In most instances, school bus manufacturers are second stage manufacturers; however, a few school buses (typically those of Type D configuration) utilize a body and chassis produced by a single manufacturer.

Although school buses are typically body-on-frame, Type D school buses are typically of monocoque/semi-monocoque design.

School bus configurations The North American school bus industry produces buses in four different body configurations, listed below: School bus configurations(images of contemporary school bus models)Configuration Type A Type B Type C Type DPassenger capacity(typical) ≥10 typically 16-36 ≥10 typically 30-36 ≥10 typically 36-78 ≥10 typically 36-90GVWR DescriptionA small school bus with the body placed on a cutaway van chassis with a left-side driver's door Single or dual rear wheels on drive axles. A small school bus with the body mounted to a stripped chassis (except for the IC Bus BE Series, which is built on a cowled chassis) The entrance door is mounted behind the front wheels In most versions (except the IC BE), the engine compartment is located partially inside the passenger compartment next to the driver and the hood is significantly shorter than that of conventional buses (similar to step vans) A school bus with the body mounted to a cowled medium-duty truck chassis In the past, the chassis was often supplied from another manufacturer, but more recently, the chassis manufacturer and the bus body manufacturer are the same company. Although typically of cowled-chassis chassis design, a few Type C buses are of cutaway-cab design. The entrance door is mounted behind the front wheels. The engine is mounted forward of the windshield A monocoque or semi-monocoque school bus (not chassis-based). The entrance door is mounted in front of the front wheels. Single rear axle or (historically) tandem rear axles The engine is mounted next to the driver inside the bus (front-engine/"FE"), in the rear of the bus behind the rearmost seats (rear-engine/"RE"), or historically, in between the axles underneath the floor ("amidship" or "mid-engine") The last mid-engine Type D school buses were manufactured when Crown Coach ceased operations in 1991. Although they are typically of monocoque design, a few Type D school buses used a separate chassis.

Lists of manufacturers

Current manufacturersCompany nameCurrent bus productionFoundedLocationNotes Full-line manufacturersBlue Bird Corporation1932Blue Bird is a publicly held company with Cerberus Capital Management as majority stakeholder. Blue Bird produces the Vision and All American full-size buses; the Micro Bird is assembled by Girardin. school buses fueled by diesel, gasoline, and propane, along with fully electric school buses.IC Bus 2002IC has been a wholly owned subsidiary of International Motors, part of Traton since 2021. IC was founded through the rebranding of AmTran, the successor of Ward Body Works. school buses produced with diesel, gasoline, or electric powertrainsLION2011Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, CanadaFounded as Autobus Lion/Lion Bus, the company adopted its current name of LION in 2025. First school bus mass-produced with an electric powertrain. Following corporate bankruptcy, vehicles are currently marketed only in Quebec. LION produces electric Type C (conventional) buses on Spartan Motors chassis. LION bus bodies are produced with composite materials in place of steel to minimize corrosion.RIDE (Real Innovation Delivered with Excellence)2023 RIDE is the US spinoff of Chinese manufacturer BYD. RIDE produces battery-electric school buses in all three design configurations. Thomas Built Buses, Inc.1916 (as Perley A. Thomas Car Works) Since 1998, Thomas has been a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (Freightliner). The oldest surviving bus manufacturer in the United States, Thomas was founded in 1916 as the Perley A. Thomas Car Works.Type A-only manufacturersCollins Bus CorporationType A1967Hutchinson, KansasSince 2024, Collins Bus Corporation has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Forest River. Manufacturer of the "Bantam" and "NexBus" series of Type A buses. Parent company of Corbeil and Mid Bus in the late 2000s, with the latter two companies becoming regional brands for Collins until 2016. The Collins Magellan line was sold as a successor for Starcraft Bus vehicles. Endera MotorsType A2019Ottawa, Ohio Endera Motors purchased Titan Bus, LLC in April 2021.Girardin MinibusType A1965Drummondville, Quebec, Canada Plattsburgh, New YorkIn 1965, Girardin converted a van into a school bus for the first time. From 2009 to 2026, the company formed half of the Micro Bird, Inc. joint venture; it still assembles the vehicles in Quebec and New York. Along with small-bus production, Girardin is also the Canadian distributor of Blue Bird full-size buses.Trans TechType A2007Goshen, IndianaSince 2026, Trans Tech is a subsidiary of Forest River (becoming a sister company of Collins). Replaced ST and Star-series vehicles with NexBus-series designs in 2026. Trans Tech was the first school bus manufacturer to produce a fully electric school bus (eTrans, based on the Smith Electric Newton).Van-Con, Inc.Type A Type B1973Middlesex, New JerseyVan-Con, Inc. is New Jersey's only school bus manufacturer. Van-Con, Inc produces 16, 25, 30 passenger and wheelchair accessible school buses. All vehicles produced on Chevrolet cutaway van chassis.Type A&D-only manufacturersGreenPower Motor CompanyType A Type D2017GreenPower Synapse 72 - introduced in early 2017 - is a zero-emission Type D school bus. GreenPower exclusively builds all-electric vehicles.

