[1] In early 1939, Ford redesigned the Transit Bus as a rear-engine model, to improve performance through better weight distribution.

A prototype bus was built in February 1939, and series production began in October 1939 (in the 1940 model year).

Other manufacturers were no longer building bodies for Ford Transit Buses by this time, only Union City.

[1] Approximately 12,500 rear-engine Ford Transits were built during their eight-year production run, from 1939 to 1947.

The Public Service Interstate Transportation Company of New Jersey had the largest fleet, with a total of 586 new and seven secondhand units.