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School Bus 7
Senior Member
USA
123 Posts |
 Posted - 05/21/2006 : 1:58:20 PM
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| About 2 weeks ago I Was in Wise County, VA and Lee County, VA there on the Western Tip of the State there real Rural Countys. I saw in Wise County 3 Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2,s 65 Passenger Buses. And in Lee County All the Buses I saw was Mostly Thomas Freightliner FS-65 they Looked Shorter then 65 Passenger and a AmTran RE Looked like a 78 Passenger Bus and a Bluebird International 3800 65 Passenger Bus. I didnt see any New IC,s or New Bluebirds. I wasnt Use to Seeing anything Shorter then 65 Passenger most of the Type C Buses around here in WV are 71,77 and our Type D Buses are 78, 84 and are Handys are 65 and a Few 30. But I just thought I,d Share some Info with Yall about those 2 Countys. |
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The Thomas Vista
Senior Member
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 2:17:23 PM
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"I sent an e-mail to my Loudoun buddy asking about that. I've never seen a rear stop arm on a bus like that here in Virginia.
Does anyone else in VA have that feature?"
Henrico County has that on a few C2's. I did a double-take when I saw that at first. Looks wierd with the VA spec buses!
On another note, does every bus have to get retrofitted with the signs now?
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The Thomas Vista
Senior Member
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 2:22:46 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC
Nahhh man.....the HOTTEST babes drive for Fairfax!
Then you haven't been looking at the right places my friend! 
On a side note, Chesterfield got some new Saf-T-Liner EF's. Wonder what powers them, because they seem more powerful than they once were... |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 2:28:42 PM
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| All of the buses in Virginia had to get retro fitted with stop signes years ago |
 bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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The Thomas Vista
Senior Member
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 2:30:43 PM
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I meant with teh rears.
Anyway...a few weeks ago, on the border between NC and VA (near the coast) I noticed a VA and NC bus parked next to each other. Kinda cool, IMO. |
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ThomasER0005
Top Member
USA
576 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 2:45:29 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by School Bus 7
About 2 weeks ago I Was in Wise County, VA and Lee County, VA there on the Western Tip of the State there real Rural Countys. I saw in Wise County 3 Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2,s 65 Passenger Buses. And in Lee County All the Buses I saw was Mostly Thomas Freightliner FS-65 they Looked Shorter then 65 Passenger and a AmTran RE Looked like a 78 Passenger Bus and a Bluebird International 3800 65 Passenger Bus. I didnt see any New IC,s or New Bluebirds. I wasnt Use to Seeing anything Shorter then 65 Passenger most of the Type C Buses around here in WV are 71,77 and our Type D Buses are 78, 84 and are Handys are 65 and a Few 30. But I just thought I,d Share some Info with Yall about those 2 Countys.
Not too long ago I was in Pigeon Forge, Tn and I saw a Wise County C2 roaming through there. Nice looking bus. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 3:14:09 PM
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| I wish I get down to the Southern part of Virginia to see some of those buses for myself. Whenever I get my license, I'll head down that way. |
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The Thomas Vista
Senior Member
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 3:31:36 PM
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Not much. Gates County (NC) has Vistas and Minotours while Isle of Wight (VA) uses Bluebird.
Do the mountain counties (IE Highland County or Wise County) have to have special gear ratios to climb the hills? Goodness how much torque they would need. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 3:58:46 PM
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| I wonder if they use transmission retarders? |
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The Thomas Vista
Senior Member
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2006 : 4:49:45 PM
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Explane what a transmission retarder is. Sorry, I am not that smart when it comes to the buses' internals .
Hmm...better ask a bus driver or truck driver than me!
Dan |
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The Thomas Vista
Senior Member
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2006 : 1:44:39 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by The Thomas Vista
quote:
Originally posted by IC
Nahhh man.....the HOTTEST babes drive for Fairfax!
Then you haven't been looking at the right places my friend!
On a side note, Chesterfield got some new Saf-T-Liner EF's. Wonder what powers them, because they seem more powerful than they once were...
Sorry for the double post, but Poor Driver, if the driver you saw was in Bus 513 (1996 Thomas Vista, one of the few that look barely driven), that driver does runs to my high school. w00t.
