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60-689: As a bus chassis, the C2 is only used by Thomas Built Buses as the basis for the Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 . As Thomas is a subsidiary of Freightliner, there are no plans by other body manufacturers to utilize the C2 chassis. However, the standard Freightliner M2 chassis is available to the commercial and shuttle bus industry as a cutaway cab as the Freightliner B2. The C2 comes standard with an Allison 2500 automatic transmission . Also available are Fuller 5-speed manual transmission and

120-546: A decade (California manufacturers Crown Coach and Gillig Corporation had not produced a front-engine school bus since before World War II). As a competitor to the Blue Bird Mini Bird and Carpenter Cadet, Thomas reintroduced the Mighty Mite as a Type B bus, a school bus body paired with a stripped chassis. The late 1970s and early 1980s was a period of struggle for all school bus manufacturers. Coupled with

180-776: A heavy-duty variant of the Saf-T-Liner ER marketed against Crown Supercoach and Gillig Phantom school buses. Sold only in 84 and 90-passenger configurations, the WestCoastER used heavier-duty driveline and suspension components; tandem rear axles were offered as an option. In the late 1980s, the Saf-T-Liner product line (with the exception of the WestCoastER) adopted the MVP suffix, standing for M aneuverability, V isibility, and P rotection. In 1989, Thomas introduced

240-516: A limit of three per paid rider can board for free. Transfers to ferries from busses/streetcars require paying difference in rates. City buses were used before Hurricane Katrina hit to transport people to a refuge of last resort, of what's now the Caesars Superdome . Much of the city flooded due to the storm. The NORTA Administration building on Plaza Drive appears to have been in 10 feet (3.0 m) of water. Almost eighty-five percent of

300-552: A second conventional-style bus to its model line, launching the Thomas Vista school bus. To optimize forward sightlines for drivers, the layout of the driver's compartment and forward chassis were redesigned. Along with a shorter hood and redesigned windshield, the engine and front axle were repositioned. In contrast to a standard conventional bus, the driver of the Vista sat beside the engine (rather than behind it). In 1991,

360-522: A stake in the company (remaining under full family control). In the early 1980s, Thomas launched a diversification of its product line, expanding its presence in the transit bus segment. Derived from the Saf-T-Liner, the Transit Liner was developed for commercial use. In 1982, the CL960 "Citiliner" was introduced as a dedicated transit bus; while sharing its underpinnings with the Saf-T-Liner ER,

420-468: A transition away from streetcars, Thomas produced its first trolley bus in 1933; while still drawing power from overhead wires, a trolley bus was constructed from a bus chassis. For 1934, the company produced 10 transit buses for South Carolina-based Duke Power . Following the collapse of its primary source of revenue, Thomas Car Works diversified its work, expanding into automotive refinishing and construction of bus and truck bodies. From 1929 to 1934,

480-514: A user. In total, Thomas Car Works produced approximately 400 streetcars from 1918 to 1930; at its peak, the company was the fourth-largest manufacturer of streetcars in the United States. In 1921, Thomas Car Works secured its largest order for streetcars. In New Orleans, NOPSI (New Orleans Public Service, Inc.) decided to standardize their streetcar fleet upon 150 Thomas-designed streetcars, delivered from 1921 to 1924. Unable to fill

540-638: A variant of Navistar chassis shared with the Saf-T-Liner Conventional. In 1992, the fourth generation of the Thomas family took over daily operations of the company (becoming the first family-owned school bus company to do so). During the mid-1990s, the company began development of environmentally cleaner buses, with compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses entering production in 1993; several battery-electric school buses were produced in 1994 as prototype vehicles. By 1996, Thomas had become

600-445: A year later, Blue Bird entered in a supply agreement with General Motors for conventional bus chassis. 1998 marked both the purchase of Thomas by Freightliner and the sale of Carpenter to Spartan Motors (its front/rear-engine chassis supplier). At the end of the 1990s, several changes made to the Thomas product line were related to its purchase by Freightliner. At the end of 1998 production, Navistar ended its chassis production for

