School Transportation News Magazine | Buyer’s Guide 2024


DATA, STATISTICS AND TRENDS


produced by the small bus manufacturers resulted in a 12-percent increase year over year. There appeared to be a negligible, immediate impact from the UAW strike against Ford and GM, at least at one OEM, which noted that most of the chassis needed to address last year’s order book had already been received before workers hit the picket line. But it could impact the coming year. And as Ford and GM ramped up production during the holiday season to make up for lost time, industry analysts reportedly pointed to continued challenges for suppliers in terms of finding available workers and paying them increased wages. On the medium-duty side, Tam added that the list of parts that have been hard to come by—tires, electronic shifter stalks, filters, brake drums, engines and short blocks, transmissions and clutches, and windshields— is shortening. “Lots of progress but still able to slow or


38,528*


U.S. School Buses Manufactured (Nov. 1, 2022 - Oct. 31, 2023)


stop a [production] line,” he continued. Tam cautioned that while the availability of chips is


improving, he characterized their supply as “not good/ still bite from time to time.” But on the near horizon the clouds appear to be parting. Tam noted that demand across the medium- and heavy-duty sectors remains “robust” but added that freight hauler cargo volumes in 2024 are projected to be flat and rates to decrease, leading to lower revenue and capital investment from the likes of Daimler Trucks North America and International. Already, Type Cs returned to pre-pandemic levels at 29,098 buses over the past year, while Type Ds remained stagnant. “On the bright side, lower demand for trucks might mean we get some of the pent-up orders on the bus side filled,” he observed. ●


17.2%


Increase in School Bus Production (Compared to 2021 – 2022 cycle)


SCHOOL BUS PRODUCTION BY FUEL TYPE* Diesel .......................................................................................................................... 22,970 Gasoline ........................................................................................................................ 9,671 Electric ......................................................................................................................... 2,902 Propane .......................................................................................................................... 1,814 CNG .................................................................................................................................. 195 *Figures based on OEM reporting.


OEMs Surveyed Blue Bird BYD | RIDE Collins Bus Endera Motors Ford Commercial Vehicles General Motors Green Power Motor Company


* *Did not respond to survey. 12


IC Bus The Lion Electric Company Micro Bird Pegasus Specialty Vehicles Thomas Built Buses Trans Tech Van-Con, Inc.


*


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