ARBOC Builds on a Legacy
of Equal Access for Everyone
Building on a legacy of accessibility and exceptional
service, ARBOC Specialty Vehicles ® is poised in 2020
to refi ne its vehicle offerings and further improve its
organizational effi ciency.
ARBOC restarted full production in May at its Middlebury, Indiana facility.
Doug Minix, general manager, joined ARBOC
in December and plunged headfi rst into the bus
industry, overseeing the company’s direction
during the COVID-19 pandemic. The next year,
he said, will be focused on quickly ramping up
operations and meeting the steady demand for
cutaway vehicles. The company restarted full
production in May at its Middlebury, Indiana
facility.
“As we get through this restart phase, moving
Doug Minix, general
out from the pandemic’s restrictions, ARBOC
manager of ARBOC
has been very fortunate,” Minix said. “Our
Specialty Vehicles
cutaway business is strong and continues
to grow. That means new customers, and we are obviously
excited about that. We are working to improve our operational
efficiencies, streamline business processes, and increase our
throughput of vehicles.”
Founded in 2008, ARBOC is a North American leader in producing
low-fl oor cutaway buses, and recently began serving medium-duty
2008 – Spirit of Mobility opens doors
ARBOC Mobility and Coachmen team
up to produce buses better access.
2008
transit and shuttle bus markets. ARBOC’s motto is “Equal Access for
Everyone ® ,” and its vehicles are purpose-built with accessibility in
mind. The past few years have been transitional for the company. The
company joined the NFI Group in 2017, alongside New Flyer, Motor
Coach Industries, Alexander Carfair, Plaxton and NFI Parts.
December 2019 saw Minix joining the company as its new general
manager, but also saw the retirement of Don Roberts. Roberts served
as president of ARBOC for 11 years and was one of only two remaining
co-founders working at the company.
“Assuming Don’s role in the company is obviously a big task,”
Minix said. “But I was fortunate in that my arrival and his fi nal weeks
at ARBOC overlapped. I was able to spend some time with him and
learned a great deal about the business, his philosophies, how he built
ARBOC, his time in the industry and other insights which I think
will help me as I go forward in my career with ARBOC and the bus
industry.”
Minix has three decades of operational and general management
experience. He served at Tenneco, a leading Tier 1 automotive
supplier, for over 16 years and held the position of executive director
2009 – 100
ARBOC sells 100th bus to Citibus in
Lubbock, Texas.
2009
2009
2009 – Sold!
ARBOC Mobility sells fi rst bus, the Spirit of Mobility.
14 | BUSRIDE.COM | MAY / JUNE 2020
2012 – 1,000
ARBOC Specialty Vehicles sells 1,000th
bus – the fi rst Spirit of Freedom, a
light-duty low-fl oor non-kneeling
cutaway bus.
2011
2012
2011 – ARBOC Specialty Vehicles is formed
All American Specialty Vehicles, ARBOC Mobility, and ARBOC
Technologies combined to form ARBOC Specialty Vehicles.