Forest River Talks the Cutaway Market

About this episode

Jared Schnader interviews Doug Wright about the cutaway bus market and the future of electric vehicles in transit.

Title: Transition to Zero: Exploring the Future of Transit with Forest River Episode Description: Join host Jared Schnader as he delves into the world of advanced transit technologies with Doug Wright, President of Forest River's Bus and Marine Division. Discover insights into the evolving market of cutaway buses, the impact of COVID-19 on the industry, and the future of electric vehicles in transit. Key Topics: Introduction to Forest River: Doug Wright provides a comprehensive overview of Forest River's diverse divisions, from RVs to marine and bus manufacturing. Market Dynamics: Explore the shifts in the cutaway bus market pre- and post-COVID, including the rise of vans and the challenges of maintaining market share. Innovation and Responsibility: Learn about Forest River's commitment to building reliable buses for operators and mechanics, emphasizing the importance of stability, support, simplicity, and value. Electric Vehicle Transition: Doug discusses the gradual shift towards electric vehicles, the role of hybrids, and the importance of infrastructure and total cost of ownership. Customization Challenges: The episode addresses the complexities of over-customization in bus…

People in this episode

Host: Jared Schnader

Guest: Doug Wright

Topics covered

• cutaway buses
• electric vehicles
• COVID-19 impact
• market dynamics
• innovation in transit
• customization challenges

Keywords

• cutaway market
• electric vehicles
• Forest River
• transit technology
• COVID-19 impact
• bus manufacturing
• innovation
• customization

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Forest River, Forest River's Bus and Marine Division

More episodes of Transition to Zero

• Zeroing in on ZEBs Report: 2026 · April 28, 2026 · 29 min
• Workforce Development in Transit: Clean Technology Training Trust · April 14, 2026 · 35 min
• Electreon: Perpetual Motion through Dynamic Charging · December 18, 2025 · 34 min
• A-Z of Buses with John Landherr · December 2, 2025 · 33 min
• Funding Infrastructure · November 11, 2025 · 22 min
• Model1 on the Evolving Cutaway Market · October 14, 2025 · 33 min