660-412: A year. A third generation of the Thomas family assumed control of the company leadership, with John Thomas Jr. (President) and Perley Thomas II (VP, international operations). As Thomas Car Works had ended its involvement with streetcars since World War II, the new generation of company leaders chose a new name for the company tied closer to its current product lines; in 1972, Perley A. Thomas Car Works

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720-479: Is concentrated on school buses and activity buses, along with their commercial derivatives. Founded in 1916 as Perley A. Thomas Car Works , the company was renamed in 1972 to better represent its primary product lines. Headquartered since 1916 in High Point, North Carolina , Thomas has been a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America (the parent company of Freightliner ) since 1998. Prior to its acquisition,

780-649: The Dennis Dart SLF (in CKD form). Following assembly by Thomas in North Carolina; while badged as Thomas vehicles (the Thomas Dennis SLF200), distribution of the low-floor buses was undertaken by Orion Bus (itself becoming a Daimler subsidiary in 2000). Into the late 1990s, Thomas Built Buses remained a family-owned company, controlled by the fourth generation of the Thomas family and

840-451: The Ford heavy-truck line (and Ford Cargo ) in 1997 (continued as Sterling Trucks ), Freightliner acquired Thomas alongside the chassis production of Oshkosh Corporation (1995), American LaFrance (1996). For school bus manufacturers, the 1990s marked a period of association between major body and chassis manufacturers. In 1991, Navistar began its purchase of AmTran (completed in 1995);

900-601: The Thomas Saf-T-Liner name made its first appearance, denoting updated bus bodies (with an enlarged two-piece windshield). Used full-time by 1972, the name remains in use for all full-size Thomas buses over 60 years later. Company founder Perley Thomas died in 1958 at the age of 84; at the time of his death, Thomas retained his title of company president and also actively served as a design consultant. In 1962, Thomas Car Works officially expanded its production beyond High Point as Thomas Built Buses of Canada, Ltd.

960-675: The Algiers Point Ferry. The changes were part of the New Links Network, a project designed to upgrade the transit authority to service the people of New Orleans. Upgrades from the previous lines include more access to jobs and landmarks, reduced wait times, longer service times, and faster transfers/connections. On July 18, 2022, the authority released Le Pass, a new trip planner and ticket app. It includes tickets and tracking for both RTA and Jefferson Transit buses. On August 29, 2022, RTA shut down ticket buying on

1020-457: The Allison 3000 automatic. This bus-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Thomas Built Buses Thomas Built Buses, Inc. (commonly known as Thomas ) is an American bus manufacturer . Best known for its production of the first ever rear engine Type C school bus. Thomas produces other bus designs for a variety of usages. Currently, its production

1080-819: The Canal and Riverfront Lines. The buses that have been restored to operation have returned to several major thoroughfares, including Elysian Fields Avenue , Esplanade Avenue , Claiborne Avenue , St. Claude Avenue, Judge Perez Drive , General Meyer Avenue, Lapalco Boulevard, Robert E. Lee Boulevard, and the Chef Menteur Highway. And just a few express routes, Morrison Express, Lake Forest Express, Read-Crowder Express and Airport Express, serving both Eastern New Orleans , and New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport in Kenner, La. have been reinstated so far. Service enhancements as of October 2, 2016: Operate

1140-560: The High Point factory. Following the outbreak of World War II , as with its competitors, Thomas bus production was shifted towards the armed forces. In a contract shared with Ward Body Works , Thomas also produced various bodies for the GMC CCKW truck. While the war had brought school bus production to a halt, the High Point factory remained utilized in civilian capacity. To supplement its armed forces production, Thomas Car Works

1200-535: The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority announced that they would be almost entirely changing the lines, names, and wait times for the authority starting on September 25, 2022. The changes were made after a survey was conducted containing 3,000 people saying that the old lines had been outdated, and were not convenient for everyday use. For 4 days after the new routes started, RTA offered free boarding on all buses, streetcars, and

