SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Thomas Built Buses Honors Top Dealers of 2020

The school bus manufacturer names Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc. of Hopkins, South Carolina, as the company's 2020 Dealer of the Year and President’s Club and President’s Club Platinum award winners.

by SBF Staff
May 11, 2021
Thomas Built Buses Honors Top Dealers of 2020

Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc. of Hopkins, South Carolina, is named Thomas Built Buses 2020 Dealer of the Year. The dealership reportedly played a key role in providing clean-diesel engine technology to its customers via the Detroit DD5 and DD8 engines. Shown here is the school bus manufacturer’s Saf-T-Liner C2, which is equipped with the Detroit DD5 engine.

File photo courtesy Thomas Built Buses

3 min to read


Thomas Built Buses (TBB) recently recognized the winners of its 2020 Dealer of the Year, President’s Club, and President’s Club Platinum awards.

The school bus manufacturer honored this year’s winners during a virtual awards program held earlier this month, according to a news release from Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), the parent company of TBB.

Ad Loading...

Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., a full-service dealer offering sales, parts, and vehicle service based in Hopkins, South Carolina, was named the company’s 2020 Dealer of the Year.

“2020 was a rough year, but Robert Coleman and his team at Interstate Transportation provided Thomas Built Buses a simply dominating sales strategy and really went above and beyond for their customers,” said Jed Routh, vice president of sales, marketing, and service at TBB.

Interstate Transportation Equipment, according to DTNA, played a key role in providing clean-diesel engine technology to its customers via the Detroit DD5 and DD8 engines as well as educating state agencies and customers on electric vehicle conversion. The dealership reportedly also promoted various safety technologies to protect students in and out of the school bus.

“They really have their customers’ best interests in mind and do whatever it takes to ensure the best school bus for students and for the larger community,” Routh added in DTNA’s news release. “Plus, they achieved a world-class Net Promoter score and continue to earn strong marks from their customers for their service and support.”

Dealerships that received TBB’s President’s Club and President’s Club Platinum awards were recognized based on their achievement of key performance indicators this year, according to DTNA. To qualify as the Dealer of the Year in a specific region, a dealer must reach the President’s Club Platinum level.

Ad Loading...

Here is the full list of TBB’s 2020 dealer award winners:

Dealer of the Year

  • Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., Hopkins, South Carolina

Dealer of the Year Regional Winners

  • Midwest Region: Kerlin Bus Sales and Leasing Inc., Silver Lake, Indiana

  • Northeast Region: New England Transit Sales Inc., Pocasset, Massachusetts

  • Southeast Region: Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., Hopkins, South Carolina

  • Southern Region: Sonny Merryman Inc., Evington, Virginia

  • Western Region: BusWest – Southern California, Carson, California

Ad Loading...

President’s Club Platinum

  • American Bus Sales and Service, Annapolis, Maryland

  • Autobus Thomas, Drummondville, Quebec

  • BusWest – Southern California, Carson, California

  • Carolina Thomas LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina

  • H.A. DeHart and Son Inc., Thorofare, New Jersey

  • Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., Hopkins, South Carolina

  • Kerlin Bus Sales and Leasing Inc., Silver Lake, Indiana

  • Matthews Buses Inc., Ballston Spa, New York

  • Matthews Bus Alliance Inc., Orlando, Florida

  • Mid-South Bus Center, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

  • NESCO Bus, Bay Shore, New York

  • New England Transit Sales Inc., Pocasset, Massachusetts

  • Rohrer Enterprises Inc., Duncannon, Pennsylvania

  • Sonny Merryman Inc., Evington, Virginia

  • Transportation South Inc., Pelham, Alabama

  • W.C. Cressey and Son Inc., Kennebunk, Maine

President’s Club

  • Hoekstra Transportation Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan

  • Matheny Motor Truck Co., Mineral Wells, West Virginia

  • Midwest Bus Sales Inc., Crawford, Arkansas

  • Midwest Bus Sales Inc., Bonner Spring, Kansas

  • Thomas Bus Sales of Georgia, Forest Park, Georgia

More Management

The Route thumbnail with school bus fleet logo
SponsoredMarch 19, 2026

All About Cooperative Purchasing: A Guide for School Transportation Pros

Stop bidding everything and try a simpler way. Here's how cooperative purchasing can streamline purchases while maintaining compliance. Sourcewell breaks down the process in this episode of The Route, sponsored by IC Bus.