Dan |
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poor_driver
Senior Member
162 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2006 : 7:39:34 PM
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Mannn i can't remember..so many of them... I will say this..Fairfax has sosme nice ones too.but that's on rare occasion that i see one of them on the interstate. There are beautiful All over Virginia, some counties just have more than the other but that's all right,,if you are in one that dosen't...enjoy what you have and take as many trips that you can:).
IC Re 1629
What you want to know about us southern Va Bus Drivers (note i'm speaking of south central VA)..covering hwys 360,460,29,58,522,13,60 I85, I95 ...well a rough estimate of the area to the mostly central and eastern (partly) VA/NC border
Sonny Merryman calls me and asks for directions!:)......kiddin |
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vaoverland
Advanced Member
USA
225 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2006 : 3:15:02 PM
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1. The second stop arm is an experimental thing being tried in some VA school divisions. IMHO, anythin g that helps get the attention of traffic could be a good thing. I think most voilators aren't deliberate, but rather either uneducated or mostly inattentative.
2. For a long time, some rural school divisions in VA have used shorter (ie 9 row) buses because they do not have routes which fill up larger ones and turning around at dead ends and county lines is easier with the shorter buses. |
Wayne's Lifeguard in 1973 was a safety design and building concept ahead of its time and regulation. I am proud to have helped bring over 2,000 of them into Virginia during my career. I know they saved some lives.
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/WayneBusEnthusiasts/
Mark Fisher, semi-retired school bus driver, pupil transportation supervisor, contractor, and school bus body dealer, Williamsburg, VA |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2006 : 4:11:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by vaoverland
I think most voilators aren't deliberate, but rather either uneducated or mostly inattentative.
No, I think most are just plain stupid or are on there cell phones and need to hang up. (as most of my bus driver friends would say). |
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The Thomas Vista
Senior Member
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2006 : 4:17:27 PM
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It's not really a case of "or" but "and." I say bring on the second stop arm. If it helps, retrofit all the buses with it. And I mean, come on. It's big, yellow, has people coming out of it, has 8 flashing lights, and if you run into it, you will die; HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT?!
Cell phones need to be banned while driving. Handheld AND hands-free. They cause too many deaths to not be banned.
Dan |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2006 : 02:12:12 AM
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| I know how they can stop people from talking on cell phones when driving. If you get caught, $5,000 dollar fine. That would be what I would push lawmakers to do. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2006 : 1:37:00 PM
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| I agree with the second stop arm because a bus is very long, and there is only one arm and that is in the front. If drivers are too close to the rear (I know it is not intentionally I have been driving and close behind a bus in traffic) anyway when you are near the rear of the bus, or off to the right a bit, you cannot see the front stop arm and a rear one would be practical |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2006 : 3:40:13 PM
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| I wish more drivers would follow the 3-second rule I was taught in driver's ed. You should keep 3-seconds distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2006 : 3:52:02 PM
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| I do follow that rule, but when in traffic, I sometimes don't realize that I am following so close, not too close but closer than if we were moving regular speed. I usually leave tons of room for buses though |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2006 : 3:58:50 PM
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| Sadly, few people do follow that rule. |
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2006.AAFE.#21
Top Member
USA
525 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2006 : 12:20:18 PM
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IC-RE,
I was looking on your Webshots at the Nysmith HDX's those are actually HD's. The HDX's have the 3 piece front while the HD's do not and the Nysmith buses don't have the 3-piece. The HD's were only 2001 and 2002 model years before the HDX's were put in production. Just to let you know well now that you say the one is a 2003 maybe some EARLY 2003's had the one piece |
Rider of Bus 25, a 2007 Blue Bird All American FE, and Bus 24, a 2009 Blue Bird All American FE. |
Edited by - 2006.AAFE.#21 on 06/12/2006 7:57:07 PM |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2006 : 12:55:27 PM
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| I should go thru my photos to see if there are any mis-identified HD's in my collection. I didn't realize there was an easy way to distinguish them. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2006 : 2:24:59 PM
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| I was also thinking that, but that second bus, #2 is a 2003, so I guess it had a replacement part put on, or something else. |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 12:44:57 AM
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| Actually, before the HDX came around (with the three piece front) thomas offered two versions of the ER in 2001 and 2002, similar to the MVP ER vs ER setup, only with the new body style. The replacment for the MVP ER became the ER, and the replacment for the ER became the ERHD. HD stood for Heavy Duty, which catered to the more extreme markets, such as those in California. The ER was for the less extreme market, like us wimps out here in AT545 land. Most of the pre HDX post MVPER Thomas Rear Engine transit buses around here are Thomas ERs, not HDs. I think there is some kind of distinction with the rear side grille, but I'm not sure. My guess is, the 2001 and 2002 Thomas ERs have a larger version of the MVP ER grilles, while the Thomas ER HD has a grille similar to those on the new HDXs and the older (such as 99) Thomas ERs, which looks more like chicken wire. Does anyone else have any input on this often forgotten past time? |
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Edited by - BusFreak on 06/13/2006 12:47:13 AM |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2006 : 1:49:29 PM
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For any of you familar with Dan's Steak House on Rt. 211 between Luray and New Market, you'll recall a Blue Bird convetional that is parked behind the steak house. Well, driving by today I noticed that the owner of that birdy has put her up for sale. Not sure for how much though. You can see a pic of that bus here:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/547913807/2651858950086088642Grdwbq |
Edited by - IC RE 1629 on 08/13/2006 4:50:55 PM |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2006 : 1:49:15 PM
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I saw something interesting today. Bus 10 of Falls Church City Public Schools was broken down on University Drive in Fairfax. The bus was sitting right by GMU. Bus 10 is a Thomas International conventional. Not sure what was wrong with it, but they had the hood popped open and a mechanic was looking under the bus near the rear gearbox.
