Washington Court House (Ohio) City Schools bus driver Jason Leeth has worked for the district for 12 years. He has been collecting school bus memorabilia for nearly twice that many years.
His collection and love of anything school bus-related began over 20 years ago when his grandmother gave him a toy bus for Christmas when he was 7 years old. Since then, Leeth estimates that his collection has grown to comprise over 1,000 items, most of which are stored in an upstairs bedroom in his house (a section of which is pictured above).
“My grandmother drove a school bus for 28 years and my parents and a few family members drove school buses for a time when I was a kid, so my interest started when I was very young,” Leeth reveals.
Leeth’s collection includes everything from toy school bus models, posters, keychains, magnets and baseball caps to past issues of SCHOOL BUS FLEET magazine, books on school buses and brochures on bus models that date back to the 1930s.
He says that about half of the memorabilia are gifts he has received over the years and the other half he has acquired on his own. When he was around 11 years old, he began writing letters to officials at the various school bus manufacturers explaining his interest in the industry and they sent him items to add to his collection. He says he obtained most of his brochures this way.
Leeth currently finds and/or purchases items for his collection on eBay, at Kmart and Wal-Mart, at flea markets and antique stores, and at industry events such as the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) trade show.
His most treasured item is a gift he received from a friend three years ago. “I have a friend in Georgia who makes school buses out of cardboard,” Leeth explains. “He designed a school bus that is a replica of the Blue Bird bus that I drive — it has all of the stickers that are on my bus, the name of the district — I really cherish it.”
Leeth’s enthusiasm for the industry (and for Blue Bird Corp. in particular) has not only enabled him to add some unique pieces to his collection, it has made for some exciting adventures.
In the late ’80s/early ’90s, he and his family went to Georgia for a vacation and George Luce of Blue Bird took them on a tour of the company’s factory in Fort Valley. (Luce’s father, Albert L. Luce Sr., founded the company.)
Leeth has since met other members of the Luce family, including George’s brother, Albert “Buddy” Luce Jr., who in 2005 took Leeth and his friends to the Luce family farm in Fort Valley to see Blue Bird No. 1. (Blue Bird No. 1 was built by Albert Luce Sr. in 1927. It was the company’s first steel-bodied school bus.)
“That was a wonderful trip!” Leeth says.
In addition to growing and maintaining his collection, Leeth actively participates in industry events. He has competed regularly in school bus roadeos since 1998 and is an NAPT member, as well as a member of the Ohio Association for Pupil Transportation.
His ultimate goal is to become a transportation supervisor or director. “I love driving the bus and working with the kids, but you always want to strive for something more. It’s something I would really enjoy,” Leeth says.
Do you have an interesting piece or collection of school bus memorabilia? We’d like to hear about it. Please send an e-mail with a photo to info@schoolbusfleet.com.
Until next time,
Kelly Roher
Associate Editor
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