IC Bus

IC Bus
Company type	Division
Industry	Bus manufacturing
Predecessor	American Transportation Corporation (AmTran)
Founded	2002
Founder	Navistar International (parent company)
Headquarters	Lisle, Illinois, United States
Area served	United States
Products	School buses, commercial buses
Owner	Navistar International
Parent	Navistar International

IC Bus—initially known as IC Corporation—is a United States-based bus manufacturer with its main office located in Lisle, Illinois. As a fully owned division of International Motors, IC was founded in 2002 following the restructuring of American Transportation Corporation (AmTran), a former subsidiary of Navistar. The company specializes in producing school buses as well as commercial buses designed for a variety of uses.

The term "Integrated Coach" highlights IC's operational approach of constructing both the chassis and body under one roof. The chassis designs originate from the parent company Navistar, which also provided engines until 2015. While IC Bus vehicles utilize chassis and hood designs similar to those on International-brand trucks, they are distinguished by unique branding.

Manufacturing takes place at the Navistar Tulsa Bus Plant located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Prior to 2010, assembly was also conducted at the former AmTran/Ward facility in Conway, Arkansas.

History

The roots of IC extend back to 1933 through its predecessor AmTran, which began as Ward Body Works in Conway, Arkansas. Navistar’s forerunner, International Harvester, started producing chassis in 1922. After many manufacturers exited the school bus market over previous decades, IC emerged as the first new participant in the sector during the early 2000s.

2000s

In 2000, AmTran launched the International IC, an updated conventional-style bus body mounted on the International 3800 chassis. This model—known as Integrated Coach/Chassis—featured a revamped driver’s area and a larger windshield, underscoring production under Navistar ownership since its acquisition of AmTran in 1995. To set it apart from other buses based on the 3800 chassis, the IC incorporated a distinctive grille and badging, representing the first significant exterior update to International medium-duty trucks since 1989.

Following Navistar’s truck division branding strategy, AmTran adopted the International Truck and Bus name after 2000, applying the International brand to both chassis and bodies. By 2003, the bus division was renamed IC Corporation. The International IC evolved into the IC CE-Series to correspond with FE/RE-Series transit-style buses.

Midway through the decade, IC revamped its product range. In 2005, it introduced the International 3300 cowled chassis derived from the DuraStar medium-duty truck—the first new cowled chassis from International since 1979. The following year, IC debuted its initial small school bus model, the BE200: a 30-passenger vehicle built on a lower-profile variant of the 3300 chassis featuring a flat-floor interior.

To comply with 2007 EPA emissions regulations, IC buses transitioned to MaxxForce diesel engines such as the MaxxForce 7 V8 and MaxxForce DT inline-6. In 2008, updates included a wider grille on the FE model to enhance airflow; meanwhile, BE and CE models received redesigned front bumpers based on DuraStar styling.

In April 2009, IC Corporation officially changed its name to IC Bus.

Commercial bus production

While AmTran historically concentrated on school buses with limited commercial sales, IC broadened its commercial bus portfolio starting in 2006. Alongside commercial versions of BE, CE, and RE models, IC introduced buses built on cutaway-cab International DuraStar chassis: these included the HC shuttle bus series and LC low-floor paratransit buses—expanding its presence within commercial transportation markets.

2010s

In 2010, IC Bus overhauled its lineup by discontinuing the FE-series, which had its origins as the Ward Senator and later the AmTran Genesis, choosing instead to concentrate exclusively on the RE as its sole transit-style bus model. That year also saw the introduction of two cutaway-cab buses derived from the International TerraStar truck: the AC commercial shuttle bus and the AE, which marked IC's first cutaway-cab school bus, accommodating up to 36 passengers.

Starting in 2010, Navistar marketed the International 3200 cutaway-cab chassis (a DuraStar variant) under the IC brand name regardless of which body manufacturer was involved. In 2013, for the 2014 model year, IC Bus refreshed its "wing" logo by incorporating Navistar branding into both the emblem and the rear bumper.

After Navistar's strategy relying on exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for emissions control failed to meet expectations, IC Bus transitioned away from MaxxForce diesel engines in favor of Cummins powerplants. The Cummins ISB6.7 engine became available for CE series buses in 2014 and was made standard by 2015. For the RE series, the MaxxForce DT was replaced by a Cummins L9 in 2017, followed by the introduction of a Cummins B6.7 in 2018.

By the mid-2010s, IC Bus streamlined its focus exclusively on school bus production, ceasing production of the AE/AC cutaways, BE, and LC models after 2014. The HC model was succeeded by the TC in 2018, coinciding with the MV replacing the DuraStar platform; at this point, IC shifted to supplying chassis only for shuttle buses instead of fully assembled vehicles.

