SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Thomas Built Buses Honors Top Dealers of 2020

The school bus manufacturer names Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc. of Hopkins, South Carolina, as the company's 2020 Dealer of the Year and President’s Club and President’s Club Platinum award winners.

by SBF Staff
May 11, 2021
Thomas Built Buses Honors Top Dealers of 2020

Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc. of Hopkins, South Carolina, is named Thomas Built Buses 2020 Dealer of the Year. The dealership reportedly played a key role in providing clean-diesel engine technology to its customers via the Detroit DD5 and DD8 engines. Shown here is the school bus manufacturer’s Saf-T-Liner C2, which is equipped with the Detroit DD5 engine.

File photo courtesy Thomas Built Buses

3 min to read


Thomas Built Buses (TBB) recently recognized the winners of its 2020 Dealer of the Year, President’s Club, and President’s Club Platinum awards.

The school bus manufacturer honored this year’s winners during a virtual awards program held earlier this month, according to a news release from Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), the parent company of TBB.

Ad Loading...

Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., a full-service dealer offering sales, parts, and vehicle service based in Hopkins, South Carolina, was named the company’s 2020 Dealer of the Year.

“2020 was a rough year, but Robert Coleman and his team at Interstate Transportation provided Thomas Built Buses a simply dominating sales strategy and really went above and beyond for their customers,” said Jed Routh, vice president of sales, marketing, and service at TBB.

Interstate Transportation Equipment, according to DTNA, played a key role in providing clean-diesel engine technology to its customers via the Detroit DD5 and DD8 engines as well as educating state agencies and customers on electric vehicle conversion. The dealership reportedly also promoted various safety technologies to protect students in and out of the school bus.

“They really have their customers’ best interests in mind and do whatever it takes to ensure the best school bus for students and for the larger community,” Routh added in DTNA’s news release. “Plus, they achieved a world-class Net Promoter score and continue to earn strong marks from their customers for their service and support.”

Dealerships that received TBB’s President’s Club and President’s Club Platinum awards were recognized based on their achievement of key performance indicators this year, according to DTNA. To qualify as the Dealer of the Year in a specific region, a dealer must reach the President’s Club Platinum level.

Ad Loading...

Here is the full list of TBB’s 2020 dealer award winners:

Dealer of the Year

  • Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., Hopkins, South Carolina

Dealer of the Year Regional Winners

  • Midwest Region: Kerlin Bus Sales and Leasing Inc., Silver Lake, Indiana

  • Northeast Region: New England Transit Sales Inc., Pocasset, Massachusetts

  • Southeast Region: Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., Hopkins, South Carolina

  • Southern Region: Sonny Merryman Inc., Evington, Virginia

  • Western Region: BusWest – Southern California, Carson, California

Ad Loading...

President’s Club Platinum

  • American Bus Sales and Service, Annapolis, Maryland

  • Autobus Thomas, Drummondville, Quebec

  • BusWest – Southern California, Carson, California

  • Carolina Thomas LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina

  • H.A. DeHart and Son Inc., Thorofare, New Jersey

  • Interstate Transportation Equipment Inc., Hopkins, South Carolina

  • Kerlin Bus Sales and Leasing Inc., Silver Lake, Indiana

  • Matthews Buses Inc., Ballston Spa, New York

  • Matthews Bus Alliance Inc., Orlando, Florida

  • Mid-South Bus Center, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

  • NESCO Bus, Bay Shore, New York

  • New England Transit Sales Inc., Pocasset, Massachusetts

  • Rohrer Enterprises Inc., Duncannon, Pennsylvania

  • Sonny Merryman Inc., Evington, Virginia

  • Transportation South Inc., Pelham, Alabama

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

President’s Club

  • Hoekstra Transportation Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan

  • Matheny Motor Truck Co., Mineral Wells, West Virginia

  • Midwest Bus Sales Inc., Crawford, Arkansas

  • Midwest Bus Sales Inc., Bonner Spring, Kansas

  • Thomas Bus Sales of Georgia, Forest Park, Georgia

More Management

A red, white, and blue graphic with pictures of Thomas Gray and text reading "Honoring U.S. Veterans: Thomas Gray's Story."
Managementby Elora HaynesMay 4, 2026

What Happens When Battle-Tested Leadership Meets Student Transportation?

See how Thomas Gray brings Marine Corps discipline and logistics expertise to Dayton Public Schools in this article celebrating National Military Appreciation Month.

Read More →
Close-up of fuel pump nozzles at a gas station, representing rising diesel costs and fuel management challenges for school bus fleets.

Diesel Prices Spike: Tips to Cut Fuel Costs with Data and New Geotab Tools

With diesel prices up 46%, new Geotab analysis points to tools that help fleets reduce idling, detect fuel anomalies, and recover hidden fuel costs across operations.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet leadership update graphic featuring Transit Technologies and headshots of Lisa Horkins, Nunu Dueman Yates, Michael Lei, Srithal Bellary, and Cristina Wheless.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 30, 2026

Transit Technologies Announces New Executive Appointments

The Bytecurve and busHive parent company has multiple new faces on its executive team as the company focuses on AI platform growth.

Read More →
photo of a woman seated at a desk talking to a man, looking at a tablet
Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 29, 2026

IC Bus Introduces ‘My International’ to Connect Fleet Vehicles, Data, and Service

Available on desktop or mobile, the digital ecosystem brings fleet monitoring, service management, vehicle insights, and dealer communication into a single interface.

Read More →
A graphic with an image of a school bus's rear bumper, a Transfinder logo, and text reading "More District Installs Across the U.S."
Managementby StaffApril 29, 2026

More Districts Tap Transfinder for Routing, Tracking, and Communication Tools

See which users in Illinois, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are adopting Transfinder’s routing, tracking, and parent apps.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Sonim XP5plus 5G rugged mobile radio device on orange background labeled “New Product,” highlighting push-to-talk communication and durability for school bus fleet operations.
ManagementApril 28, 2026

AT&T, Sonim Launch XP5plus 5G LMR Device for School Bus Fleets

The new radio combines durability, push-to-talk, and FirstNet connectivity, offering a cost-effective communication solution for fleets.

Read More →
EverDriven graphic over a mountain landscape highlighting high caregiver trust and Washington State milestone, emphasizing student transportation safety, reliability, and service growth.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 23, 2026

EverDriven Celebrates Milestones in Washington; Caregiver Trust Tops 80%

EverDriven marks 18 years and 17 million miles in the Evergreen state while new data shows 8 in 10 caregivers would recommend its student transportation solution.

Read More →
A woman holds a tablet and waves at children disembarking a school bus.
Managementby StaffApril 21, 2026

Zum Raises $100 Million, Cites ‘Transportation Anxiety Crisis’ in New Research

New funding and national research highlight student transportation challenges as Zum looks to scale its Connected Mobility Experience platform nationwide.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
a line of pro-vision employees stand in front of branded company vans
Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 21, 2026

Pro-Vision Video Installs Now Backed by MECP-Certified Techs

The certification validates expertise in complex vehicle technology installations, making it the first fleet video solutions provider to achieve the milestone.

Read More →