ATLANTA — Thomas Built Buses’ first Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus equipped with the new Detroit DD5 diesel engine went on display at the North American Commercial Vehicle show here on Monday.

The Detroit DD5 medium-duty engine is expected to boost fuel economy, reliability, and serviceability while lowering cost of ownership, according to the manufacturer. It features top-load oil and fuel filters and up to 45,000-mile service intervals. It also meets 2017 greenhouse gas standards.

“This level of engine technology is a game changer for the pupil transportation market,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “Never before have diesel engines been cleaner, more fuel efficient, or easier to maintain. Our partners at Detroit have engineered the best engine for today’s industry from the ground up.”

The global medium-duty engine platform on which the DD5 is based utilizes technology such as variable exhaust cam phasing, which allows additional heat to the exhaust stream. According to the manufacturer, this enables efficient operation of the aftertreatment system in low-speed, stop-and-go operations, which is ideal for school buses.

The DD5 also comes with the Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic service, which lets the driver or fleet manager know the cause of a code as well as the level of severity. Virtual Technician also makes suggestions on how the fault can be resolved and which parts may be needed to fix the problem. Critical faults are sent to the Detroit customer support center, where an expert analyzes the fault event and provides additional detail to the fleet.

The Detroit DD5 and the Detroit DD8 will be available for order from Thomas Built Buses dealers in 2018.