HIGH POINT, N.C. — Thomas Built Buses has launched a new calculator that enables fleet managers to measure the current total cost of ownership (TCO) of their fleet.

Company officials said that as the cost for fuel increases and budgets tighten, fleet managers are faced with the question of how to lower their bottom line.

The Thomas Built TCO calculator, which can be used on any brand of bus, is only available through the Thomas Built dealer network.

“Adding newer school buses with better fuel efficiency to your fleet is a great way to save money and increase overall efficiency,” said Paul Start, market growth development manager. “However, we at Thomas Built understand that not all fleets are ready to upgrade to newer buses. So, we want to give fleet managers tools today that they can use to understand and lower their TCO.”

Beyond purchase price, there are many factors that affect the TCO over the lifetime of the bus, such as fuel costs, maintenance costs, parts costs, durability and corrosion repair. Thomas Built officials said that these considerations are particularly important when many school systems are keeping buses for up to 20 years.

“Any Thomas Built dealer can now work with a fleet manager to determine what factors most affect a fleet’s total cost of ownership, how to better plan for the life cycle of each bus, and what steps can be taken immediately to lower maintenance and fuel costs,” CEO Kelley Platt said. “Put simply, our goal is to educate every customer on how to run a more cost-effective fleet.”