The company was founded in 1916 to manufacture motor trucks, farm tractors and automobiles in Oakland, California. In 1921, it became the first company to build a bus from the ground up. This new bus was called the "Safety Bus". The goal was to build a bus that was not prone to overturning when cornering. It had a wide track, and was lower to the ground to ensure the passengers' safety and ease of entry and exit. Following shortly after the success of the Safety Bus was the larger 22-seat "Safety Coach". The factory was located in Oakland, California, but did not survive the Great Depression of the early 1930s. It went into receivership, and the bank assumed control and re-organized under the name Fageol Truck and Coach. In 1938, Mr. Peterman bought the factory and its contents ending the