DATA, STATISTICS AND TRENDS


Rise of the Yellow Machine


Continues OEMs report another banner year of increased production, with Type C units leading charge


D


ata submitted to School Transportation News for the bus production cycle of Nov. 1, 2016 to through Oct.31, 2017 showed industry output mirror that of the rest of the economy.


Te year was the sixth consecutive positive and growing number since manufacturing bottomed out at 30,304 school bus units produced for 2011-2012, when the industry was feeling the full and delayed effects of the global recession. But since then, the industry has grown by over 52


percent, as school districts have caught up on vehicle replacment cycles slowed or abandoned completely due to shrinking local tax revenue as a result of mass housing foreclosures. Tis past year was also the third consecutive that saw school bus output exceed 40,000. Type C conventional school buses, always the market leader each year, rose by 8.5 percent, topping out at 32,291 units—the most on record since STN began compiling the annual data a quarter century ago. Type A minbuses also grew by just over 3 percent at 9,694 units, also the most on record. “Type A production is up over the typical year, which


is around 20 percent of the total school bus produc- tion,” observed industry consultant and STN technical editor-at-large Robert T. Pudlewski. “Tis may be due to the deferred purchasing and chassis availability problems over the past couple of years.” Te number of alternative-fuel models also seems only poised to increase. An estimated 150 electric units were reported, due to tight-lipped OEMs jockeying for posi- tion in the emerging market. Propane and CNG dipped slightly at about 3,000 units combined, though propane outnumbered its natural gas cousin by a ratio of 11 to 1. Meanwhile, Type D growth no matter the fuel type— diesel or CNG—remained stagnant at 4,145 units, just two more than the previous year. Student transporters continue the trend of favoring Type C conventional buses with comparable passenger ratings yet obtainable at a smaller capital outlay. 


46K+


School Buses Manufactured


6.5% 6.5 6TH


Increase Over Las


Increase Over Last Year


ear


Consecutive Year of Growth


*Period tracked Nov. 1, 2016 – Oct. 31, 2017


Total Bus Build for 2016-2017


55K+


*Including MFSABs, commercial buses and GSA contract vehicles


2016-17 Breakdown by School Bus Type Type A ..................................................... 9,694 Type C ..................................................... 32,291 Type D ........................................................4,145 Total ........................................................46,130


13


www.stnonline.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148