Check Out The Route: Making Life Safer in the Danger Zone
Thomas Built Buses Names New VP
Daoud Chaaya, with parent company Daimler Trucks North America since 2003, now serves as vice president of sales, marketing, service, and dealer operations for the school bus manufacturer.

Daoud Chaaya now oversees all customer and dealership engagements for Thomas Built Buses.
Photo: Thomas Built Buses
School bus manufacturer Thomas Built Buses has named Daoud Chaaya to its senior leadership team as the vice president of sales, marketing, service, and dealer operations. In his new role, Chaaya will oversee all customer and dealership engagements, leading initiatives to focus on enhancing customer experiences with TBB’s comprehensive line-up of products and services for the student transportation industry.
“We’re excited to welcome Daoud to his new position with Thomas Built Buses, where he will play a critical role in developing strategic sales and marketing plans to best serve our valued dealer partners and our mutual customers,” said Kevin Bangston, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “Daoud’s extensive experience at Daimler in engineering, finance and aftermarket are a valuable foundation for his new role at TBB and continued leadership.”
Daoud first joined Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) in 2003 and throughout his tenure has served as a product validation engineer; project controller; support manager to the CFO; director of aftermarket in international markets; and most recently as director, field service for the southeast region. Daoud holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA from the University of Portland.
More Management
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
Zum Expands to Rhode Island with 2 New District Partnerships
The Ocean State becomes Zum’s 18th state served as the company expands its presence in the Northeast U.S., while launching operations in Philadelphia, and supporting FIFA World Cup 2026.
Read More →
The Driver Shortage Playbook
Driver shortages are still a major challenge for student transportation fleets, but the real issue has shifted. It’s no longer just about filling seats quickly. It’s about finding safe, reliable drivers who meet performance expectations and want to stay. The Driver Shortage Playbook covers why traditional recruitment tactics are falling short and how school fleets are adapting with smarter hiring, stronger retention strategies and a greater focus on driver quality.
Read More →
Stertil-Koni Announces New Company President
Lewis Nelson joins the heavy-duty vehicle lift provider, succeeding Scott Steinhardt in the lead role.
Read More →