1260-764: The Odyssey Group. Following the departure of Wayne Wheeled Vehicles from the manufacturing segment, Thomas became the largest manufacturer, holding a 34% market share in 1996. The same year, the Thomas family sold a majority stake of the company to the Berkshire Partners equity firm. Freightliner entered school bus manufacturing as a chassis producer in May 1996, unveiling the Freightliner FS-65 (derived from its FL60/FL70 Business Class medium-duty truck); developed in cooperation with Thomas,

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1320-466: The RTA Board of Commissioners, Transdev formerly managed all day-to-day aspects of the transit agency on behalf of the RTA Board. Transdev handled operations and service, safety issues, vehicle maintenance, customer care, route design and scheduling, human resources, administration, ridership growth, capital planning, grant administration, communications, purchasing, and other agency functions. Transdev

1380-721: The RTA is the Board of Commissioners. The board consists of appointees by the Mayor of New Orleans and of some appointees by the President of Jefferson Parish. The RTA Board has the overall authority for transit in New Orleans including setting fares, overseeing service and operations, developing operating budgets, approving each year's annual transportation development plan, and deciding upon capital purchases and expansions. Under contract to

1440-749: The Saf-T-Liner transit-style buses saw their first redesign since 1978. The ER and WestCoastER were given a much larger windshield, redesigned driver's compartment, and saw the introduction of several new diesel engines. To better compete with the Blue Bird TC/2000 and Ward Senator (which became the AmTran Genesis), Thomas replaced the Saf-T-Liner EF with the All Star, using an Oshkosh-produced chassis. The Thomas Vista continued production, shifting chassis in 1991 from General Motors to

1500-521: The Thomas family and the Berkshire, retaining company president John W. Thomas III. The largest school bus manufacturer in North America at the time, Thomas Built Buses was the last major manufacturer operating under family control. At the time, Freightliner was undergoing a series of company acquisitions to diversify its product range beyond highway trucks. Along with acquiring the rights to

1560-471: The Vista; as the Vista body was developed solely for its chassis, Thomas discontinued the model line. While Freightliner did not purchase the Ford medium-duty truck range or the school bus chassis derived from it, Ford ended production of the latter after 1998. Consequently, from 1999 onward, the Saf-T-Liner Conventional was limited to Navistar or Freightliner chassis (along with AmTran/Ward, Carpenter, and Wayne,

1620-449: The bid between Thomas and Hackney Brothers . Dependent on length, Thomas offered wood-bodied school buses for $ 195 to $ 225. Following the completion of its second school bus bid in 1937, the company focused nearly all production on school bus bodies. In what is a long tradition that continues to the present day, Thomas remains the primary supplier of school buses to North Carolina. In 1938, several major innovations were introduced by

1680-565: The body, the front and rear roof caps were flattened (to accommodate 8-lamp warning systems), and the windshield was enlarged. Following the addition of safety upgrades to comply with safety mandates in 1977, the Saf-T-Liner body saw use in the Conventional through the end of 2006; in modified form, it remains in use with the EFX and HDX (and resized to fit the Minotour). At the smaller end of

1740-557: The bus, Thomas developed a convex blind-spot mirror. Initially mandated in North Carolina, the device (allowing a 150-degree field of vision directly in front of the bus) would be adopted by 16 other states in only two years. In various forms, blind-spot mirrors are currently required on all school buses in North America. In the early 1970s, Thomas underwent a number of major transitions in company leadership and market positioning. Company president John W. Thomas died in 1972, giving leadership to his brother James Thomas, who retired within

1800-784: The city's mass transit system after nearly six decades' control by New Orleans Public Service, Inc. (now Entergy New Orleans ). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 9,707,300, or about 29,700 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024, making the Regional Transit Authority the largest public transit agency in the state of Louisiana. Basic rates for all modes, except ferries, are $ 1.25 per boarding (or $ 0.40 for 65 and up, disabled and Medicare , $ 0.50 for 5–17). 24-hour Jazzy Passes are $ 3, or $ 1 for youth and $ 0.80 for seniors, good for all modes including ferries. There are free transfer cards, good for next 120 minutes of unlimited use (round-trips/stopovers prohibited). Under 5 with

