Thomas Built Delivers 100,000th Saf-T-Liner C2 School Bus
Montgomery County (Va.) Public Schools acquires the landmark C2. Thomas Built launched the model in 2004 with a new production facility.
Caley Edgerly (left) of Thomas Built Buses and Floyd Merryman (right) of the Sonny Merryman dealership present the 100,000th Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus to Mark Miear of Montgomery County (Va.) Public Schools.
Caley Edgerly (left) of Thomas Built Buses and Floyd Merryman (right) of the Sonny Merryman dealership present the 100,000th Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus to Mark Miear of Montgomery County (Va.) Public Schools.
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Thomas Built Buses celebrated a milestone last week with the delivery of its 100,000th Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus.
Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses, presented the keys to the landmark C2 to Mark Miear, superintendent of Montgomery County (Va.) Public Schools. The presentation took place outside Lane Stadium on the campus of Virginia Tech on June 5.
Attending the event were Montgomery County Public Schools administrators, school bus drivers, technicians, and school board members, along with representatives from Thomas Built Buses, local dealer Sonny Merryman, and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp.
“This is a historic day for Thomas Built Buses,” Edgerly said. “Montgomery County Public Schools is a valued Thomas Built customer. I am absolutely thrilled to be able to celebrate this milestone with them today.”
Thomas Built launched the Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus in 2004. The OEM also created a new manufacturing facility specifically to produce the new Type C bus.
Since the C2’s debut 14 years ago, Thomas Built has introduced new features for the bus, including the BusWise suite of technologies and telematics systems.
“These new smart buses can communicate directly with our technicians and staff,” said Eddie Walters, director of transportation for Montgomery County Public Schools. “If the bus is out on a route and a check engine light or other service issue arises, we are notified in real time so we’re prepared to address the concern immediately when the bus returns back to the shop. It really increases our efficiency and reduces the time buses are down for repair.”
The presentation of the 100,000th C2 school bus took place outside Lane Stadium on the campus of Virginia Tech.
Also, the Saf-T-Liner C2 is now available in diesel, propane, and compressed natural gas options, and it will be available in all-electric in 2019.
Montgomery County Public Schools transports 9,700 students daily. The district’s fleet is composed of about 130 school buses, including 15 new Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 units.
Montgomery County Public Schools purchased the milestone C2 through the Sonny Merryman dealership.
“The production of Thomas Built’s 100,000th C2 speaks to the quality, durability, and popularity of Thomas Built’s products,” said Floyd Merryman, president and CEO of Sonny Merryman. “We are proud to be a Thomas Built dealer and to be a part of this momentous day with our friends at Montgomery Public Schools.”
More Management
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 →
Zum Reaches 19 States With New York Expansion
The addition of the Empire State to the student transportation company's roster marks a growing expansion in the Northeast as it scales its tech and school bus services.
Read More →
First Student Updates Its Parent App
First View connects both yellow bus and alternative transportation, giving families one platform to track student trips for the new school year, with 15 languages supported.
Read More →
The Back-to-School Checklist Every Director Should Complete Before the First Bell
Help your transportation team start the school year strong with these tips for contingency planning, communication, fleet visibility, technology, and trip management.
Read More →
How a New York District Cut Nearly $1M in Transportation Costs While Expanding Bus Access
A data-driven overhaul with BusRight reduced Poughkeepsie City School District's planned routes from 26 to 17 while extending school bus service to about 1,200 additional students.
Read More →