Recently defunct manufacturers (2002–present)Company nameFoundedCeased productionLocationNotesFull-line manufacturersAmTran (American Transportation Corporation)19802002Produced Type A, C, and D buses. Marketed school buses under the Ward name from 1980 to 1992 (commercial buses adopted AmTran name in 1980). Re-branded as International, then IC in 2003 after being purchased outright by Navistar International in 1995.Les Enterprises Michel Corbeil (Corbeil)19852007St-Lin-Laurentides, Quebec, CanadaProduced Type A, C, and D buses. Type C and D full-size buses sold in Canada only. Assets acquired by Collins Industries in 2007. Exists today in the United States as Collins subsidiary Corbeil Bus Corporation.Lion Electric Company (La Compagnie Électrique Lion)20112025Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, CanadaProduced Type A, C, and D buses. Along with diesel-fuel buses (Lion 360), the company produces the first full-size electric school bus (eLion). The company stated in December 2024 that it was entering creditor protection in Canada and Chapter 15 bankruptcy in the US, as it defaulted on its debt; Lion laid off 920 employees during the year, including a temporary layoff of 400 employees at the Illinois plant.Type A-only manufacturersLiberty Bus2005Lima, OhioProduced a small number of Type A school buses in early 2000s.Mid Bus Corporation19812007Created by employees of Superior Coach Company to continue production of Type A school buses. Acquired by Collins Bus Corporation in 1998. From 2007 to 2013, Mid Bus products are re-badged Collins models.Starcraft Bus19972020Goshen, IndianaProduced Type A buses from the late 2000s to 2020. Starcraft announced in November 2009 a joint venture with Hino Motors (a division of Toyota) to develop an all-new Type C design. A prototype was unveiled in Fall 2010, but did not enter series production. In 2016, Starcraft developed a Type B "Quest XL" bus on a Ford stripped chassis to utilize alternative-fuel sources, which was no longer in production.Titan Bus, LLC20172021Ottawa, OhioTitan Bus was purchased by Endera Motors in April 2021.U.S. Bus Corporation19952007Suffern, New YorkProducer of Type A buses in the 1990s and the early 2000s.

Historical manufacturers (1980–2002)Company nameFoundedCeased productionLocationNotesFull-line manufacturers Carpenter Industries, Inc.19192001Produced Type A, B, C, and D buses. Crown by Carpenter was a 1995–96 re-branding of Carpenter, using the rights from the purchase of the Crown Coach name; It was used from the 1996 to 1999 model years. Carpenter was shut down in May 2001 by parent company Spartan Motors.Superior Coach Company19251985Lima, OhioProduced Type A, B, C, and D buses. Superior employees created Mid Bus in 1981. Full-size bus production ended after 1985 (design later used by New Bus, Inc.).Ward Body Works19331980Produced Type A, B, C, and D buses. Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1980; re-organized as American Transportation Corporation (AmTran) in 1981. Successor AmTran continued use of Ward brand name (on school buses) until 1992.Wayne Corporation 18371992Produced Type A, B, C, and D buses. Wayne underwent several changes of ownership before ending up as Richmond Transportation Corporation from 1985 to 1992. Wayne Wheeled Vehicles (the successor to Wayne Corporation) was a subsidiary of Harsco Corporation and ceased operations in 1995.Wayne Wheeled Vehicles19921995Marysville, OhioProduced Type A, C, and D buses. Wayne Wheeled Vehicles (the successor to Wayne Corporation) was a subsidiary of Harsco Corporation. Continued production of Wayne Corporation products.Type A-only manufacturers Coach and Equipment Manufacturing1999Penn Yan, New YorkA manufacturer of van conversions to Type A school buses from the early 1970s to the mid 1990s Shirley Van1984?1996A manufacturer of van conversions to Type A school buses from the 1980s to 1996.Type C/D-only manufacturers Crown Coach Corporation19041991Produced Type D buses. Subsidiary of GE Railcar from 1987 to 1991. Rights to the Crown name were purchased in May 1991 by Carpenter Body Works.Gillig Corporation18901993Hayward, CaliforniaProduced Type C and D buses. Ended school bus production in 1993; still produces mass-transit buses.New Bus, Inc.19881990Chickasha, OklahomaProduced a small number of Type C and Type D buses in the late 1980s. Type C buses were continuation of Superior production.TAM-USA19911991TAM-USA was an importer of Yugoslavian-built TAM buses. A small number of school bus bodies (Type D) were manufactured in Yugoslavia and fitted with American drivetrain components in California. Ceased all production in 1994.

Historical manufacturers (before 1980)Company nameFoundedCeased productionLocationNotesHackney Brothers Body Company This includes city information, and more specific product information1928c. 1966Wilson, North CarolinaProduced Type C buses on Ford chassis.Hicks Body Company19231953Lebanon, IndianaProduced Type C buses.Kenworth-Pacific1957Renton, WashingtonProduced Type D buses. Kenworth subsequently sold their bus tooling and equipment to Gillig.Northern Coach1977?1979?WisconsinProduced a small number of "Northern-Air" Type C buses in the late 1970s.Oneida Products Corporationc. 19351960From 1952 to 1960, Oneida was owned by professional car manufacturer Henney Motor Company. Oneida was purchased in 1960 by Marmon-Herrington.Perley A. Thomas Car Works19161972High Point, North CarolinaProduced Type C and D buses; best known for its streetcar production. Perley A. Thomas Car Works was re-organized into Thomas Built Buses in 1972.Union City Body Companyhttp://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/u/union_city/union_city.htm brief company history with location information1957Union City, IndianaProduced Type C buses. Union City is now a supplier of bodies for UPS.

See also List of buses

References