Recall 24V555 covers 27,494 2019-2022 Thomas Built Buses school buses for hard-to-read emergency exit labels. Repair is free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.
Thomas Built Buses is recalling 27,494 2019-2022 school buses, including Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner Efx, and Minotour Drw models, because emergency exit label lettering is too small to read quickly. Hard-to-read exit labels can delay use of an emergency exit and increase injury risk, and Thomas Built Buses dealers will replace the labels free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The Emergency Door/Exit Label on affected 2019-2022 Thomas Built Buses school buses identifies the emergency exits and gives basic exit information. On Saf-T-Liner Efx, Minotour Drw, Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley, Minotour Srw, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, and Saf-T-Liner C2 buses, that label is part of the safety equipment passengers and responders rely on when a normal door route is not enough.
The defect is in the label lettering, not the door or window hardware. The lettering is too small and is difficult to read, so the buses do not meet the emergency-exit labeling requirement in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 217. In a stressful evacuation, unclear exit labeling removes information people need quickly.
There is no warning sign before failure. This is a label-size problem, so the condition is present on the bus until the corrected label is installed.
Who's affected?
Covers Saf-T-Liner and Minotour bus lines with the same emergency door/exit label part.
| 2022 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
|---|---|
| 2019 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2021 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2022 Thomas Built Buses Minotour Drw | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2022 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2021 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour Srw | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2021 Thomas Built Buses Minotour Srw | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2021 Thomas Built Buses Minotour Drw | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2019 Thomas Built Buses Minotour Drw | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2022 Thomas Built Buses Minotour Srw | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2021 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2022 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2019 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2022 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2019 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2021 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour Drw | vehicle label (placard or certification) |
| Units affected | 27,494 |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
Hard-to-read emergency exit labels can delay someone trying to find or use the emergency exit, increasing the risk of injury in an evacuation. Keep emergency exits clear, report unreadable labels to the operator, and schedule the label correction soon. Repair is free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2019-2022 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx, Minotour Drw, Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley, Minotour Srw, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, or Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer to schedule the free emergency-exit-label lettering correction, which makes the exit instructions readable.
- Reference recall number 24V555 and Thomas Built Buses recall FL918 when you call.
- Bring the recall notice if Thomas Built Buses mailed one to you.
- Warn drivers that the emergency exit labels are hard to read until the dealer corrects the lettering.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Thomas Built Buses technician corrects the Emergency Exit Label lettering so the emergency exit instructions meet the recall repair requirement. The recall repair is free, and parts and labor are covered. If you already paid for lettering correction tied to this recall before the owner letter, the reimbursement plan routes claims through authorized dealers. Bring the owner notification letter and any repair paperwork to the dealer service desk so they can review the claim.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| July 24, 2024 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| August 13, 2024 | Dealer notification began |
| August 13, 2024 | Dealer notification ended |
| September 5, 2024 | Owner notification mailed |
| September 22, 2024 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| September 22, 2024 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 24V555?
Recall 24V555 covers 27,494 2019-2022 Thomas Built Buses school buses with emergency exit label lettering that is too small and difficult to read. That label defect can delay use of an emergency exit, increasing injury risk. Dealers will correct the lettering for free.
What should I do if my 2019-2022 Thomas Built Buses school bus is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included in recall 24V555. If it is, contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer to schedule the emergency-exit-label correction. Reference recall FL918 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to correct this safety defect at no cost, and the remedy says dealers will correct the emergency exit label lettering free of charge. Thomas Built Buses owner letters were mailed September 5, 2024.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is delayed emergency exit use. If the exit labels are difficult to read, passengers or drivers can lose time finding or operating the correct exit during an emergency, increasing the risk of injury. The dealer repair corrects the label lettering for free.
Who can I call about Thomas Built Buses recall 24V555?
Call DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 and reference recall FL918. You can also give the dealer recall number 24V555 when scheduling service. Have the VIN ready so the service desk can confirm whether that exact bus is included.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/24V555000 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built Buses customer service | 1-800-547-0712 |
| NHTSA recall # | 24V555 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 24V555000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF) - Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Misc. Document (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 20, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →