SBF Trailblazer 2023: Arjun Nair of Thomas Built Buses

See all our School Bus Fleet Trailblazers of 2023 in this article.

Arjun Nair

Age: 37

Works for: Thomas Built Buses

Role: Manager, eVehicles and Infrastructure Consulting

Describe a day in your professional life.

Nair: A typical work day for me starts when I have my morning coffee as I check my emails and calendar to make a plan of what I want to achieve in the day. I reach office around 8 a.m. and have my morning huddle, which gets me an overview of what’s happening with the various teams in eMobility Group. I try to prioritize my work for the day based on the plan I made in the morning. I generally try to collect and confirm all information I need as early in the day as possible to make the most critical decisions. I split my day to focus on the various topics I am responsible for - eVehicle program and infrastructure consulting. If there are any customer queries or requests I prioritize them to ensure good customer experience.

What brought you to the student transportation industry?

Nair: When the opportunity to be the program manager for developing an electric school bus came up, I didn't think twice. School transportation is the best use case for a commercial EV for the technology that we have with electric storage and propulsion systems. Ensuring that the future of our society is transported in the cleanest and safest possible way is my way of giving back.

What’s something critical that you’ve learned during your time in the student transportation industry?

Nair: I was very proud to learn how school transportation is impacting the lives of so many children. The school bus enables them to be in class and have access to nutrition that helps them grow into amazing people. When COVID hit us, I was amazed to learn how critical the school bus was to deliver meals and, in many cases, access to internet (with the Wi-Fi access points) which helped the kids continue to grow physically and mentally.

What’s your advice for someone considering a career in this industry?

Nair: From the outside it's just a yellow bus. Step in and you will realize it's a family or a community. It is a fulfilling experience since the impact you have is not just on the product but on communities.