Read More →
Yellow school bus on road with “Company Update” graphic and EverDriven logo announcing school bus routing services
Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 19, 2026

EverDriven Launches New School Bus Routing Services

The alternative transportation company expands its services to traditional yellow buses with the launch of a new division focused on helping school districts optimize their routes.

Read More →
Joshua Roberts of First Student Inc. recognized as a 2026 School Bus Fleet Trailblazers winner, shown in a headshot with the School Bus Fleet Trailblazers award graphic.
Managementby Elora HaynesMarch 18, 2026

2026 Trailblazer: Joshua Roberts of First Student

Roberts, 35, serves as the lead IT application engineer for vehicle electrification at First Student, where he helps shape scalable, real-world EV infrastructure to support student transportation.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Quavion Swazer of Puyallup School District recognized as a 2026 School Bus Fleet Trailblazers winner, pictured in a headshot with the Trailblazers award graphic.
Managementby Elora HaynesMarch 18, 2026

2026 Trailblazer: Quavion Swazer of Puyallup School District

Swazer, 29, serves as director of transportation at Puyallup School District, where he champions student wellbeing and inspires the next generation of industry leaders.

Read More →
Katia Dubas of IMMI recognized as a 2026 School Bus Fleet Trailblazers winner, shown in a headshot alongside the Trailblazers award graphic.
Managementby Elora HaynesMarch 18, 2026

2026 Trailblazer: Katia Dubas of IMMI

Dubas, 38, serves as sales manager and safety advocate at IMMI, where she advances school bus occupant protection through industry education, OEM collaboration, and proactive safety policy efforts.

Read More →
Eric Kramlick of TransPar Group recognized as a 2026 School Bus Fleet Trailblazers winner, shown in a headshot alongside the Trailblazers award graphic.
Managementby Amanda HuggettMarch 18, 2026

2026 Trailblazer: Eric Kramlick of TransPar

Kramlick, 30, runs operations for TransPar in Hawaii, where he also showed dedication while helping Maui recover from the recent wildfires.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Jonquez Moore of Little Elm ISD recognized as a 2026 School Bus Fleet Trailblazers winner, shown in a headshot with the School Bus Fleet Trailblazers award graphic.
Managementby Amanda HuggettMarch 18, 2026

2026 Trailblazer: Jonquez Moore of Little Elm ISD

Moore, 32, grew up around the school bus, leading him to the classroom and eventually inspiring high-performing teams while bringing operations in house (twice).

Read More →
Joshua Baran of Odyssey Charter School recognized as a 2026 School Bus Fleet Trailblazers winner, pictured in a headshot next to the Trailblazers award graphic.
Managementby Elora HaynesMarch 18, 2026

2026 Trailblazer: Joshua Baran of Odyssey Charter School

Baran, 38, serves as transportation supervisor at Odyssey Charter School in Delaware, where he leads daily operations with a focus on safety and professional growth.

Read More →
Tyler Maybee of Denver Public Schools recognized as a 2026 School Bus Fleet Trailblazers winner, shown in a headshot with the U.S. Capitol in the background and the Trailblazers award graphic.
Managementby Elora HaynesMarch 18, 2026

2026 Trailblazer: Tyler Maybee of Denver Public Schools

Maybee, 36, leads transportation operations for Denver Public Schools, where he is advancing equity, efficiency, and cross-department collaboration to improve student access.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Lexi Higgins of Truckers Against Trafficking recognized as a 2026 School Bus Fleet Trailblazers winner, pictured in a headshot with the Trailblazers award graphic.
Managementby Elora HaynesMarch 18, 2026

2026 Trailblazer: Lexi Higgins of TAT

Higgins, 38, serves as director of industry engagement at TAT (Truckers Against Trafficking), where she equips school transportation professionals with the tools to recognize and report human trafficking.

Read More →