Thomas Built Buses (TBB), a manufacturer of school buses and a division of Daimler Truck Specialty Vehicles (DTSV), recently gave an update on the expansion of its Type A Minotour production capacity at its legacy manufacturing plant located at 1408 Courtesy Road, in High Point, N.C.
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, the company says, 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,” says 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.”
Thomas Built states 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%, 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 sq.-ft., 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,” says 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.”
