trump reached an agreement with Canada and Mexico to delay 25-percent import tariffs with each country that were set to go into effect Tuesday.
Trump signed the executive order Saturday, and Canada responded with its own threat of a 25-percent tariff on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods, also set for Tuesday. The Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs said Canada also intended to impose a tariff on $125 billion in additional U.S. goods, which includes electric vehicles, trucks and buses.
The U.S. agreements with Canada and Mexico to postpone the tariffs by at least 30-day days hinged on more investment at both the northern and southern border to curb immigration and the flow of drugs, especially fentanyl.
A 10-percent tariff with China moved forward and went into effect Tuesday.
The American Bus Association (ABA), United Motorcoach Association (UMA), Motor Coach Canada (MCC), and Ontario Motor Coach Association (OMCA) said they are closely monitoring the trade disputes between the U.S. and Canada and warned of the impact to manufacturers, suppliers and consumers.
ABA, UMA, MCC and OMCA issued a joint update Sunday that said the tariffs could significantly impact the motorcoach industry, which like the school bus industry relies on a global supply chain involving components from both countries. The associations added they are coordinating advocacy and lobbying efforts to mitigate the impact of the tariffs and are encouraging members to share their concerns.
Last month, S&P Global said the blanket tariffs would have a “massive impact” on nearly all automative manufacturers worldwide, with reciprocated tariffs by Canada and Mexico adding “another degree of complexity.” While commenting specifically on passenger vehicles, S&P Global noted that Canadian or Mexican-sourced propulsion systems and components in U.S. manufactured vehicles “would see a tariff as well.”
It added that the tariffs could add $6,250 to the cost of $25,000 vehicle.
School Transportation News reached out to multiple sources Monday to ask about the potential impact of tariffs school bus production and sales. One source responded that it was premature to discuss the tariffs as they were being negotiated in real time. Another indicated that the tariffs are subject to continuing negotiations and could change, as “school bus manufacturing isn an American success story,” though concern remains especially about individual components.
Meanwhile, Micro Bird, the joint Type A venture between Blue Bird of Fort Valley, Georgia, and Girardin Minibus of Drummondville, Quebec, is the only school bus currently manufactured in Canada for sale in the U.S.
Electric school bus manufacturer GreenPower Motor Company has headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, but the company manufactures out of Porterville, California, and South Charleston, West Virginia. RIDE, the school bus arm of Chinese company BYD, manufactures its electric school buses in Lancaster, California.
An auction process begins this month for Lion Electric Company, which obtained bankruptcy protection in December.
Additionally, many school bus suppliers of technology solutions and equipment are based in Canada or have manufacturing there. Many school bus components are also imported from China.
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In an era where the future of electric school buses has grown increasingly complicated, a pilot project for school districts across the state of New Mexico run by electric school bus manufacturer GreenPower Motor Company to determine the viability and reliability of fast charging in different environments and circumstances.
New Mexico and GreenPower signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that the state will seek an appropriation of $5 million to conduct the pilot program that would fund the purchase of all-electric, purpose-built school buses, installation of charging stations and other resources, and management costs.
The pilot would begin during the 2025-2026 school year and continue into the 2026-2027 school year. All school districts would be eligible to participate voluntarily, with a selection criterion to be determined by the state and GreenPower.
The MOU adds that the state will seek an additional $15 million for purchasing additional school buses to be evaluated during the pilot project, following the successful completion of two phases. It also notes that the state will work with GreenPower to expand the all-electric-commercial fleet operated by the Department of Transportation and General Services Department.
The MOU notes GreenPower’s commitment to American-made lithium iron phosphate batteries, which are used in the company’s Type D BEAST and Mega BEAST as well as Type A Nano BEAST.
“New Mexico has an excellent workforce and is a great place for clean energy businesses. We look forward to this pilot project providing the schools an experience with Class 4, Type A and Type D, all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses. The pilot will determine how state and local governments in New Mexico, and the entire Southwest, can be best served as the market expands for clean commercial vehicles, vans and buses,” GreenPower President Brendan Riley stated.
The MOU was signed Monday in the office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham by Riley and the Economic Development Department (EDD), which has reportedly been working with GreenPower to find a service center facility in New Mexico.
SANTA FE, N.M. —The State of New Mexico and GreenPower Motor Company (NASDAQ: GP) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) for an all-electric, purpose-built school bus pilot project to be conducted in New Mexico in school districts across the state. The MOU provides that the state will seek an appropriation of $5 million to conduct the pilot program.
The MOU was signed on Monday in the office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham by GreenPower President Brendan Riley and the Economic Development Department (EDD), which has been working with the company to find a service center facility in New Mexico.
The MOU resolves the state support the program with a $5 million capital outlay appropriation for the purchase of all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses, installation of charging stations, other resources, and management costs of the pilot, which would begin during the 2025-2026 school year and continue into the 2026-2027 school year.
“The EDD team has been working with GreenPower to identify a location in New Mexico to create a presence for the company in the state and encourage other EV sector supply chain entities to be part of creating a western United States manufacturing Hub,” Economic Development Secretary-Designate Rob Black said. “This MOU and the coming pilot program will showcase the state’s leadership in this industry and how our innovative business climate can help bring these cutting-edge technologies to New Mexico.”
Among the goals of the pilot is to determine viability and reliability of fast charging in different environments and circumstances. The pilot would be available to all school districts on a voluntary basis, with a selection criterion determined by the parties. “New Mexico has an excellent workforce and is a great place for clean energy businesses. We look forward to this pilot project providing the schools an experience with Class 4, Type A and Type D, all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses. The pilot will determine how state and local governments in New Mexico, and the entire Southwest, can be best served as the market expands for clean commercial vehicles, vans, and buses,” Riley said.
After the successful completion of two phases of pilot project, the MOU resolves that the state will seek an additional $15 million for purchasing additional school buses evaluated during the pilot project. The MOU also pledges that the state will work with GreenPower to expand the all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission commercial fleet at the Department of Transportation and the General Services Department.
Monday’s signing comes on the heels of last week’s announcement in Washington, DC of GreenPower signing an MOU with Impact Clean Power Technology S.A., a Poland based manufacturer of batteries that currently supplies more than 20% of the European transit market. The MOU outlined the companies’ commitment to American-made lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the deployment of GreenPower’s medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including its Type D BEAST and Type A Nano BEAST all-electric, purpose-built school buses.
GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) is a leading manufacturer and distributor of all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose-built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components.
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Honda Ohio EV Hub will start making EVs in late 2025 on 0 Series platform Production will include Acura RSX, Honda 0 SUV, Honda 0 Saloon, and Afeela 1 EVs, hybrids, and gas models will be mixed on single Marysville assembly line Processes introduced for EVs will apply to ICE models, making them better too Over the past several years, a roller... 