Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2

The **Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2** is a type-C school bus. It was introduced in the fall of 2004 as a replacement for the FS-65. The two buses were produced along side each other until 2006, when production of the FS-65 ended.

## Design

The C2's chassis is derrived from Freightliner's M2 chassis. The newly designed body has joints bonded with adhesives, eliminating the need for welds or rivets. The areas which do not use adhesives are joined with self-piercing rivets. This helps reduce the chance of these areas becoming points of leakage.

The C2 features a more aerodynamic body with a low, sloped hood and a large, curved windshield. The flashing warning lights at the top of the vehicle are flush with the body. The passenger windows and emergency exits are also larger than previous models.

The Saf-T-Liner C2 uses a multiplexed wiring system, which allows for simplification of wiring throughout the vehicle. This also allows the switches on the control panel next to the driver to be easily rearranged to suit driver preferences.

The C2 can also be appointed as a commercial or activity bus. A number of options include air conditioning, coach-style seats, and air suspension.

In 2012, Thomas introduced enhancements to their commercial variant. It features smooth sides (without the school bus guard rails), tinted flush-mounted windows, and optional reclining coach-style seating.

At the 2015 National Association for Pupil Transportation annual summit, Thomas unveiled their BusWise Technologies suite. Included is Zonar's telematics system which can monitor location, mileage, fuel usage, driver behavior and remote engine and system diagnostics. Mobileye provides collision avoidance, lane departure warning, speed limit indicator and headway monitoring function. A PV360 360 degree exterior camera system is also offered. Electronic stability control is provided with Meritor WABCO SmartTrac ESC. Various bus functions can be monitored remotely. In 2018, electronic stability control became standard on the C2.

At the 2018 STN Expo, Thomas, in partnership with MITO Corporation and CUB Group, debuted a prototype of their new pedestrian detection technology. The system features LED ground lights on the cross-view mirrors and multiple radar units around the bus. The radar can detect a pedestrian or object within ten feet of the front, back or side of the bus.

At the start of 2021, the WABCO OnGuardACTIVE collision mitigation system from ZF became available as a factory-installed option for Saf-T-Liner C2 diesel school buses equipped with air disc brakes. The radar-based collision mitigation system enables collision warning, active braking and adaptive cruise control.

### Alternative fuels

In early 2008, Thomas produced a prototype diesel-electric hybrid version of the C2. The bus utilized Eaton's parallel hybrid system with a Mercedes-Benz engine. The production model, known as the Saf-T-Liner C2e, uses a Cummins engine instead.

In 2012, Thomas announced that a propane-powered version of the C2 would be available in the coming years. Regular production commenced by the summer of 2014. The propane-powered C2 uses an 8.0-litre liquid propane injected engine. Also in 2012, Thomas announced that they were developing a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled version of the C2. Production began in early 2016, making it one of the first CNG-powered type-C school bus on the market. The CNG-powered C2 uses a 6.7-litre engine from Cummins.

At the 2017 National Association for Pupil Transportation Conference and Trade Show, Thomas unveiled the battery-electric version of the C2. Named Jouley, for the joule unit of energy, the fully-electric bus has a range of 100 miles between charges with an option for extended range. It is charged via a standard J1772 charger and can be fully charged in approximately eight hours. Jouley is expected to enter production in 2019.

A new propane-powered version of the C2 was introduced in July 2019. The bus uses the Power Solutions Integration Driveforce 8.8 litre LPG engine paired with the Allison 2500 or 2550 PTS transmission. A 70- or 100-gallon fuel tank configuration is available.