Currently, IC Bus manufactures the TC medium-duty cutaway cab alongside CE and RE-series school and activity buses, both of which also serve commercial applications.

Alternative-fuel strategy

Within the United States, Navistar uniquely opted for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) approach rather than selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to meet diesel emission standards, emphasizing EGR’s benefits in overall fluid efficiency despite some evaluations favoring SCR technology. In 2015, IC Bus debuted its initial alternative-fuel offering: a propane-powered CE-Series equipped with a PSI 8.8L V8 engine. The following year, this powertrain was made available in a gasoline variant as well.

Electric bus

On November 7, 2017, IC Bus launched the chargE—an all-electric CE Series bus powered by an electric drivetrain developed through a partnership with Volkswagen Truck & Bus Group—delivering up to . This vehicle represented the second electric model resulting from the Navistar-Volkswagen collaboration, with production commencing in 2019.

2020s

At the close of 2021, IC Bus expanded its CE Series offerings by introducing a version with a body length of 35 feet 8 inches (excluding hood), increasing seating capacity to 83 passengers—the largest capacity available for a Type C school bus—while maintaining a wheelbase of 276 inches. That same year, IC announced plans to discontinue the RE Series after completing production in 2024 due to waning market demand and evolving emissions regulations. Since its launch in 1996, the RE Series had undergone only minor updates and was built on the aging International 3000 chassis—the final remaining variant of the International S-Series still in production.

In July 2023, IC revealed its third-generation CE model slated for 2025 production. Built upon an updated International MV chassis, this iteration features a taller and wider windshield along with integration of the MV dashboard design. Initial powertrain options include diesel and electric configurations; gasoline and LPG variants were discontinued.

The RE Series officially concluded production after 2024, reflecting decreased interest in rear-engine buses alongside stricter emissions requirements. This model utilized the International 3000 chassis platform, marking an end to a production legacy spanning 45 years of International S-Series vehicles.

School and Commercial Buses

Model Identifiers

Before 2010, IC Bus used specific model prefixes to indicate engine types for school buses; since that year, only the model prefix remains in use.

Diesel Engine Type	BE-Series	CE-Series	FE-Series	RE-Series
V8 (e.g., T444E, VT365, MaxxForce 7)	BE200	CE200		RE200 (excluding MaxxForce 7)
Inline-6 (e.g., DT466, MaxxForce DT)		CE300	FE300	RE300

IC Bus Product Range (School Buses)
Model Designation	Manufacturing Years	Assembly Plant	Chassis Type (Chassis Model)	Bus Category	Passenger Capacity	Additional Information
AE-Series AC-Series	2010–2015 (AE discontinued after 2015)	Tulsa, Oklahoma	Cutaway cab/chassis (International TerraStar)	Type A School Bus/MFSAB Shuttle Bus	36 (AE) 31 (AC)	Built on International TerraStar platform; AE marked IC Bus's first cutaway-chassis school bus, phased out after a single model year. Features a flat-floor interior layout. Production ceased by mid-2015.
BE-Series	2006–2015		Cowled chassis (International 3300LP)	Type B School Bus/MFSAB Commercial Bus	Up to 35 seats	Lower GVWR variant of the CE-Series aimed at special-needs transportation. Equipped with flat-floor interiors and smaller wheels than CE models. Discontinued by July 2015.
CE-Series	2001–present		Cowled chassis International 3800 (2001-2004) International 3300 (2005–2024) International MV (2025 onward)	Type C School Bus/MFSAB Commercial Bus	Seating ranges from 29 to 83 for school bus/MFSAB configurations. Commercial versions accommodate up to 52 passengers.	Launched in 2001; currently in its third generation based on the International MV chassis. Third-generation CE unveiled in July 2023 following announcement in June. Powertrain options include Cummins B-6.7 diesel and fully electric variants; earlier models offered propane and gasoline engines. Platform supports diesel-electric hybrid configurations.
FE-Series FC-Series	1998–2010	Conway, Arkansas	Front-engine stripped chassis (International 3900FC)	Type D School Bus, Commercial Bus	54 to 90 seats	Initially introduced as Ward Senator, later updated as AmTran Genesis through 2008. Discontinued after the 2010 model year; commercial FC-Series also phased out. Only powered by inline-six engines due to chassis constraints.
RE-Series RC-Series	1996–2024	Conway, Arkansas / Tulsa, Oklahoma	Rear-engine stripped chassis (International 3000)	Type D School Bus/MFSAB Commercial Bus Transit Bus	style="text-align:center"\| Seating from 66 to 90 for school bus/MFSAB models. Commercial buses seat up to 56 passengers.	Debuted as AmTran RE in 1996 with updates in 1998 and again in 2005. Commercial models initially branded RC-Series, rebranded RE-Series circa 2009. Production ended after the 2024 model year.