1860-493: The closure of streetcar manufacturer Southern Car Company, Perley A. Thomas (trained as a woodworker and engineer) founded a company specializing in fireplace mantels and home furnishings. In the summer of 1916, Thomas shifted from furniture to streetcar construction, as he secured a contract to enclose existing streetcars in Charlotte, North Carolina, renovating them in a car barn. In the summer of 1916, Thomas Car Works

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1920-733: The company developed a reinforced rubber-covered door hinge; the rubber also covered the gap between the two door panels as they closed. After World War II, a third generation of the family joined the company, with John W. Thomas Jr. and Perley (Pat) Thomas II, with the former becoming director of sales and the latter taking over control of government contracts. During the decade, Thomas Car Works began exports of its product lines, establishing satellite facilities in Ecuador and Peru. From North Carolina, bodies were shipped to South America in CKD form for final assembly on locally sourced chassis. In 1957,

1980-569: The company for the first time, quickly overtaking wooden designs. At the end of 1918, the company began construction on larger factory, a 30-acre facility outside of High Point allowing for both construction and repair of streetcars. While best known from their use in New Orleans , Perley Thomas streetcars produced during the 1920s would also be utilized by communities across the United States, including Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Miami, FL; Mobile, AL; New York City; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC, and exported as well, with Havana, Cuba as

2040-404: The company to its school bus design, including its first steel-bodied school bus. While Perley Thomas streetcars had adopted steel construction in 1918, school bus design had slowly evolved from farm wagons, with wooden body construction continuing into the 1930s. Although not the first to construct an all-steel body, Thomas introduced one-piece roof bows, internal roll bars welded to each side of

2100-496: The company was operated by the Perley A. Thomas family, the final major school bus manufacturer operated under family control. Since 1936, Thomas has produced school buses in High Point, North Carolina. In addition to bus bodies, the company also produces vehicle chassis for its Saf-T-Liner/Transit Liner EFX and HDX2 Hbuses. The oldest surviving bus manufacturer in North America, Thomas Built Buses traces its roots to 1916. Following

2160-442: The company workforce decreased from 125 to nearly 10 (which included Perley Thomas and his 3 children). Eventually, a company creditor filed for receivership, with the lack of potential buyers allowing for the survival of the company. In 1936, Thomas Car Works secured part of a bid to produce 500 school bus bodies for North Carolina. As the company was only financially able to acquire materials for 200 bodies, North Carolina split

2220-445: The decade, Thomas introduced a new logo, displayed on the roofline of its buses; a "T-bus" logo replaced the previous scripted "Thomas Built Buses" company logo (still attached elsewhere to the body). To better secure the future of the company, the Thomas family sought to raise capital for Thomas Built Buses, leading the company board to bring in the Odyssey Group investment firm to oversee the process. In return, Odyssey Group received

2280-523: The early 1970s, Thomas developed the Saf-T-Liner ER (Engine Rear) as an alternative to the Blue Bird All American. In line with other body manufacturers (Carpenter, Superior, Ward, and Wayne), Thomas was dependent on a second-party manufacturer for rear-engine chassis (using Ford , Dodge , GMC , International Harvester and Volvo ). In the early 1970s Thomas Built Buses introduced the first of its "Mighty Mite" series of buses and were

2340-546: The factory and securing parts to build 55 more streetcars; 25 more were completed by the end of 1923 (bringing the total produced to 105). As of 2020, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority operates 35 Perley Thomas 900-series streetcars in active daily use (on the St. Charles line , the oldest streetcar line in the world); the streetcars date from 1923 and 1924. In 1930, Thomas Car Works

2400-537: The first production Freightliner-chassis buses were produced at the beginning of 1997. The product launch marked the first completely new school bus chassis since 1980, with Freightliner becoming the first new cowled-chassis manufacturer since the 1977 withdrawal of Dodge. Following its collaboration with Thomas in developing the FS-65 chassis, in October 1998, Freightliner acquired Thomas Built Buses in its entirety from

