FORSYTH, Ga. — Blue Bird Corporation and Yancey Bus Sales and Service are pleased to deliver 10 new 2014 All American buses to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Presented to the Department of Corrections at a delivery ceremony on Feb. 27, 2013 at Georgia Department of Corrections State Offices South at Tift College in Forsyth.
Attendees included: State of Georgia Chief Operating Officer Bart Gorbeil; Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections Brian Owens; Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development Chris Cummiskey; Blue Bird President and CEO Phil Horlock; Yancey Brothers Company Vice President Eric Arnold; as well as other representatives from the State of Georgia, Georgia Department of Corrections, Blue Bird Corporation, Yancey Bus Sales and Service, the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, and local elected officials. The new buses will be placed into immediate use replacing buses in the existing fleet that have each accumulated over 300,000 miles.
The Georgia Department of Corrections tasked Blue Bird to provide increased passenger and storage capacity with its newly redesigned All American bus. Blue Bird met the challenge and provided buses that increased seating capacity by four, seating a total of 50 passengers. In addition, storage was fully-maximized with pass-through luggage compartments and interior storage bins. These buses also feature a custom on-board lavatory.
The Georgia Department of Corrections’ buses are the first of Blue Bird’s newly redesigned 2014 All American buses to roll off of the production line in Fort Valley. Featuring Blue Bird’s exclusive purpose-built chassis, the buses boast an ergonomic driver’s cockpit for increased driver comfort, a larger windshield which provides improved driver sightlines, the industry’s best turning radius, a larger entrance door, enhanced serviceability, the industry’s best fuel economy, and greater parts commonality with other Blue Bird buses. Blue Bird’s All American bus line showcases many best-in-class features and is the industry’s sales leader in the Type D bus segment.
Utilizing state dollars to support Georgia companies makes fiscal sense. A 2009 economic multiplier study found that for every one dollar that Georgia school districts and other customers spend on Blue Bird buses, that dollar is multiplied four times within the state. Every Blue Bird bus sold in Georgia provides a positive impact to the state Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by approximately $86,000.
“As a Georgia-based manufacturer for over 86 years and as the second largest manufacturer in the automotive category in Georgia, Blue Bird is pleased to provide the Georgia Department of Corrections with buses that have been crafted by and for Georgians,” said Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue Bird Corporation. “Blue Bird’s longstanding commitment to the state of Georgia is present in every bus it builds. Our manufacturing facilities are all based in Fort Valley and we employ 1,500 Georgians from over 20 Georgia counties. Additionally, over 20% of the materials used to build our buses are sourced from Georgia-based companies. Blue Bird supports Georgia-based companies to further stimulate a prosperous Georgia economy.”
“Our partnership with Blue Bird Corporation is a new beginning for the Department,” said Brian Owens, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections. “We are pleased to own buses that were designed and built by a Georgia-based company.”
“Yancey Bus Sales and Service is honored to have the opportunity to supply transport buses to the Georgia Department of Corrections,” said Eric Arnold, vice president of power systems for Yancey Brothers Company, parent company of Yancey Bus Sales and Service. “We look forward to future opportunities where we can provide products and services that allow for safe and dependable transportation throughout Georgia.” Founded in downtown Atlanta in 1914, Yancey Brothers Company began as the Yancey Hardware Company selling hardware, inmate wagons and prison uniforms to government agencies, particularly county prisons across the southeastern U.S. Today, Yancey Brothers Company is headquartered in Austell and operates 30 facilities across the state of Georgia. The company will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2014.
For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product line or to find a Dealer in your area, visit www.blue-bird.com.
About Blue Bird:
Blue Bird offers a complete line of Type A, C and D school buses in a variety of options and configurations. For more than 86 years, Blue Bird Corporation has continued to set industry standards with its innovative design and manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, Blue Bird provides comprehensive financial solutions through Blue Bird Capital Services. Today, Blue Bird has more than 1,500 employees, Georgia-based manufacturing facilities and an extensive network of Dealers and parts & service facilities throughout North America. Its global presence can be seen in more than 60 countries through sales into Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit the Blue Bird Corporation website at www.blue-bird.com.
