Blue Bird Corporation is the leading manufacturer of school buses in North America. Headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia, Blue Bird has a long and storied history dating back to 1927. While school buses remain their core business, Blue Bird also produces transit buses, motorhomes, and specialty vehicles.
History of Blue Bird
Blue Bird was founded in 1927 by A.L. Luce, who purchased a small bus manufacturing company called Blue Bird Body Company in Fort Valley, Georgia. In the early years, Blue Bird produced not only school buses but also funeral coaches, ambulances, and travel buses. Blue Bird sold their first school bus in 1929, a small 25-passenger bus. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Blue Bird expanded their school bus offerings and opened additional manufacturing plants.
In the 1950s, Blue Bird pioneered the use of Automatic Transmission and Power Steering in school buses for easier driving. They introduced their first diesel-powered school bus in 1955. Through acquisitions in the 1950s and 1960s, Blue Bird expanded their sales and service network across the United States and Canada.
Blue Bird became a publicly-traded company in 1971, listing on the American Stock Exchange. In the 1970s, Blue Bird consolidated their manufacturing to just two plants in Fort Valley, Georgia, increasing efficiency and production capacity. New safety innovations like padded interior panels debuted during this decade.
The 1980s brought electronic innovations from Blue Bird like computer-based fleet management systems. Blue Bird also led the industry transition to transit-style school buses with front engines rather than conventional-style hoods during this decade. In 1988, Blue Bird was acquired by Henlys Group PLC based in the United Kingdom.
In the 1990s, Blue Bird developed new lines of transit buses and also re-entered the recreational vehicle market. In 1998, the company was sold to Cerberus Capital Management L.P, restoring Blue Bird to U.S. ownership. The new millennium saw Blue Bird expanding into alternative fuel buses, including propane, natural gas, and electric models.
Current Ownership and Operations
Today, Blue Bird Corporation is owned by the American Securities investment firm, which acquired the company in 2006. Operations are led by CEO Phil Horlock from the company headquarters in Fort Valley, Georgia. They also operate major manufacturing facilities in Fort Valley, as well as Montgomery, Alabama.
Blue Bird sells their buses through a network of nearly 700 dealerships across the United States and Canada. Their primary manufacturing facilities in Georgia and Alabama have the combined capacity to produce more than 32,000 school buses per year.
Some key facts about Blue Bird’s current operations:
- Employs over 5,000 workers
- Produced over 35,000 buses in 2021
- Manufactures school, transit, commercial and specialty buses
- Leading producer of propane, CNG, and electric school buses
- Over 175,000 buses in operation across North America
Blue Bird School Bus Models
Blue Bird is best known for their iconic yellow Type C and D school buses. They offer a wide range of school bus models powered by diesel, gasoline, propane, CNG, and electric drivetrains. Some of their most popular school bus models include:
Model | Description |
---|---|
Micro Bird | Small multi-purpose bus |
Vision | Type A mini school bus |
All American | Type C conventional school bus |
All American RE | Type D rear-engine transit bus |
BBCV | Low floor transit-style bus |
In addition to school buses, Blue Bird also manufactures commercial and specialty buses like shuttle buses, church buses, prison transport, and paratransit buses. Their buses are sold not just in North America, but exported worldwide to countries like Mexico, the Middle East, and Asia.
Financial Performance
As a publicly traded company from 1971 to 1988, and again from 2015 to present, Blue Bird has had to report on their key financial performance. Here are some highlights of Blue Bird’s recent financial results:
- Reported net sales of $1.02 billion in fiscal year 2021, a 6% increase over 2020.
- Sold over 35,000 buses in 2021, a 15% increase over the prior year.
- Gross profit margin of 13.7% and net income of $25 million in 2021.
- Total assets of $338 million and over $200 million in shareholder equity.
- Blue Bird stock trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker BLBD.
The company has rebounded well since the COVID-19 pandemic slowed sales in 2020. Blue Bird has been profitable since 2013 and their balance sheet remains healthy. Increased infrastructure spending and school bus replacement demand points to further growth ahead.
Conclusion
For over 90 years, Blue Bird Corporation has been the premier school bus manufacturer in North America. While ownership has changed hands several times, Blue Bird has maintained its headquarters and main manufacturing operations in Fort Valley, Georgia. They operate factories across the Southeastern United States producing over 35,000 buses per year.
Blue Bird maintains a leading share of the school bus market through constant innovation and new technology like alternative fuel models. With a recognized brand name and extensive dealer network, Blue Bird is well positioned to maintain its leadership in the competitive North American school bus manufacturing industry.