2460-412: The fleet was rendered useless and inoperative; 146 city buses were visible outdoors in the flood at the 2817 Canal St. facility, while only 22 were at 3900 Desire Pky. The 8201 Willow St. facility was one block within the flood but was built above street level. The buses at the flooded facilities were mostly written off. All but one of the streetcars built in the 1990s and 2000s were severely damaged in

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2520-464: The flooding resulting from the hurricane. The historic Perley Thomas-built streetcars of the St. Charles line were undamaged in the disaster. The damaged streetcars, which had been built by hand on the property by local workers, were repaired in the same facility with components from Brookville Equipment Co. As of 2007 , service had been restored to certain areas as they became habitable again. However, there

2580-542: The floor/frame structure. While the design has been updated for added strength, the one-piece roof bow is in use in all school buses manufactured in North America today. In another innovation, Thomas introduced an outward-opening entry door, designed to aid egress in emergency evacuation situations. In 1940, day-to-day operation of Thomas Car Works was turned over from Perley Thomas (who remained company president) to his three children. John W. Thomas managed company operations along with sales, along with James Thomas handling

2640-522: The future of school bus manufacturing. For the 1997 model year, Freightliner introduced the Freightliner FS-65 school bus chassis. Derived from the Freightliner FL60/FL70 medium-duty trucks introduced in 1995, the FS-65 chassis was paired with the Saf-T-Liner Conventional body, after several modifications (distinguished by the addition of a 4-piece windshield). During the 1990s, Thomas modernized and expanded its product range within

2700-488: The largest school bus manufacturer in the United States (by market share). To keep up with added demand, the company opened a third factory in Monterrey, Mexico . As a design change, the "T-bus" roof emblem (used since the early 1980s) was replaced by a scripted Thomas Built Buses emblem (its predecessor). During the later 1990s, Thomas Built Buses would undergo a number of significant changes, with some that have changed

2760-563: The last General Motors chassis for a Thomas bus was produced in 1991). New Orleans Regional Transit Authority The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority ( RTA or NORTA ) is a public transportation agency based in New Orleans . The agency was established by the Louisiana State Legislature in 1979, and has operated bus and historic streetcar service throughout the city since 1983, when it took over

2820-414: The massive order on their own, Thomas subcontracted a portion to Philadelphia-based competitor J. G. Brill (using the Thomas design). In September 1922, after Thomas delivered 25 streetcars to NOPSI, the High Point factory was destroyed by fire, causing $ 225,000 in damage and destroying 14 streetcars under construction. Following the fire, Perley Thomas secured a $ 100,000 advance from NOPSI, rebuilding

2880-960: The new N. Rampart/St. Claude Avenue streetcar from Elysian Fields to UPT via Rampart St. and Loyola Ave. Loyola/UPT line will no longer operate on Canal St. to the river, nor on Riverfront to the French Quarter stop. Restore service to Canal Street on the 15-Freret and 28-MLK buses. Increase service on the Canal and Riverfront streetcar lines. Continue lines 57-Franklin and 88-St. Claude to Canal St. Operate 57-Franklin via Claiborne Ave. to increase service along N. Claiborne Ave. between Elysian Fields and St. Bernard Ave. Decrease travel times for riders from farther-out neighborhoods by operating Lines 88-St. Claude and 91-Jackson/Esplanade with fewer stops along Rampart to Canal. Improve reliability of lines 5-Marigny/Bywater and 55-Elysian Fields with new schedules. Provide earlier daily trips and later weekend trips on line 80-Desire/Louisa. In September 2022,

2940-565: The old RTA GoMobile app. Le Pass updated from the old routes on September 25, 2022. No changes were made to the streetcars or ferries. In 2023, the NORTA bus system had a ridership of 5,596,500 , or about 27,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. In 2023, the streetcar system had a ridership of 3,884,800, or about 9,700 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024 . (3.2 km) (9.7 km) (3.9 km) (5.8 km) (5.8 km) (4.0 km) The body in charge of making major decisions for

