Spartan Chassis Reports Record First Quarter Fire Truck Orders at FDIC

CHARLOTTE, Mich., April 14 -- Spartan Chassis, a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc. , today announced it secured 217 orders for its custom fire truck chassis in the first quarter of 2005. The order intake was the most ever for Spartan in a single quarter and spanned more than a dozen OEMs.

Spartan Chassis said its record orders over the first quarter reflect the Company's continued ability to significantly grow market share during the last two years, thanks in large part to solid dealer and OEM support. The chassis orders included a broad range of Spartan products, but were driven in large part by increased orders of its Gladiator and new Gladiator Evolution trucks.

"We continue to see momentum in orders and bid activity this quarter and expect that momentum to continue following the FDIC show, where we are showcasing additional product features and technology," said Rich Schalter, president of Spartan Chassis. "Our chassis will be on display on 25 different fire trucks at the FDIC show floor, a clear indication of the momentum of Spartan Chassis in the market and our continued product and service excellence."

About Spartan Chassis

Spartan Chassis, Inc. (http://www.spartanchassis.com/ ) operates under Spartan Motors, Inc. and is a leading developer and manufacturer of custom chassis for recreational vehicles and fire trucks. The company has a reputation for high quality, value, service and being the first to market with innovative products. Spartan Motors is publicly traded in the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol SPAR.

About Spartan Motors

Spartan Motors, Inc. (http://www.spartanmotors.com/ ) designs, engineers and manufactures custom chassis and vehicles for the recreational vehicle, fire truck, ambulance and emergency-rescue markets. The Company's brand names -- Spartan(TM), Crimson Fire(TM), Crimson Fire Aerials(TM), and Road Rescue(TM) -- are known in their market niches for quality, value, service and being the first to market with innovative products. The Company employs approximately 900 at facilities in Michigan, Alabama, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and South Dakota. Spartan Motors is publicly traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol SPAR.