School bus dealerships are more than just vehicle suppliers. They’re trusted partners, helping districts and contractors navigate equipment selection and long-term fleet planning. 

With firsthand insight into evolving technologies, fuel trends, and operational demands, dealers play a pivotal role in the industry. So, School Bus Fleet checked in with them! From the East Coast to the Midwest and the South, here are the insights they shared in the form of survey responses.

Service & Feature Trends

When choosing which manufacturer brands to represent, dealers agree that quality, reliability, and brand reputation are paramount. Most also factor in after-sales support, service network, and cost-effectiveness for its customers. 

Some optional features that many customers request are A/C, integrated child safety seating, fully illuminated stop-arms and signs, cameras, auxiliary heaters, ADAS technology, remote mirrors, and luggage boxes.

When it comes to maintenance, dealer respondents said common service issues include emissions components failure, water leaks, electrical issues, and of course, parts availability.

All dealers surveyed offer additional services beyond bus sales, ranging from service and parts to financing, consulting, training, aftermarket retrofits, funding and grant research services, consulting, training, EV charging assistance, and more.

Many dealers wish more customers would take them up on these services. “We love helping districts minimize downtime and avoid unnecessary service calls,” Whitney Kopanko, director of marketing & school bus sales for Sonny Merryman told SBF. She and others encourage customers to be upfront about challenges and concerns so they can help navigate complex or confusing situations.

EV Impact

While electric buses trailed diesel in terms of demand, trends vary by region. Eighty percent of respondents said that government incentives and grant programs have “a lot of” impact on electric bus sales, while 20% said it’s complicated. 

Of the latter, one New York dealer elaborated: “Government incentives have a huge impact on EV bus sales; however, (here) bus purchases must also be approved by the voters within each local school district. This means that, even if a district has been awarded funds that would pay for the entire purchase, the voters can (and have) voted the purchase down.”

Meanwhile, one Midwestern dealer noted, “Very little interest in EV in this market. The government grants really muck up the market and put EVs where they are not wanted, not needed, and don't work well.”

Another respondent said: “It's a shame that markets are letting politics divide them and subsequently define their choice of vehicle deployments. EV and alt fuels have proven to be effective in the proper operations, and it's in our collective best interests to mitigate some environmental impact for our future generations.”

Desired Manufacturer, Market Improvements 

Dealerships are highly attuned to market trends and share customer feedback (and their own) with OEMs for improvement. This year, they expressed a desire to see improved manufacturing lead times, higher quality, more favorable terms on floor plan interest for new stock units, increased collaboration on federal funding, and support for school bus replacements, as well as simpler and less complex school buses. “Our customers are not asking for all of the technological advances that all of the manufacturers are promoting; (they) want and are asking for simpler vehicles with less to go wrong” one respondent said. 

Another acknowledged the manufacturer strain exacerbated by COVID, supply chain issues, and now tariffs. “Price changes are frequent which is destabilizing,” they wrote. “The support mostly needed is market stability.”

More Dealer Survey Data

Here are other insights from this year’s survey results.

Looking Ahead

Most dealerships are committed to continuous improvement and top-notch service. But they also don’t rest on their laurels. 

We asked respondents what investments they’re making to prepare for future market trends. Answers ranged from upgrading their facilities, equipping their service department with advanced diagnostics, closely evaluating and enhancing training programs, adding on-site charging and fueling, and other technological and staff investments. 

Watch for the full results in our August 2025 print issue and digital edition!