3000-573: The size scale, the Saf-T-Liner body was resized to produce the Mighty Mite, a narrow-body school bus on a shorter-wheelbase conventional chassis. In 1978, Thomas made a major change to the production of the Saf-T-Liner ER. Coinciding with a design update, Thomas introduced a company-sourced chassis, along with the front-engine Saf-T-Liner EF. With the introduction of the EF, Thomas became the first school bus manufacturer to produce its own chassis for both front and rear-engine school buses, ahead of Blue Bird by

3060-414: The slow economy, manufacturers could no longer count on the factor that had driven school bus sales for the past two decades: the entirety of the baby-boom generation had finished school; it would be years before student populations would create sufficient demand again. During this time, a number of manufacturers either encountered financial difficulty or closed their doors altogether. At the beginning of

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3120-477: The smallest conventional bus ever produced by Thomas. Most were built on Dodge D300 chassis but when production of this series ended at the main plant in High Point, NC, production was moved to Hamilton, Ontario and the Canadian built Mighty Mites used modified International Harvester Loadstar chassis. For 1972, the Saf-T-Liner body underwent a major redesign. Along with extending the rub rails completely around

3180-612: The transit segment. Alongside the Chartour and CL960/Citiliner, Thomas marketed Transit Liners, commercial derivatives of the Saf-T-Liner school buses, along with commercial versions of the Minotour and Vista. A dedicated transit bus derived from the Saf-T-Liner ER, the TL960 was a two-door bus that offered an integrated wheelchair ramp as an option. In 1999, Thomas entered a joint venture with British bus manufacturer Dennis to import

3240-534: The two-door CitiLiner was rebodied (with a sloped windshield). Sharing its body with the CL960, the Chartour was developed for charter use, using a single entry door. Following the mid-1970s launches of the Wayne Busette and Blue Bird Micro Bird , Thomas would launch its own cutaway-chassis school bus, the Thomas Minotour , in 1980. Alongside the small Minotour, Thomas introduced the WestCoastER,

3300-489: Was established in Woodstock, Ontario . At the time, the company became the third-largest producer of school buses in the United States. To demonstrate the strength of its internal roof bows, Thomas stacked a full-size school bus on the roof of another (using a crane) in 1964; the company has subsequently repeated the demonstration several times using more recent product lines. For 1967, to reduce blind spots in front of

3360-620: Was founded; with a $ 6,000 loan ($ 138,459 in 2018), Thomas acquired the equipment of Southern Car Works at auction, opening an assembly facility in a former ice manufacturing plant in High Point. During 1917, the company renovated 9 streetcars for the United States Navy in Mobile, Alabama, and for the city of Montgomery, Alabama. 1918 marked several milestones for the company, as Thomas Car Works began production of brand-new streetcars; 25 were produced. All-steel bodies were produced by

3420-511: Was no 24-hour service on any bus or streetcar line, except for the St. Charles streetcar line. Streetcars were returned to the full length of Canal St. and the Riverfront, initially using the historic St. Charles Line streetcars, which had not been damaged, as had the red Canal cars. In 2008, the St. Charles streetcar resumed running the entire length of its route. By early 2009, the red Canal streetcars were repaired and had taken over service on

3480-461: Was put to use by refurbishing streetcars. As rationing had placed increased demands on public transportation, the upkeep of existing equipment was considered a priority. Following World War II, with a rise in student populations, Thomas Car Works began to expand its sales market beyond the South, opening dealerships across the eastern half of the United States. To better weatherproof its entry door,

3540-402: Was reincorporated as a stock company, with Perley Thomas making his family stockholders in Perley A. Thomas Car Works, Inc. For the last time, the company received an order for streetcars, producing 4 for Mobile, Alabama. While rail-based streetcars offered higher capacity, for public transit, automotive-based buses grew in popularity as they offered a greater degree of routing flexibility. In

3600-429: Was renamed Thomas Built Buses, Inc (used in its emblems and marketing material since the 1950s). Since producing its first school bus in 1936, virtually all Thomas school bus bodies had been produced in the "conventional" style: a body mated to a cowled truck chassis. While the design was the most popular configuration, the transit-style configuration allowed for a higher passenger capacity (up to 90 passengers). In

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