SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Sonny Merryman Selected as Thomas Built Buses Dealer of the Year

For the seventh time, Virginia's exclusive Thomas Built Buses dealer was recognized by the manufacturer.

Sonny Merryman Selected as Thomas Built Buses Dealer of the Year

Thomas Built Buses recognized Sonny Merryman and other dealers during its annual President's Club awards program.

Photo: Thomas Built Buses

3 min to read


At the company's recent President's Club awards program, Thomas Built Buses presented Sonny Merryman, Inc., with the 2022 Dealer of the Year award - the seventh time this dealer has been recognized since the inception of the awards in 1986.

“The Dealer of the Year award continues to celebrate the commitment and discipline of the hardworking Thomas Built dealer network across the United States and Canada,” said Daoud Chaaya, VP of sales, aftermarket and marketing, at Thomas Built Buses. “We congratulate all our dealers for their continued dedication to operational excellence, unwavering commitment to deliver an exceptional customer experience and catering to the overall value proposition, including Sonny Merryman for their seventh win.

Ad Loading...

“We would also like to recognize all our President’s Club, President’s Club Platinum and Honors Class dealers who have made significant contributions to the success of Thomas Built Buses. We are proud to work alongside each of you as we continue to provide safe and reliable transportation solutions for students and communities across North America.

“With more than 1,000 technicians trained in 2022, Sonny Merryman’s dedication to training also sets them apart,” continued Chaaya. “The company’s 100% NPS score was exceptional, and they were close to 140% on their parts objective. They have also shown a commitment to going above and beyond, with active involvement in the Excelerator program and the development of a special recognition program for school bus drivers.”

In addition to Sonny Merryman, Inc. winning Dealer of the Year, Thomas Built recognized President’s Club and President’s Club Platinum award winners for their achievement of key performance indicators for the year, including brand effectiveness, parts and service effectiveness, customer experience and financial performance. In order to qualify for the Dealer of the Year award, a dealer must reach the President’s Club Platinum level. The 2022 winners included:

President’s Club:

  • Autobus Thomas, Inc., Drummondville, Quebec

  • BusWest, Inc., Carson, Calif.

  • Empire Truck Sales, Jackson, Miss.

  • Midwest Bus Sales – AR, Van Buren, Ark.

  • Midwest Bus Sales – KS/MO, Shawnee, Kan.

  • Rohrer Enterprises, Duncannon, Pa.

  • Schetky Northwest Sales, Inc., Portland, Ore.

  • The Bus Centre, Acheson, Alberta

Ad Loading...

President’s Club Platinum:

  • American Bus Sales & Service, Inc., Annapolis, Md.

  • Boyd Company, Louisville, Ky.

  • Carolina Thomas, LLC, Greensboro, N.C.

  • HA DeHart & Son, Thorofare, N.J.

  • Hoekstra Transportation, In., Grand Rapids, Mich.

  • Interstate Transportation Equipment, Inc., Hopkins, S.C.

  • Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc., Silver Lake, Ind.

  • Matheny Motor Truck Company, Mineral Wells, W.Va.

  • Mathews Buses, Inc, Ballston Spa, N.Y.

  • Matthews Bus Alliance, Orlando, Fla.

  • Mid-South Bus Center, Inc., Murfreesboro, Tenn.

  • Nesco Bus & Truck Sales, Inc., Bay Shore, N.Y.

  • New England Transit Sales, Inc., Tyngsboro, Mass.

  • Sonny Merryman, Inc, Evington, Va.

  • Transportation South, Pellham, Ala.

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

This year, Thomas Built did away with regional winners and instead nominated five high-performing dealers to the top honor of 2022 Dealer of the Year. These nominees become the Honors Class.

Honors Class:

  • Carolina Thomas, LLC, Greensboro, N.C.

  • Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing, Inc., Silver Lake, Ind.

  • New England Transit Sales, Inc., Tyngsborough, Mass.

  • Sonny Merryman, Inc., Evington, Va.

  • Transportation South, Pellham, Ala.

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 →