Bendix named Blue Bird Supplier of the Year

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, the North American leader in the development and manufacture of leading-edge active safety and braking system technologies, is the Blue Bird Corporation 2014 Supplier of the Year.
Blue Bird, widely recognized for its manufacture of school buses engineered for safety, recently presented the 2014 Supplier Awards during its annual Supplier Conference held in Macon, GA. With more than 390 production suppliers, the company recognized 10 distinguished suppliers for their commitment to quality, innovation, service, and timely delivery.
Blue Bird chose Bendix for the highest award. A supplier for several Blue Bird wheel-end offerings, Bendix strategically partnered with Blue Bird to launch the Bendix ADB22X air disc brake in 2014. Blue Bird credits Bendix’s outstanding dedication to innovation and technology for the tremendous success of the product launch.
The patented Bendix ADB22X technology is a lightweight air disc brake design that significantly reduces stopping distance and offers straight, stable stops with a car-like feel and virtually no brake fade or degradation of stopping power. In addition, the Bendix ADB22X offers twice the lining life, four times the rotor life, and half the service time of comparable drum brakes.
“Bendix is truly honored to receive this prestigious award from Blue Bird Corporation,” says Scott Burkhart, Bendix Vice President – Sales, Marketing, and Business Development. “We value our collaboration with Blue Bird and look forward to continuing to work together to provide innovative, reliable, and high-quality solutions for Blue Bird buses. We are proud to partner with Blue Bird to help ensure a safe school bus ride for students each day.”
In 2014, Blue Bird also became the first North American school bus manufacturer to offer stability technology. The company now offers the Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program full-stability system as a factory-installed option on conventional Blue Bird buses. Bendix ESP is a proven commercial vehicle technology that helps mitigate loss-of-control and rollover conditions.
Blue Bird, based in Fort Valley, GA, is the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses, with more than 550,000 buses sold since its formation in 1927 and nearly 200,000 buses in operation today.
Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC (BSFB), a joint venture between Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC and Dana Commercial Vehicle Products, LLC, manufactures the Bendix ADB22X at its wheel-end production facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Bendix emphasizes that no technology can replace the most important safety components of all: skilled, alert professional drivers exercising safe driving habits, as well as continuous, comprehensive driver training.