! style="background:#63A4C7" colspan="7" |IC Bus Product Range (Commercial Buses) |- !Model Designation !Manufacturing Years !Assembly Plant !Chassis Type (Chassis Model) !Bus Category !Passenger Capacity !Additional Information |- !style="background:#63A4C7"|LC-Series |style="text-align:center"|2006–2014 | rowspan="3" |Tulsa, Oklahoma |Cutaway cab/chassis (International 3200) |Low-floor shuttle bus ||

ADA-compliant low-floor shuttle bus based on International DuraStar cutaway cab platform.
Production status uncertain following removal from official listings in early 2014.

|- ! style="background:#63A4C7" |HC-Series

|style="text-align:center"|2006–2017 | style="text-align:center" |Cutaway cab/chassis (International 3200) ||Commercial, limousine, and tour bus applications ||45 seats (HC Commercial, Gold, Platinum trims), 25 seats (HC Bronze trim) |

High-floor shuttle bus available in multiple trim levels: Commercial (standard), Bronze (shorter wheelbase), Gold (luxury), Platinum (touring with co-pilot seat).
Included a parallel-drive hybrid variant powered by MaxxForce DT diesel engine.

|- ! style="background:#63A4C7" |TC-Series |2019–present |Cutaway cab/chassis (International MV) ||Replaced the HC-Series; bodywork performed by third-party manufacturers based on International MV chassis. |}

Forward Advantage Prototype

The IC FE Forward Advantage, a prototype school bus from 2008, showcased a "flat-floor" layout made possible by the compact Caterpillar C7 engine. Its front-end design drew inspiration from International’s severe-service truck lineup. Nevertheless, since Caterpillar withdrew from supplying diesel engines for school buses, this model did not proceed to mass production.

Hybrid diesel-electric buses

IC Bus provided an optional hybrid diesel-electric powertrain for the CE conventional school bus, promoting fuel savings between 40% and 65%. These hybrid models nearly doubled fuel efficiency to approximately 13 miles per gallon but came with a price tag near $210,000—more than two and a half times the cost of a conventional diesel bus.

Enova Systems entered into a long-term supply contract with IC Bus to deliver its proprietary Post Transmission Parallel Hybrid Electric drive system for these hybrid vehicles. This drivetrain incorporated Valence Technology lithium-ion phosphate batteries along with regenerative braking technology to boost efficiency and reduce brake wear. After Enova filed for bankruptcy in 2014, IC Bus discontinued the hybrid option, reverting the CE model exclusively to diesel engines.

Motorcoach prototypes

During the 2008 American Public Transportation Association Expo, Navistar revealed intentions to break into the intercity motorcoach market by 2010, presenting two prototypes developed by IC Bus. Equipped with MaxxForce 13 engines, these prototypes measured 40 and 45 feet in length and featured aerodynamic styling refined in wind-tunnel testing to rival the fuel economy of the International ProStar semitractor. Ultimately, IC Bus exited the motorcoach market to concentrate on school bus derivatives and the HC-Series cutaway variant based on the International DuraStar chassis.

Assembly

All vehicles produced under IC Corporation and IC Bus are assembled at the Tulsa, Oklahoma plant originally opened by AmTran in 1999. Prior to 2008, Type D buses were manufactured at the Ward/AmTran facility located in Conway, Arkansas.

In June 2007, IC Corporation announced potential workforce reductions of up to 500 employees at the Conway plant due to declining demand following a price increase related to stricter emissions standards. Although initially denying layoffs for that year, approximately 300 workers were let go in January 2008 after bus production dropped by half amid insufficient new orders. While production volume rose at Tulsa, concerns grew about the future viability of the Conway facility.

Further workforce cuts occurred in March 2009 when an additional 170 employees were laid off as production decreased further following cancellation of a significant order. On November 5, 2009, IC Bus declared it would halt bus assembly operations at Conway by January 2010, resulting in 477 job losses. The plant shifted focus to parts manufacturing due to weak demand during the U.S. economic downturn. Navistar explained this move as part of consolidating operations into its newer Tulsa location. The Conway site was sold in 2014.

The Tulsa facility celebrated production of its 100,000th vehicle on June 5, 2012. In 2013, employees there organized under the United Auto Workers union. In 2017, DBG Canada Ltd., a manufacturer specializing in heavy truck components, acquired the former Conway plant and established it as their U.S. headquarters.

External links

Official website of IC Bus