The Length Of A Thomas Built Bus With 5 Windows

Thomas Built Buses, Inc. is an American bus manufacturer, best known for its production of the first-ever rear-engine Type C school bus. The company was founded in 1916 as Perley A. Thomas Car Works and has been producing school buses in High Point, North Carolina, since 1936.

Today, I will be discussing the dimensions of a 5-window Thomas Built bus, a popular choice for school districts across the country.

The Thomas Built Buses company was founded in 1916 as Perley A. Thomas Car Works

In 1917, the company renovated 9 streetcars for the United States Navy in Mobile, Alabama, and for the city of Montgomery, Alabama. The following year, Thomas Car Works began production of brand-new streetcars, constructing 25 all-steel bodies which quickly overtook wooden designs. The company also began construction on a larger factory, a 30-acre facility outside of High Point, allowing for both the construction and repair of streetcars.

In 1921, Thomas Car Works secured its largest order for streetcars from New Orleans Public Service, Inc. (NOPSI). NOPSI decided to standardise their streetcar fleet with 150 Thomas-designed streetcars, delivered from 1921 to 1924. However, Thomas was unable to fill the massive order on their own, so they subcontracted a portion to Philadelphia-based competitor J. G. Brill. In 1922, after delivering 25 streetcars to NOPSI, the High Point factory was destroyed by fire, causing $225,000 in damage and destroying 14 streetcars under construction. Thomas secured a $100,000 advance from NOPSI to rebuild the factory and, by the end of 1923, had produced a total of 105 streetcars.

In 1930, Thomas Car Works was reincorporated as a stock company, with Perley Thomas making his family stockholders. The company received its last order for streetcars, producing 4 for Mobile, Alabama. As automotive-based buses grew in popularity due to their greater routing flexibility, Thomas produced its first trolley bus in 1933 and 10 transit buses for South Carolina-based Duke Power in 1934.

In 1936, Thomas Car Works secured part of a bid to produce 500 school bus bodies for North Carolina, marking the company's transition to bus construction. The company focused nearly all its production on school bus bodies and, in 1938, introduced several major innovations to its school bus design, including its first steel-bodied school bus. Thomas also introduced one-piece roof bows and an outward-opening entry door to aid emergency evacuation.

In 1940, day-to-day operations of Thomas Car Works were turned over to Perley Thomas' three children: John W. Thomas, who managed company operations and sales, and James Thomas, who handled the High Point factory. Following World War II, Thomas Car Works expanded its sales market beyond the South, opening dealerships across the eastern United States. The company also developed a reinforced rubber-covered door hinge to better weatherproof its entry door.

In 1957, the Thomas Saf-T-Liner name was introduced, denoting updated bus bodies with enlarged two-piece windshields. In 1962, Thomas Car Works expanded its production beyond High Point, establishing Thomas Built Buses of Canada, Ltd. in Woodstock, Ontario, becoming the third-largest producer of school buses in the United States. In 1972, Perley A. Thomas Car Works was renamed Thomas Built Buses, Inc. to better represent its primary product lines.

The company's headquarters are in High Point, North Carolina

Thomas Built Buses, Inc. (commonly known as Thomas) is an American bus manufacturer, founded in 1916 as Perley A. Thomas Car Works. The company has been headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, since its inception. High Point is also where Thomas Built Buses' corporate headquarters and manufacturing plants are located, spanning more than 850,000 square feet.

The company has a long history in High Point, having been based there for over a century. In 1936, Thomas began producing school buses in the city and has since become the primary supplier of school buses to North Carolina.

High Point holds a significant place in the company's history, as it was here that Perley A. Thomas, a woodworker and engineer, founded his company after securing a contract to enclose existing streetcars in Charlotte, North Carolina. With a loan of $6,000 ($138,459 in 2018 dollars), Thomas acquired the equipment of the Southern Car Works at auction and opened an assembly facility in a former ice manufacturing plant in High Point.

Thomas Built Buses has expanded over the years, but its headquarters have remained firmly rooted in High Point. In 2004, the company opened a third school bus assembly facility in the city, demonstrating its continued commitment to the community and solidifying its position as a leading employer in Guilford and Randolph counties.

The company's presence in High Point has had a significant impact on the region's economy and employment landscape, with the new plant in 2004 expected to generate about 178 new jobs.

Today, Thomas Built Buses is a subsidiary of Freightliner LLC and is the leading manufacturer of school buses in North America, holding a 37% share of the conventional school bus market.

The Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 has a reputation for safety and efficiency

The Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 is a cowled-chassis bus manufactured by Thomas Built Buses, an American bus manufacturer based in High Point, North Carolina. The company was founded in 1916 as Perley A. Thomas Car Works and has been producing school buses since 1936, making it the oldest surviving bus manufacturer in North America.

The Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 was introduced in 2004 as a replacement for the previous Saf-T-Liner Conventional and Saf-T-Liner FS-65 conventionals. It is primarily produced as a school bus, but other configurations have been developed for commercial use and specialty applications. The C2 uses the Freightliner C2 chassis, derived from the Freightliner Business Class M2 medium-duty truck. Thomas and Freightliner, its parent company, designed the bus body and chassis together as an integrated vehicle, allowing for a larger, sloped windshield and larger windows and exits compared to its predecessor.

