SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Trans/Air Acquired by Lippert

The school bus air conditioning provider is now under the umbrella for an Indiana-based recreational component supplier.

Trans/Air Acquired by Lippert

Trans/Air operates out of its own customers' facilities and has over 100 service centers across the country.

Photo: SBF/Canva

2 min to read


LCI Industries' subsidiary Lippert Components Manufacturing, Inc., announced acquiring the business assets of Trans/Air Manufacturing Corporation, which provides climate control systems to school buses and commercial customers. 

Founded in 1979, Trans/Air's systems worked with school, type-A, transit, limo, electric-hybrid buses, specialty vehicles, and vans. Its product line includes evaporators, compressors, condensers, hoses & fitting systems, electronic controls and custom-designed drive kits. 

Ad Loading...

Trans/Air is headquartered in Dallastown, Pennsylvania, and operates multiple installation facilities inside its customers’ operations. This ensures a daily presence at customer sites and crucial technical service and product expertise. Trans/Air maintains a network of over 170 authorized service centers across North America.

The company intends to maintain its name and beloved penguin branding, and will be known as Trans/Air Manufacturing, a division of Lippert. They said customers won't experience any changes, or at least any that aren't positive improvements to its service. The people and products you know and trust won't be going anywhere. Rick Lehnert said he intends to stay at the company and is excited about the new partnership being able to expand what the company offers.

Lippert has been manufacturing window and glass solutions for the commercial bus industry for over 12 years. According to the announcement, the two companies many of the same customers. 

Ryan Smith, group president for Lippert’s North American OEM operations, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Trans/Air to the Lippert family. When Lippert was approached with the opportunity months ago, we were immediately impressed with their operational strategies and knew that they would be a great addition to our product portfolio. We are excited to continue the investment into innovation in order to grow the business, and we’ll build on their great team and customer relationships to further expand into the transportation vehicle market.”

Andrew Pocock, Lippert’s EVP of building and transportation products, added: “We are so excited to add such a great team, brand and product line to the Lippert family. We are confident that together we can serve our partners better and will strengthen the product offering, as well as the overall value that Lippert brings to our customers.”

More Management

A black and white image of older school buses lined up with text reading "Why the School Bus May Be America's Most Overlooked Icon."
Managementby Elora HaynesJuly 1, 2026

Why the School Bus May Be America's Most Overlooked Icon

Every day, millions of students climb aboard. But few realize the yellow school bus has helped transform education, connect communities, and come to symbolize civic responsibility.

Read More →
zonar system image
SponsoredJuly 1, 2026

Why More Drivers Won’t Fix the Shortage

Hiring isn’t enough. Learn how leading fleets are solving driver shortages through smarter retention, training, and culture strategies.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for School Bus Fleet ConneX (SBFX) 2026 announcing keynote speaker Ann Vote. The image features a headshot of Vote, a leadership and workplace culture coach, alongside event branding and text noting her appearance at SBFX 2026. A background photo shows attendees networking outdoors at a resort-style venue.
Managementby StaffJune 30, 2026

SBFX Keynote Announced: Ann Vote to Share Tips on Leadership and Team Culture

Unveiling the full agenda for SBFX 2026 in Scottsdale this September: Here's who will be headlining the event throughout our two days together, and what to expect.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Thumbnail for a School Bus Fleet video titled "How School Buses Built America." The image features Amanda Huggett and school bus expert Brad Beauchamp in front of a faded background showing vintage yellow school buses. The School Bus Fleet logo appears above the title.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 29, 2026

The School Bus as an American Icon: Exploring the Past, Present, and Future of the Yellow Bus

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Blue Bird's Brad Beauchamp explores the history of the yellow school bus, its impact on education, and where student transportation is headed next.

Read More →
Lineup of the back end of Durham School Service school buses.
Managementby Elora HaynesJune 26, 2026

Durham School Services Adds New District Contracts Across Five States

The latest contract awards and renewals will bring the company's transportation services to more students while extending several long-standing district relationships.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet graphic announcing the Top Transportation Teams 2026 recognition program. The image features a blue and gold badge with a yellow school bus illustration and the words "Top Transportation Teams 2026" on a navy background with gold confetti accents.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJune 24, 2026

6 School Districts Named Transfinder's 2026 Top Transportation Teams

The software company has named six school districts across four states to its list for the fourth year, with one 'three-peat' winner. Find out which teams took home top honors!

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An orange and black graphic with an image of a woman helping a young girl out of a car. Text reads "Innovation Was the Answer: Lessons Learned In School Transport."
ManagementJune 24, 2026

Innovation Was the Answer: Five Lessons Learned in School Transportation from 2025–26

Transportation leaders are embracing technology, transparency, and operational flexibility to meet growing demands with limited resources.

Read More →
A blue and white graphic with a black and white image of Geotab official on stage with text reading "AI Tools Roundup: Turning Data Into Faster Decisions."
Managementby Elora HaynesJune 24, 2026

AI Tools Roundup: New Fleet Tools Aim to Turn Data Into Faster Decisions

The latest AI-powered platforms could help student transportation teams analyze fleet performance, manage maintenance, and uncover operational insights using natural-language queries.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet company news graphic displaying the logos of EverDriven and Pathwise on an orange background.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJune 23, 2026

EverDriven Integrates Pathwise's EZRouting into Routing Services

The new partnership combines trusted software with industry expertise to help district transportation teams streamline general education routing, improve efficiency, and lower operating costs.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A professional portrait of David Perez on an orange background with text reading "David Perez Named Samsara Technology Leader of the Year."
Managementby Staff and News ReportsJune 23, 2026

First Student Safety Executive Named Samsara Technology Leader of the Year

David Perez earned the honor for deploying AI-powered safety and fleet technologies that improved driver behavior and family communication.

Read More →