tar Internationals focused manufacturing approach that will provide the customer a way to custom design their product. Navistar International uses extensive supplier partnerships to produce a strong competitive advantage by delivering a product to the customers more efficiently and effectively. This group of suppliers includes Goodyear, Akzo Corp., Eaton Corp., and Modline Corp. Economic TrendsBuying school buses is much like buying cars. They range from bare essentials, as required by law, to having all the bells and whistles offered by bus manufacturers. Certain aspects of bus features have come up in recent years as to whether the extra cost was worthwhile. One of these costs is LEDs, or light-emitting diodes used on stoplights, taillights and turn signals. Some believe that they are safer than the incandescent bulbs most buses currently use. LEDs take less time to attain full brightness compared to the 0.2 seconds it takes an incandescent bulb. The 0.2 seconds can make a large difference when vehicles are traveling at 60 mph. LEDs also last longer. The Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada has 118 buses equipped with LED lights, received in 1997, which have not needed to be replaced. However, these longer lasting bulbs come at a greater expense, about $150 more per unit when installed at the factory. Outside of bus options, fuel prices have had a substantial effect on state school bus programs. With the increased price of fuel, bus operators fuel allowances are not covering fuel expenses. Therefore, cuts must be made in other areas in order to keep buses running. Nationwide, there are more than 435,000 school buses carrying approximately 22,500,000 children every day. Quite often, the programs that absorb the cuts are the safety programs for bus operators. Typically, bus operators are paid to attend certain safety classes. After cuts, these classes are offered on a volunteer basis meaning those who n...
