From carriage shop to transit giant: the 134-year evolution of the Gillig bus company

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1890 as a San Francisco carriage shop, Gillig has survived earthquakes, depressions, and shifting automotive trends to become North America's second-largest transit bus manufacturer. Today, this California-based institution is pivoting toward hydrogen-electric technology, continuing a legacy of adaptation that began with patenting an add-on car roof in 1919.

The history of Gillig is a study in industrial resilience. Established by Jacob Gillig in 1890, the business initially focused on carriage building and upholstery. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake destroyed the original shop, the family rebuilt and eventually pivoted toward custom vehicle bodies. By 1914, the company was reorganized as Gillig Brothers, and in 1919, they patented the "Gillig Top," an add-on hardtop that provided weather protection for open touring cars. When closed-body sedans became standard in the 1920s, the company narrowly avoided obsolescence by shifting its focus toward bus manufacturing, a sector that would define its future.

Throughout the 20th century, Gillig demonstrated a remarkable ability to capture market share through strategic diversification. In 1932, they began producing school buses, a staple of their business for six decades. By 1957, they had secured a dominant 70% market share in Northern California, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada. Their engineering prowess was evidenced by the 1967 introduction of the DT16, the largest school bus ever produced in the United States, capable of seating 97 passengers. Following a 1978 acquisition by Herrick-Pacific Steel, the company rebranded as Gillig Corporation and successfully entered the transit bus market with the long-running Phantom model.

In the modern era, Gillig has transitioned from high-floor buses to low-floor designs and alternative propulsion systems. After moving its primary manufacturing operations from Hayward to a 600,000-square-foot facility in Livermore in 2017, the company has continued to innovate. Recent developments include partnerships with BAE Systems and Ballard Power Systems to produce hydrogen-electric buses, as well as the 2024 acquisition of assets from Lightning eMotors to bolster their powertrain engineering capabilities. Now a Henry Crown company, Gillig remains the oldest surviving bus manufacturer in North America, maintaining its position as a major player in the transit industry by consistently evolving its product line to meet changing environmental and urban transit demands.

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