Thomas Built Buses, Inc., commonly designated Thomas, is an American bus manufacturer headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, USA and a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America, the parent company of Freightliner. Thomas produces school buses, activity buses/MFSAB (Multi-Function School Activity Buses), and commercial buses; both small and full-size buses are produced.Thomas traces its roots to 1916, when it was incorporated as the Perley A.