Freightliner receives order for 100 school buses from Bruce Transportation Group Inc.

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 1997--Freightliner announced that it has received an order for 100 school bus chassis from Bruce Transportation Group Inc., the largest private school bus carrier in New England.

The school buses will be used for pupil transportation in school districts throughout Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

"We chose the new Freightliner chassis because of the company's excellent reputation in the truck business," said E. Bruce Lyskawa Sr., president and founder, Bruce Transportation Group Inc. "When Freightliner is behind a project 100 percent, they produce a fabulous product. We're confident that their good name will carry over into the school bus industry."

Lyskawa also commented on the safety advantages of the Freightliner chassis. "The visibility in the Freightliner chassis enhances the safety of the vehicle," he explained. "The raised driver platform and sloping cut of the hood greatly improve visibility."

In addition to visibility improvements, the school bus chassis includes other safety and technical advances, such as:

-- hydraulic anti-lock brakes that are standard equipment, making Freightliner the first manufacturer in the industry to offer them before federal regulations require them;

-- easy-to-see and reach controls and gauges for the driver's productivity and comfort;

-- superior maneuverability with an extremely tight turning radius.

Prior to the Freightliner order, Bruce Transportation ordered only Ford school bus chassis. "This is a switch for us," Lyskawa explained. "There are many reasons why we chose the Freightliner chassis. One area where we saw vast improvements was the hydraulic anti-lock brake system."

The 100 Freightliner FS-65 school bus chassis will be delivered to Bruce Transportation in 1997. Blue Bird Corp. will build the bodies for these buses. Bruce Transportation also has the option to purchase an additional 100 chassis in 1997 and another 100 in 1998.

Bruce Transportation operates a fleet of 790 buses and is one of the top 20 largest private school bus transportation providers in the United States.

Freightliner announced its entry into the North American school bus market this summer and began production of the new bus model in late October 1996. The move into the school bus market is part of Freightliner's strategy to grow in part through diversification into new markets where its manufacturing and engineering expertise can be leveraged to achieve a dominant position and competitive advantage.

Freightliner Corp., headquartered in Portland, is the leading heavy truck manufacturer in North America. Freightliner produces and markets Class 4-8 trucks and is a member of the Mercedes-Benz AG group, the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer.

Freightliner entered in 1995 the Class 3-7 bus and chassis market serving the delivery walk-in van, school bus, shuttle bus, motor home and commercial air freight segments.

CONTACT: Freightliner Corp., Portland

Debi Nicholson, 503/735-8535

Fax: [phone]