MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Bus Center Family of Companies is proud to announce 2022 as its 50th year in business. Mid-South Bus Center (MSBC), formerly Blue Bird of Tennessee, Inc., was founded in 1972 by George Law as a Blue Bird dealer with a single location in Murfreesboro, Tenn., making it the oldest bus dealer in the state under continuous operation. Law’s business partner, Ray Earnest, joined the company a few years later.
In 2004, the company became a Thomas Built Buses dealer and changed the name to Mid-South Bus Center (MSBC). In 2009, Law and Earnest sold the Tennessee business to Bucky Law, Steve Benefield, Chuck Lalance and Drake Earnest. They formed an alliance for MSBC by becoming part of the Bus Center Family of Companies, which also included Transportation South based in Birmingham, Ala. In 2015, the Bus Center Family accomplished another milestone with the opening of The Bus Center – Atlanta. This new location not only broadened their sales market but helped them effectively service customers’ vehicles throughout the Southeast. Today, The Bus Center Family of Companies is recognized as one of the largest bus sales organizations in the United States, delivering approximately 2,000 buses per year.
Bucky Law leads the companies today as president assisted by partners in each location. “Our successes are based on our Mission Statement, which is to provide quality equipment at an exceptional price and to support our customers better than anyone else in our industry,” said Law. “To all of our current customers, thank you again for supporting our companies for the last 50 years, and to our future customers, thank you in advance for what will be a lifelong relationship.”
Through the years, all three companies have been recognized by manufacturing partners as Southeast Dealers of the Year and have achieved President’s Club status every year since representing Thomas Built Buses. In addition, Thomas Built Buses certified them as a “Platinum Support Dealer,” which is the highest honor that may be achieved from a Thomas Built dealer.
Company Highlights:
Together, these three locations have sold and delivered more than 50,000 buses through the years.The Bus Center Family of Companies employs more than 100 individuals, all committed to the company’s mission statement.The Bus Centers represent the world’s best manufacturers, including Thomas Built Buses, a Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) Company; StarCraft, Startrans, and Champion – all Forest River companies (America’s largest bus builder and a division of Berkshire Hathaway); and Collins. Van lines include L.A. West Designs for custom-built Mercedes Sprinters and Ford Transits, Braun Mobility and Driverge Vehicle Innovations.The facilities at all three Bus Center locations are equipped to handle everything from minor repairs to major body jobs – and their paint and body facilities are second to none. The parts departments located at each of the three locations stock more than $2 million in inventory.
About The Bus Center Family of Companies:
Mid-South Bus Center (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), and its sister companies Transportation South, Inc. (Pelham, Ala.) and The Bus Center – Atlanta (Acworth, Ga.) offer an exceptional selection of new and used buses and vans for schools, churches, retirement communities, daycares, hotels and more. The companies offer post-sales support and service that is unmatched in the bus business. For more information, visit www.thebuscenter.com.
