Thomas Saf-T-Liner HDX School Bus

School bus routes may include short and hilly drives, long and winding journeys or all three. No matter the difficulty level of your route, Thomas Saf-T-Liner HDX was built to handle it all with ease.

Thomas was among many manufacturers who struggled to keep up with demand for school buses as more baby boomers reached retirement age, so they diversified their product lineup in order to remain competitive and remain profitable.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Car Works of High Point, North Carolina began manufacturing school bus bodies since 1936 and today stands as one of the premier suppliers for public transit and private schools alike. In 2007, they introduced their Saf-T-Liner C2e hybrid bus, featuring both diesel engine power and an electric motor/generator; two years later came MyBus; an A vehicle designed specifically to meet transportation needs of small groups such as childcare/activity centers/service organizations/churches/schools etc.

The company also provides other vehicles, including commercial and activity buses, such as Saf-T-Liner Conventional buses updated to incorporate larger mirror housings (integrating sideview, convex and crossview mirrors into one unit) and updated driver’s compartment. Furthermore, WestCoastER heavy-duty versions were introduced for Western markets that compete against Crown Supercoaches and Gillig Phantom school buses by featuring heavier components as well as optional tandem rear axles.

Achievement and Honors

Stotler served as the dealer representative to assist Thomas Saf-T-Liner EF and ER (EF = engine front; ER = engine rear) chassis lines when they launched in 1978. He is also responsible for creating a train-the-trainer program for 47 dealers and created the Service Trainer Achievements certification system, featuring multilevel achievements to track progress during training. Thomas Built Buses has honored him with multiple President’s Club platinum awards and named him as their 2022 Dealer of the Year. Additionally, he received the North Carolina Manufacturing Day Champion Award from the NC Chamber. As recipients, they will be featured in publications of this organization as well as receiving publicity through communications channels and state wide efforts.

Net Worth

Thomas has been producing school bus bodies in High Point, North Carolina since 1936. Prior to the 1970s, most Thomas buses were produced using conventional design: bodies attached to cowled truck chassis manufactured by another manufacturer. This enabled Thomas to focus its efforts on increasing passenger capacity and safety features while using existing chassis as the Saf-T-Liner name was first used; later it was rebranded during a redesign in 2001 before eventually being discontinued and replaced by the EFX in 2012. HDX models currently dominate Thomas production.