2001–2004
In 1999, Navistar announced the International IC, a fully integrated school bus with a modified 3800 chassis and a integrated AmTran school bus body. The bus would be produced at AmTran's Conway, Arkansas facility and the newer Tulsa, Oklahoma facility.[8] While still based on the International 3800 and sharing much of the body with its Ward/AmTran Volunteer/CS predecessor, the new bus introduced a redesigned drivers compartment and enlarged windshield. To distinguish the model from other buses sharing the 3800 chassis, the hood of the IC was given its own grille and badging (marking the first visual update to International medium-duty trucks since 1989).[3] Production began by American Transportation Corporation in April 2000 for the 2001 model year.[2]
In January 2001, the IC began production at International's newest 1 million square-foot school bus manufacturing facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with only one vehicle produced per day. It employed approximately 400 people after the plant was opened on June 5, 2001. At the time, International representatives expected this rate to increase to 15 vehicles produced per day by July 2001, due to high customer demand for the product.[9]
The Conway plant was becoming a dedicated Type D bus plant when the AmTran FE and RE were given the "International" badge, but some new school buses still used the "AmTran" badging.[6] In 2002, for the 2003 model year, Navistar (at the time, International Truck and Engine Corporation) renamed its bus subsidiary from American Transportation Corporation to IC Corporation. After a minor revision, the IC adopted the CE-Series name (to match the FE/RE-Series transit-style buses).[10]
2005–2024
In November 2003, IC Corporation unveiled the new CE, featuring an all-new International 3300 chassis and body.[11] The all-new CE series introduced a one-piece, flat-glass windshield. Production began in 2004 for the 2005 model year.[12] Also, IC entered the Canadian school bus market after selecting Leeds Transit for the Ontario market.[13] Before that, AmTran/IC Corporation products including the International IC, were sold in the United States only. In 2006, IC Corporation worked with Enova Systems to create a hybrid diesel-electric bus.[14] This school bus prototype includes an International VT365 engine with an 80 kW Enova hybrid-electric powertrain, incorporating a transmission, batteries, and permanent magnet motor. The IC "wing" logo was revised slightly in 2012 for 2014 production (with Navistar script added to the emblem and to the rear bumper).
In response to the failure of its EGR emissions strategy to meet emissions standards,
2025–present
On July 14, 2023, IC unveiled a third generation of the CE series for 2025 production. Using the updated International MV as a base chassis, the new CE added a taller, wider windshield with asymmetrical car-style windshield wipers (much like the Thomas C2) to the body structure (rearward of the driver seat, much of the bodywork was carried over); the dashboard of the MV was integrated in its entirety. As of initial production, the only engine options for the new CE are the Cummins B6.7 diesel and the electric motor.[19] Production began in late 2023 for the 2025 model year.[1]
On October 21, 2025, the IC school bus manufacturing plant in Tulsa reached 250,000 units.[7]
