IC Bus
IC Bus is a North American school, commercial, and chassis bus manufacturer and Navistar subsidiary that produces the CE Series platform with diesel and electric powertrains, distributes through 100+ certified EV dealers across the US and Canada, and serves primarily K-12 school districts, government, and nonprofit customers via cooperative purchasing and EV transition solutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersLisle, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What IC Bus does
IC Bus, LLC is a North American manufacturer of school buses, commercial buses, and chassis, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Motors, LLC (Navistar), itself owned by Volkswagen's Traton SE. The company's core products center on the CE Series platform — available as a school bus, commercial bus, and chassis (TC Series) — with powertrain options spanning diesel, propane, and battery-electric (Electric CE Series). The Electric CE Series, launched in 2021-2022, offers 200+ mile range, three levels of regenerative braking, and integrated Bendix Wingman collision mitigation, Rosco Full View Camera, and Electronic Stability Control. The legacy RE Series remains in the lineup.
The company manufactures primarily at its Tulsa Bus Plant (25 years of operation, 250,000+ cumulative units as of October 2025) and distributes through a certified dealer network of 100+ EV-capable locations across 41 US states and 7 Canadian provinces. IC Bus operates an exclusive Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract (#080124-NVS, maturing 11/28/2028) covering CE Series diesel, electric, and parts — claimed to be the only OEM-level parts contract of its kind — giving procurement access to roughly 50,000 government, education, and nonprofit organizations. The company is expanding from a hardware vendor into an EV transition solutions provider through Zero Emissions Consulting, Comprehensive Ownership Solutions (bundled service and uptime coverage), Uptime Advocate service orchestration, OnCommand Connection telematics, and charging infrastructure partnerships with Quanta Services and Highland Electric Fleets.
IC Bus primarily serves K-12 school districts, with secondary government/nonprofit and commercial transit segments. Customer evidence includes Toledo Public Schools (12 buses via EPA Clean School Bus Program funding), Johnson City Central School District, and Normandy Schools Collaborative. Revenue derives from bus sales (hardware), parts distribution, managed service contracts, and EV consulting — though specific financials are not disclosed as IC Bus is consolidated within Navistar's commercial portfolio.
IC Bus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IC Bus
- Legal name
- IC Bus, LLC
- Website
- https://icbus.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- IC Bus is a North American school, commercial, and chassis bus manufacturer and Navistar subsidiary that produces the CE Series platform with diesel and electric powertrains, distributes through 100+ certified EV dealers across the US and Canada, and serves primarily K-12 school districts, government, and nonprofit customers via cooperative purchasing and EV transition solutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IC Bus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- School Bus Manufacturing
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electrification & Alternative Fuels for School Fleets (EV Buses, Charging, CNG) (EDAEADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fueling, Charging & Yard/Depot Infrastructure Services (EDAEADAM), EV Charging Infrastructure & Management (EDALAKAI)
Keywords
Where IC Bus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lisle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
IC Bus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bus Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling school buses including diesel, propane, and electric variants. CE Series available in both school and commercial configurations.
- Service Contracts: Comprehensive Ownership Solutions providing bundled maintenance, repair coverage, and service support packages for electric bus customers.
- Parts Sales: Parts distribution through dealer network and proprietary parts contracts. IC Bus holds exclusive Sourcewell parts contract for one-stop shopping experience.
- EV Consulting Services: Zero emissions consulting including fleet electrification roadmap development, utility assessments, charging infrastructure planning, and customer onboarding support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Standard bus purchases through dealer network |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
IC Bus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IC Bus manufactures and sells Type C school buses and commercial buses, centered on the CE Series platform offered in diesel/propane and battery-electric powertrains. Its flagship Electric CE Series offers up to 200+ miles of range and is sold with bundled Comprehensive Ownership Solutions that include proactive service planning, Uptime Advocate service orchestration, extended repair coverage, and digital connected services. The company also provides zero-emissions consulting, charging infrastructure planning, and grant writing support to help school districts and fleet operators transition to electric buses.
