Mr. Swanger obtained his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina.
Mr. Swanger has more than thirty-five years of experience in mechanical engineering and has been awarded four U.S. patents for his work in the school bus industry. He has developed specialized military equipment as well as designed and developed high performance parts for the motorsports industry. He has engaged in vehicle design, testing, and development. He also has experience with the design, production and installation of commercial compactors, transfer stations and Class 8 trailers for the waste industry, verifying that those products are ANSI and DOT compliant. He has worked closely with companies to develop alternative fuel systems for the automotive and heavy truck industry, primarily using propane and CNG as alternate/substitute fuels. His primary disciplines include structural steel and sheet metal fabrication, welding, coating, automotive electronics and hydraulics. Mr. Swanger is an avid auto enthusiast and restorer, successfully competing in SCCA club road racing.
Mr. Swanger developed and managed an engineering and fabrication shop that designed and manufactured antenna brackets for the communications industry, copper bus bars for power transmission industry, sheet metal design and fbrication. He developed and sold specialized equipment such as gas meter leak/flowtesters for the power industry, engine and instrumentation control panels for the truck and heavy equipment industry, and performed contract manufacturing and engineering services. He has also worked closely with special US Army detachment to develop IED counter measures used on HUMVEE’s in Iraq.
Mr. Swanger has vast experience with commercial vehicles including school buses and transit buses. He worked closely with NHTSA and the NTSB to develop FMVSS standards to regulate school buses at the federal and state level. He developed the first fully integrated crossing arm which is now standard equipment on all International school buses; a front and rear ventilation escape roof hatches which became the first standard roof hatch at Thomas Bus, Bluebird Body Co. and International Bus. He also worked with McDonald’s and Taco Bell to develop energy efficient cooking equipment for the fast-food industry.
FORENSIC SERVICES: Automotive Evaluations, Heavy Equipment Failures