In terms of safety, the Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 incorporates several advancements. The bus has an optimized design for improved driver visibility, including a repositioned entry door and a large window between the entry door and windshield. Additionally, the C2 offers an optional electric-operated or manually operated passenger entry door, providing flexibility and potentially enhancing safety during boarding and disembarking.

The Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 is also known for its efficiency. By designing the body and chassis together, Thomas and Freightliner created an integrated vehicle, optimizing the use of space and functionality. The C2 is available in up to 81-passenger capacity, the largest of any conventional-type school bus in North America. This high-passenger capacity can lead to increased efficiency in transporting large groups, reducing the number of trips required.

Thomas Built Buses is the oldest surviving bus manufacturer in North America

Thomas Built Buses, Inc. is the oldest surviving bus manufacturer in North America. The company was founded in 1916 as Perley A. Thomas Car Works, and has been producing buses since 1936.

The company was started by Perley A. Thomas, who was trained as a woodworker and engineer. After the closure of the Southern Car Company, Thomas initially founded a company specialising in fireplace mantels and home furnishings. However, in the summer of 1916, he secured a contract to renovate streetcars in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking his transition to streetcar construction. Thomas Car Works was established with a $6,000 loan ($138,459 in 2018), which allowed Thomas to acquire the equipment of Southern Car Works at auction. He set up an assembly facility in a former ice manufacturing plant in High Point, North Carolina, which has served as the company's headquarters ever since.

In 1917, Thomas Car Works renovated 9 streetcars for the United States Navy in Mobile, Alabama, and for the city of Montgomery, Alabama. The following year, the company began producing brand-new streetcars, with 25 constructed in 1918. This marked another significant milestone, as the company began to produce all-steel bodies for the first time, which quickly overtook wooden designs. By the end of 1918, Thomas Car Works had started constructing a larger factory outside of High Point, spanning 30 acres, to accommodate the increasing demand for streetcar construction and repair.

The Perley Thomas streetcars produced during the 1920s were utilised by various communities across the United States, including major cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Miami. In 1921, the company secured its largest order for streetcars from New Orleans Public Service, Inc. (NOPSI), which standardised its streetcar fleet with 150 Thomas-designed streetcars. This massive order led Thomas to subcontract a portion to a Philadelphia-based competitor, J. G. Brill, to meet the demand.

In 1930, Thomas Car Works was reincorporated as a stock company, with Perley Thomas making his family stockholders. The company received its final order for streetcars, producing 4 for Mobile, Alabama. However, the popularity of rail-based streetcars began to wane, as automotive-based buses offered greater flexibility in routing. Recognising this shift, Thomas Car Works transitioned to bus construction, producing its first trolley bus in 1933.

In 1936, Thomas Car Works secured a bid to produce school bus bodies for North Carolina, marking the company's entry into the school bus market. The company focused its production on school bus bodies, and in 1938, introduced several major innovations to its school bus design, including its first steel-bodied school bus. Thomas Car Works continued to expand and innovate, becoming a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America.

In 1972, the company was renamed Thomas Built Buses, Inc. to better reflect its primary product lines. This name change also marked a shift away from the company's earlier involvement with streetcars. Today, Thomas Built Buses remains a prominent manufacturer, known for its commitment to safety, reliability, and sustainability in its bus designs.

The company was the first to produce an all-steel-bodied streetcar

The Thomas Built Buses company, commonly known as Thomas, is an American bus manufacturer based in High Point, North Carolina. The company was founded in 1916 as the Perley A. Thomas Car Works, specialising in streetcar construction and renovation.

In 1918, Thomas Car Works began producing brand-new streetcars with all-steel bodies, which quickly overtook wooden designs. This innovation marked a significant milestone, as Thomas introduced one-piece roof bows and internal roll bars welded to the floor/frame structure, enhancing the strength of the streetcar design.

The company produced approximately 400 streetcars from 1918 to 1930, becoming the fourth-largest manufacturer of streetcars in the United States during this period. In 1921, they secured their largest order, providing 150 streetcars for New Orleans Public Service, Inc. (NOPSI). This order played a crucial role in establishing Thomas-designed streetcars in New Orleans, with 35 of these streetcars still in active daily use as of 2020.

While Thomas Car Works initially focused on streetcar manufacturing and renovation, they began transitioning to bus construction in the 1930s. This shift aligned with the growing popularity of automotive-based buses, which offered greater routing flexibility compared to rail-based streetcars. The company produced its first trolley bus in 1933 and continued to diversify its product line, eventually becoming a leading manufacturer of school buses and their commercial derivatives.

Today, Thomas Built Buses, Inc. is the oldest surviving bus manufacturer in North America, known for producing reliable and safe buses that meet stringent standards. The company's commitment to innovation and adaptability has ensured its longevity and prominence in the bus manufacturing industry.

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