Blue Bird soars into commercial bus market
Diversity equals success at the Blue Bird Corporation, headquartered in Macon, Georgia. The company built its first school bus in 1927 and is currently the largest school bus manufacturer in the world, producing roughly 45 percent of all buses in use in North America. The company was also producing recreational vehicles, but after a friendly, leveraged buy-out in April 1992, it entered the commercial vehicle manufacturing field and presently is the only single manufacturer in United States to build all three. The company`s strong focus on the commercial bus arena was based upon three marketplace developments: a rapidly growing need for effective and economic alternatives to large intercity coaches; accelerating growth in private sector shuttle/commuter bus demand; and more intense urban and rural bus usage. In its commercial and school buses, the company is also looking to innovate, paying particular attention to alternative fuels. Natural gas vehicles are a specialty of the company; presently the focus is on advanced electric and electric-hybrid buses under a joint program with Westinghouse Electric.
- OSTI ID:
- 418705
- Journal Information:
- CTR, Community Transportation Reporter, Vol. 12, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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