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Spartan Motors Expects a Charge to Earnings In Fourth Quarter

29 November 1999

Spartan Motors Expects a Charge to Earnings In Fourth Quarter Due to Customer Metrotrans

    CHARLOTTE, Mich., Nov. 29 -- Spartan Motors, Inc.
today announced it anticipates taking a charge to earnings of
up to $6 million, or $0.30 per share, in the fourth quarter ending December
31, 1999, due to the publicly reported declining performance of one of its
customers, Griffin, Ga.-based Metrotrans Corporation.
    "Based on Metrotrans' SEC Form 8-K filed October 22, 1999 detailing a bank
forbearance agreement and the subsequent financial results reported in
Metrotrans' Form 10-Q filed November 22, 1999, Spartan Motors' accounts
receivable and inventory related to Metrotrans are now at substantial risk,"
said Spartan Motors Chief Financial Officer Richard Schalter.  "We are
aggressively pursuing the recovery of these investments, but recognize the
severity of the problem and believe that a significant writedown is likely."
    Spartan Motors has supplied transit bus chassiMetrotrans, which makes
transit buses, for the past 10 years.
    Spartan Motors, Inc. (http://www.spartanmotors.com ) is a leading manufacturer of
custom-built chassis for RVs, fire trucks, transit buses, school buses and
other specialty vehicles.  Spartan owns three companies that manufacture
emergency vehicles -- Luverne Fire Apparatus, Quality Manufacturing and Road
Rescue -- and a majority stake in school bus manufacturer Carpenter
Industries, Inc.
    The statements contained in this news release include certain predictions
and projections that may be considered forward-looking statements by the
securities laws.  These statements involve a number of risks and
uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive,
governmental and technological factors affecting the Company's operations,
markets, products, services and prices, and actual results may differ
materially.