HIGH POINT, N.C. — Thomas Built Buses (TBB), a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America and a division of Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles (DTSV), today gave an update on the expansion of its Type A Minotour production capacity at its legacy manufacturing plant located at 1408 Courtesy Road.
The expansion of the Type A production footprint within the plant builds on Thomas Built’s legacy of innovation and craftsmanship in High Point, home to the company’s original facility dating back to 1916, where the company first produced streetcars before evolving to build Type C, Type D and now Type A buses. It also reflects Thomas Built’s streamlined production strategy, following the relocation of Type D production to the Saf-T-Liner plant earlier this year. Work on the Type A expansion began in late 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2026.
“By investing in our legacy facility, we’re honoring more than a century of craftsmanship in High Point while continuing to modernize for the future,” said T.J. Reed, president and CEO of DTSV. “This expansion gives our teams the capacity and tools they need to build even more Type A Minotours for customers across North America.”
The expansion includes a series of modernization efforts aimed at improving workflow, enhancing safety and supporting long-term sustainability. The project will increase production capacity by more than 50 percent, strengthening Thomas Built’s operational efficiency and supporting continued growth in North Carolina. Dedicated space for Minotour production has nearly tripled, now encompassing roughly 72,000 square feet of the building.
“As we expand our capacity, we’re doing so in a way that preserves what makes Thomas Built special — our people, our community and our commitment to building safe, reliable buses for students everywhere,” said Jeff Allen, senior vice president of operations and specialty vehicles at Daimler Truck North America (DTNA). “By investing here in North Carolina, we’re strengthening our operations while ensuring we can serve more customers with greater efficiency, sustainability and innovation.”
About Thomas Built Buses:
Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America. Since the first Thomas Built bus rolled off the assembly line, the company has been committed to delivering the smartest and most innovative buses in North America. Learn more at thomasbuiltbuses.com or facebook.com/thomasbuiltbuses.
Thomas Built Buses, Inc., headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America LLC, a leading provider of comprehensive products and technologies for the commercial transportation industry. The company designs, engineers, manufactures and markets medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis and their associated technologies and components under the Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp and Detroit brands. Thomas Built Buses and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. together form Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles. Daimler Truck North America is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck, one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.
