Thomas Built Buses Honors Top Dealers for 2016
Carolina Thomas is named Thomas Built’s Dealer of the Year. The school bus OEM also awards regional winners and President’s Club recognitions.
Carolina Thomas was named Thomas Built Buses’ 2016 Dealer of the Year at an awards ceremony in April.
Carolina Thomas was named Thomas Built Buses’ 2016 Dealer of the Year at an awards ceremony in April.
DALLAS — Thomas Built Buses recently recognized its top-performing dealers of 2016 at its President’s Club awards gala.
The school bus manufacturer’s annual event was held at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas in April.
Thomas Built’s 2016 Dealer of the Year award went to Carolina Thomas LLC, a full-service dealer offering sales, parts, and vehicle service in North Carolina.
“Our dealers worked extremely hard in 2016, making it a banner year for Thomas Built Buses as well as securing our position as the leader in the pupil transportation industry for yet another year,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “We are proud of all of our President’s Club winners who went above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service, support, and training to their customers. We are especially proud of our 2016 Dealer of the Year, Carolina Thomas, for a job well done.”
“We are honored by this award,” said Tom Schaaf, vice president and general manager of Carolina Thomas. “We love Thomas Built buses, and we work hard to serve our customers throughout the lifecycle of their buses — from spec’ing to financing, maintenance, and training. However, we still have far to go because our customers deserve our very best.”
President’s Club and President’s Club Platinum awards were given to top dealers for achieving key performance indicators. A dealer must reach the President’s Club Platinum level to qualify as the Dealer of the Year for its region.
Here is the full list of Thomas Built Buses’ dealer award winners:
2016 Dealer of the Year
Carolina Thomas LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina
Regional Winners
Midwest Region: Matheny Motor Truck Co., Mineral Wells, West Virginia
Northeast Region: W.C. Cressey & Son Inc., Kennebunk, Maine
Southeast Region: Carolina Thomas LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina
Western Region: BusWest – Southern California, Carson, California
President’s Club Platinum
American Bus Sales & Service, Annapolis, Maryland
BusWest – Southern California, Carson, California
Carolina Thomas LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina
Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., Columbia, South Carolina
Kerlin Bus Sales & Leasing Inc., Silver Lake, Indiana
Matheny Motor Truck Co., Mineral Wells, West Virginia
Matthews Buses Florida Inc., Orlando, Florida
Mid-South Bus Center, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
New England Transit Sales Inc., Tyngsboro, Massachusetts
Schetky Northwest Sales Inc., Portland, Oregon
Sonny Merryman Inc., Evington, Virginia
The Bus Centre, Acheson, Alberta
Thomas Bus Sales of Georgia, Jefferson, Georgia
Transportation South Inc., Pelham, Alabama
W.C. Cressey & Son Inc., Kennebunk, Maine
President’s Club
Auto Safety House LLC, Phoenix, Arizona
Autobus Thomas, Drummondville, Quebec
H.A. DeHart & Son Inc., Thorofare, New Jersey
Matthews Buses Inc., Ballston Spa, New York
Midwest Bus Sales Inc., Bonner Springs, Kansas
Midwest Bus Sales Inc., Van Buren, Arkansas
NESCO Thomas Bus Sales of New York, Bay Shore, New York
Rohrer Enterprises Inc., Duncannon, Pennsylvania
Telin Transportation Group, Lakeville, Minnesota
Thomas Bus Gulf Coast GP Inc., Houston, Texas
Transwest Trucks Inc., Commerce City, Colorado
Truck Center Companies, Omaha, Nebraska
Warner Bus Industries Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba
Western Mountain Bus Sales, Nampa, Idaho
More Management
From Intent to Impact: What I Learned About Leadership from TAPT
A Texas transportation supervisor shares lessons on self-awareness, accountability, managing stress and building trust — and why investing in leadership development matters at every stage of your career.
Read More →
NAPT Names 2026 Award Recipients
Who earned national recognition for their work in student transportation? This year, NAPT named five recipients of its 2026 awards for service, safety, and leadership.
Read More →
2026 State of Student Transportation Report
Driver shortages. Rising costs. Growing safety expectations. More data, but not enough time to act on it. The 2026 State of Student Transportation Report reveals what transportation leaders say is putting the most pressure on their operations—and where they’re investing next. See how your priorities compare.
Read More →
How to De-Escalate an Angry Person: 5 Steps for Handling Workplace Conflict
What makes emotions run high, and how should you handle an angry colleague or parent? Follow these steps for staying calm, listening, showing empathy, and resolving conflict.
Read More →
What Readiness Looks Like This School Year
Learn about the challenges shaping the 2026–2027 school year, from persistent driver shortages and budget pressure to technology and readiness gaps. See how school districts are responding and adapting in Zonar’s 2026 Back-to-School Readiness Report.
Read More →
Changing Lanes: Executive Moves at Summit School Services, Zum, STA, Cummins, Transit Technologies, Driventic, & Cadex
See who's been hired, promoted, and appointed to leadership positions at various school transportation industry suppliers and private contractors.
Read More →
Texas Sixth Grader Wins 2026 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
Sai Darshana Yekolu of Moseley Middle School in Prosper, Texas, was named the newest winner for her artwork, bringing the theme of “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” to life.
Read More →
Industry Moves: Companies Expand Fleet Service & EV Infrastructure Footprints
The new facilities and regional hubs could mean faster access to shop equipment, charging support, and transportation technology for fleet operators.
Read More →
Doing More With Less: How Transportation Directors Can Prioritize Safety Amid Budget Uncertainty
With diesel prices soaring and nearly one-third of transportation directors expecting budget cuts, maintaining student safety has never been more challenging. Download this guide to learn how leading districts are prioritizing risk, funding critical safety technology, and building stronger budget cases with data.
Read More →
Walton County Schools Adds Gatekeeper Stop-Arm Enforcement System
The Florida district will deploy Gatekeeper’s updated Student Protector technology, which now incorporates AI to improve video evidence.
Read More →