Product overview
IC Bus is a school bus, city bus, and commercial bus manufacturer offering a portfolio of vehicles under the CE Series and RE Series brands. The core product lineup centers on the CE Series available as school bus and commercial variants, with powertrain options including Electric (battery-electric with up to 200+ mile range) and Internal Combustion Engine (diesel). The Electric CE Series represents the company's zero-emission focus and includes bundled Comprehensive Ownership Solutions services. The product ecosystem extends through connected vehicle services (OnCommand Connection, IC Bus 360), safety technologies (Bendix collision mitigation, electronic stability control, Full View Camera by Rosco), and Zero Emissions Consulting for fleet electrification planning. Legacy RE Series products remain available. The company provides supporting services including driver training, grant writing assistance, and charging infrastructure support through dealer network partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CE Series: School and commercial bus product line including electric and internal combustion engine options
- RE Series
- TC Series
- DriverFirst
- OnCommand Connection
- Uptime Advocate
Products and services
- CE Series School Bus Flagship Type C school bus available in diesel/electric and internal combustion engine configurations, featuring the DriverFirst design philosophy with advanced safety systems, visibility enhancements, and connectivity through OnCommand Connection telematics. Targeted at K-12 public and private school districts.
- CE Series Commercial Bus Commercial variant of the CE Series platform for government, education, and nonprofit transportation needs such as employee/customer transportation, campus shuttles, and community transport.
- Electric CE Series Battery-electric Type C school bus with two battery size options including best-in-class 200+ mile range, three levels of regenerative braking to maximize energy recovery, and comprehensive zero-emission ownership solutions including charging infrastructure support. Targeted at school districts pursuing fleet electrification.
- TC Series Chassis Chassis platform for commercial bus applications, available for body installation by third-party bus body builders for commercial and specialty vehicle markets.
- RE Series School Bus Legacy school bus model in the IC Bus product lineup, retained for existing customers and replacement demand alongside the current CE Series.
- RE Series Commercial Bus Legacy commercial bus model in the IC Bus product lineup, retained alongside the current CE Series Commercial Bus.
- Comprehensive Ownership Solutions First-of-its-kind bundled service offering for Electric CE Series customers, including proactive service planning, Uptime Advocate service orchestration, preventative maintenance, extended repair coverage, wear items, and digital connected solutions through OnCommand Connection.
- Zero Emissions Consulting Three-step professional services offering for fleet electrification, including consulting to uncover customer needs and build a roadmap, charging and infrastructure assessment with utility coordination, and customer onboarding for workforce development. Targeted at school districts, commercial operators, and government buyers.
- EV Driver Training Electric vehicle driver training services including an EV Driver's Guide and EV Responder Guide for first and second responders. Targeted at school district drivers, technicians, and emergency responders operating electric school buses.
- OnCommand Connection Telematics Platform Factory-installed telematics platform providing vehicle health monitoring, track and trace capabilities, EV Dashboard, charge history, performance reporting, and state-of-charge monitoring accessible via web portal and mobile app for fleet operators.
- IC Bus 360 Connected vehicle services portal providing fleet operators with access to vehicle health information, location tracking, and operational data for both diesel and electric IC Bus vehicles.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% lower daily fuel costs compared to diesel
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use IC Bus
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
IC Bus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability7 records
Feature6 records
IC Bus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Highland Electric FleetscorePartnership to support school districts in deploying electric school buses. Highland Electric Fleets provides the electric buses and charging infrastructure while IC Bus manufactures the vehicles. Active partnerships with Toledo Public Schools (12 buses) and Normandy Schools Collaborative (15 buses).
- SourcewellcoreIC Bus is a contracted supplier to Sourcewell cooperative purchasing program, enabling streamlined procurement for government, education, and nonprofit organizations. IC Bus is the only OEM with a parts contract under this program. Contract Number: 080124-NVS. Maturity Date: 11/28/2028.
- Quanta ServicescoreCollaborative relationship with Quanta Services for building out charging infrastructure. Quanta provides power delivery services including transmission/distribution lines, substations, construction, solar/wind installations. Works with all utilities across U.S. regions and states to help fleets scale EV infrastructure.
- Leonard Bus SalescoreAuthorized IC Bus dealer providing sales, service, and EV transition support. Assisted Johnson City Central School District with needs assessment, grant funding, site planning, vehicle readiness, utility coordination, and driver/technician training.
