FINDLAY, OHIO — Cooper Tire announced today that its Cooper brand truck and bus radial (TBR) tires have been selected as standard on Blue Bird school buses.
“We are very pleased to be selected by Blue Bird as original equipment on their high-quality school buses that transport children to and from school every day across North America. Both Cooper and Blue Bird have a long history of producing exceptional products, and we are thrilled to be working together through this new partnership,” said Gary Schroeder, executive director of Cooper’s Truck and Bus Tire Business.
Launched earlier this year, Cooper brand TBR tires are designed to deliver quality and value. The WORK Series line, which has been developed specifically for buses—as well as regional-haul, pick-up and delivery applications—offers a wide tread footprint to maximize traction. The tire balances fuel efficiency and tread life with scrub-resistant properties, and offers a full-width, four-steel belt package to provide the casing integrity that is needed to handle multiple retreads.
“We are looking forward to offering Cooper tires as standard on all of our buses,” said Mark Terry, chief commercial officer at Blue Bird Corp. “Cooper has created a product that meets our need for safety in the transportation of students every day. Plus, it has a great, seven-year warranty with up to two retreads, making it a cost-efficient solution for our customers.”
Cooper WORK Series TBR tires will now be installed as the standard tire on all of Blue Bird’s buses, which are manufactured at the company’s production plant in Fort Valley, Ga.
About Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: CTB) is the parent company of a global family of companies that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing, and sale of passenger car, light truck, medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper’s headquarters is in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design operations within its family of companies located in more than one dozen countries around the world. www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire, www.twitter.com/coopertire.
About Blue Bird Corp.
Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses, with more than 550,000 buses sold since its formation in 1927, with approximately 180,000 buses in operation today. Blue Bird’s longevity and reputation in the school bus industry have made it an iconic American brand. Blue Bird distinguishes itself from its principal competitors by its singular focus on the design, engineering, manufacture and sale of school buses and related parts. As the only manufacturer of chassis and body production that is specifically designed for school bus applications, Blue Bird is recognized as an industry leader for school bus innovation, safety, product quality/reliability/durability, operating costs and drivability.
In addition, Blue Bird is the market leader in alternative fuel applications, with its propane-powered, electric and compressed natural gas-powered school buses. Blue Bird manufactures school buses at two facilities in Fort Valley, Ga. Its Micro Bird joint venture operates a manufacturing facility in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Service and after-market parts are distributed from Blue Bird’s parts distribution center located in Delaware, Ohio. www.blue-bird.com