This bus has a T444E in it according to the decal on the hood. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2006 : 1:52:53 PM
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| I saw one of their IC RE's parked right next to one of our IC RE's, They look identical aside from the fonts. |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2006 : 4:24:37 PM
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| Falls Church City Public Schools has an IC RE? I thought they only had conventionals. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2006 : 6:06:43 PM
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Falls Church has a good variety. They have a few Thomas Internationals, but then they fell on the type D bandwagon in 2000ish with a beautiful Thomas MVP ER with high head room. They got atleast one more Thomas ER (the new style) after that, with low head room. I think after that, they tailed onto a fairfax order, because they have an 04ish IC RE that really is identical to the ones Fairfax has, only without AC. It has the right side emergency door and everything! The newest buses Ive seen then with are IC CEs. You should check out some of their buses! They park some of them at George Mason High school, right by the West Falls Church metro station. Take the Rt 7 exit off of 66, and turn right. You should see the backs of the buses lined up on your left in the school parking lot.
Oh, they also have a few Type A buses. I dont think that any of their regular ed buses have AC.
I see bus 10 quite a bit on Glebe Road. Its pretty basic specs, with tinted windows and a white roof being some of the only options. It has a manual door, which is something I havn't seen on newer buses in Northern Virginia for a while. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2006 : 6:12:57 PM
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| I'll be up in the Falls Church area Thursday. I'll have to see if I can swing by GMHS and check out those buses. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2006 : 8:53:47 PM
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| I think it was bus 18 that is the IC RE, I had to take a double take, I thought it was one of ours. It even has LED |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2006 : 11:33:38 PM
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| Yeah, I kid you not that I think they tagged on our order that year. To the bone, it looks like our IC REs. Arlingtons IC REs of the same year look SIMILAR, but not the same. They have the extended skirting and the T444E, but not the extra door, the grey interior, or the roof hatches. The Falls Church ones however have all of those, plus the LED lighting. They even a yellow grille in the back, which Loudoun and Fairfax are the only ones in the area who spec that. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 05:14:14 AM
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| I noticed something the other day while I was driving down to the southern part of the state...I passed a new Suffolk City school bus (REALLY nice blue bird RE) and instead of the normal "Suffolk City Public Schools" being painted on the side, it said "City Of Suffolk Public Schools." Is that allowed now? Are the other city districts doing the same? Brian, maybe you can answer this one. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 06:29:11 AM
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| Interesting BusFreak. Personally I think "City Of __ Public Schools" would look better and sound better. |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 09:30:43 AM
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| BusFreak-- Suffolk for some reason goes with that lettering weird but the Ward body company use to letter their sides like that Va. Beach had 1972 International Wards labeled the same way. Suffolk had a mandate several years ago to paint all buses at 10 years old and they would use "city of......" on the repaint.I guess now they go with that on all buses from the factory.They have a couple of 1996 Ford Waynes that had large lettering in that same style.However from some old pics of the 1973 Ford Wards it is as va.beach city public schools.They do get a lot of All American transits in Suffolk. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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Official Virginia School Bus Thread