- World Resources Institute (WRI)minorCollaboration on electric school bus training standards published summer 2024. WRI collaborated with OEMs, customers, utilities, and associations to publish 30-page document dictating core competencies for anyone working with electric school buses.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
IC Bus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Blue Bird Corporation: Direct competitor in the North American school bus market with its own Type C and Type D buses plus an electric bus portfolio (Vision Electric, All American RE Electric). Comparable customer base of K-12 districts and similar dealer-led distribution model.
- Thomas Built Buses: Direct competitor manufacturing Type C and D school and commercial buses (Saf-T-Liner, Minotour), with electric variants including the Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley. Owned by Daimler Truck North America, mirroring IC Bus's position as a strategic subsidiary within Traton/Navistar.
- Lion Electric: Pure-play electric school and commercial bus manufacturer with the LionC, LionD, and LionA models. Targets the same K-12 and transit customer base and competes head-to-head on Electric CE Series deals; financial distress in 2024-25 illustrates the capital intensity of the segment.
Emerging players
- GreenPower Motor Company: Canadian EV bus manufacturer offering Type A, D, and school bus configurations including the BEAST and Nano Beast. Niche competitor in the electric school bus space where IC Bus also sells into U.S. and Canadian districts.
- Workhorse Group: EV commercial vehicle company with last-mile delivery and step van platforms. Adjacent to IC Bus in fleet electrification themes but with limited direct overlap in school buses; useful comparison for capital and scaling dynamics in EV commercial vehicles.
- Lightning eMotors: Provider of electric powertrain conversions and purpose-built EV platforms for commercial fleets including shuttle and transit buses. Competes with IC Bus Electric CE Series in the commercial bus and shuttle segments though smaller in school bus volume.
Broad incumbents
- REV Group: Diversified specialty vehicle manufacturer whose Collins Bus and World Trans subsidiaries serve the Type A school and shuttle bus market. Broader portfolio than IC Bus but overlaps in K-12 and commercial bus segments.
- Daimler Truck North America: Parent of Thomas Built Buses and Freightliner; competes with Navistar/International across medium- and heavy-duty platforms. Strategic parent comparable to Traton's ownership of IC Bus, with shared EV platform and dealer infrastructure relevant to the school bus market.
- Navistar / International Motors: Parent company of IC Bus, manufacturing International brand medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses. Shares dealer network, parts, telematics, and EV platform development with IC Bus, and competes in adjacent commercial vehicle segments.
- Traton SE: Volkswagen Group's truck and bus holding company and ultimate parent of IC Bus via Navistar/International. Comparable strategic parent context (Scania, MAN, Navistar brands) and serves as the relevant capital, R&D, and platform-sharing benchmark for IC Bus's EV trajectory.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
IC Bus social profiles
Digital presenceIC Bus compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
IC Bus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IC Bus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
IC Bus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IC Bus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IC Bus
What does IC Bus do?
IC Bus manufactures and sells Type C school buses and commercial buses, centered on the CE Series platform offered in diesel/propane and battery-electric powertrains. Its flagship Electric CE Series offers up to 200+ miles of range and is sold with bundled Comprehensive Ownership Solutions that include proactive service planning, Uptime Advocate service orchestration, extended repair coverage, and digital connected services. The company also provides zero-emissions consulting, charging infrastructure planning, and grant writing support to help school districts and fleet operators transition to electric buses.
Is IC Bus a public or private company?
IC Bus is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was IC Bus founded?
IC Bus was founded in 2000. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is IC Bus based?
IC Bus is headquartered in Lisle, United States, in the North America region.
How does IC Bus make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Bus Sales are the primary driver. The others are service Contracts, parts Sales and EV Consulting Services.
Who are IC Bus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Blue Bird Corporation, Thomas Built Buses and Lion Electric. Emerging players are GreenPower Motor Company, Workhorse Group and Lightning eMotors. Broad incumbents are REV Group, Daimler Truck North America, Navistar / International Motors and Traton SE.
Does IC Bus have an API?
No public API is recorded for IC Bus.
What industry is IC Bus in?
IC Bus's product category is School Bus Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEADAJ, Electrification & Alternative Fuels for School Fleets (EV Buses, Charging, CNG), with a secondary code of EDAEADAM, Fueling, Charging & Yard/Depot Infrastructure Services. Its SIC code is 3600.