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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
 Posted - 03/10/2007 : 8:57:41 PM
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| I'm sure! We just got ride of our last 1987 International Ward this past year and it had a 4-way system, so I am sure there are some in service somewhere in Virginia! |
 bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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Kodie
Top Member
United States
1992 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2007 : 9:08:30 PM
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| Going off topic but superiorgmc1963 (Ted Pelky) updated his site.(1998 BB TC/2000 FE, 2007 Thomas C2. Check it out. |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4404 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2007 : 9:53:29 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC Dave
Going off topic but superiorgmc1963 (Ted Pelky) updated his site.(1998 BB TC/2000 FE, 2007 Thomas C2. Check it out.
How many times are you going to mention this? And how many times are you going to say "hate to go off topic" or "going off topic" Quit going off the damn topic! Start a new thread if it is that big of a deal. |
If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2007 : 04:28:50 AM
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| Itrain2001-- Some of the rural counties might still have some of the 4 warning light system buses on the road as spares but i think that would be rare as they were last purchased in 1986-87. The city of Chesapeake is saling some of their 4 ways now not sure if that gets rid of all of them. A privately owned bus company in Norfolk still has some of them in their fleet but very rarely do you see them being used. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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disneynuts
Advanced Member
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2007 : 05:35:01 AM
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brian,
could you tell me the name of the private company in Norfolk. Sometime we need help in the area when we take groups to Williamsburg, and the Tidewater area for sports. Thanks |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2007 : 07:07:08 AM
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| disneynuts--- Transquest part of Dominion Motor Coaches was the company I referred to they hold a contract with most of the large private schools in this area and also do charter work. They were orginally part of Virginia Overland and have changed names a couple of times. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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disneynuts
Advanced Member
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2007 : 01:39:00 AM
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| thanks brian |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2007 : 7:53:07 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC RE 1629
Our 2002-present buses can activate the reds without opening the door. You activate the amber lights, then flip the door switch to "WRN LIGHTS". The door switch is a 3-point toggle. From top to bottom, you have the following 3 positions: Door Open, Warning Lights, and Door Close.
I remeber you can activate the reds on Thomas and amtrans buses in fcps, that starting with 97 at least. |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2007 : 8:05:13 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC RE 1629
Frederick County schools has several shorty C2's with wheelchair lifts. I used to have pictures, until my hard drive crashed. 
pats, that's why I always back up mine,
I see a C2 in my neighbor hood about everyday, nice looking, alot of times thought it's dirty.
Btw Gini I live in ashburn too, I live near Briar Woods. |
Edited by - Drew19 on 03/12/2007 8:09:20 PM |
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Gini
Top Member
USA
1243 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2007 : 10:34:47 PM
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| hey Drew- glad to meet you! i'm next to the little Giant, not far from Stone Bridge HS. so you're down near the new HS? i don't go down Belmont Ridge as much as in the past, friends i used to do pet sitting for down in South Riding moved to Chantilly. when i first moved out here, i parked @ a school in Centreville, & used to cut thru Arcola to get to my bus. it's changed! |
1Peter 1:3 |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 08:26:40 AM
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| Oh okay, after I moved from Herndon, I used to live near the old police station, We moved here almost four years ago. I went to south lakes, then once we moved went to stone bridge. |
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Gini
Top Member
USA
1243 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 1:34:53 PM
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| ahh, so you moved out here AFTER civilization came! i was fortunate enough to see what it was like while the east still had a lot of rural areas. when i 1st lived here, we had to go to Leesburg, Sterling, or Herndon just to get groceries. |
1Peter 1:3 |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 3:51:34 PM
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| Some days I wish i lived in a rural area. I guess rural area school bus drivers face the same challanges everyday just with a different twist. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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Gini
Top Member
USA
1243 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 4:36:23 PM
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yeah, they do. here in Loudoun, while the east has been "Fairfaxed", the rest of the county still has a lot of dirt/gravel roads, w/ a good part in the Blue Ridge, hence all the school closings.
i'd love to live out farther. |
1Peter 1:3 |
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Lena
Senior Member
United States
120 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 6:05:49 PM
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just a little tidbit of info....Do any of you know where "Glengyle" is? It's an estate heading west on route 50, just before Gilbert's Corner, near Aldie....
That's where me and my hubby were married 20 years ago. I was their "gardener" and I loved loved loved working there! Anyone familiar?
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Most smiles are started by another smile...  |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 3:26:38 PM
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| Still looking for photos of Virginia School Buses from the 1970s if anyone has some to share my email is in the profile. Mainly looking for photos of the bus not drivers or students but if there is a cool looking bus in background would be nice to have. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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sbdlax22
Active Member
USA
30 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 4:21:03 PM
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Brian-
I'm not as big a buff as most others on here, so I don't have pics to show you, but I do have a suggestion: check out old high school yearbooks! Most yearbooks have a page or 2 with a story & pics about students riding the 'big cheese'. Several libraries in NOVA have collections of local high schools' yearbooks that go pretty far back. You may not be able to get the pics you want (they may have lots of students in them), but just thought I'd pass along the idea if you want to spend the day in a library. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3410 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 4:34:24 PM
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Funny you should mention that....just the other day I was sitting at my elementary school and a lady stuck her camera in my door and clicked a couple of pics of me at the wheel. She said, "For the yearbook" and went on her merry way. LOL
My high school (Class of '70) yearbooks have a lot of great shots of school buses. |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 4:42:23 PM
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| yes good suggestions , I might go the yearbook route. I have thought of going to library to look through the local community paper and see what they have.I do some newspaper photos from the early 80's but was hoping to see what came before that in the way of photos. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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Gini
Top Member
USA
1243 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 5:16:41 PM
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| Brian- i have one pic of the front of a 75 Ford, when i find it i'll send it to you. i'll also check my yearbooks, & if any of the bus pics are clean (no criminating writings, lol), i'll send them also. |
1Peter 1:3 |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 5:25:26 PM
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| Gini-- thanks that is basically what i am looking for . i actually remembered one of my sisters having a photo in an album of a friend in front of a 1973 Ford she sent it to me better then i remembered. The Ford was a Ward body bus and actually showed the three stripes on the side and the color in the pic was still really good. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5085 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 02:31:21 AM
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| I went through my school's old yearbooks and found tons of great pics! |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2007 : 8:55:54 PM
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So, I've been checking out some of the state's school bus bids, and I found this one from Prince William County. Looks like they aren't even trying to bid on any more Thomas ERs. Looks like they are putting out an invitation to bid, but only the Thomas C2 will meet all of the bid specifications. It's like they are trying to spec the C2 into winning the bid. A 77 passenger conventional must have one heck of a tail swing! New for this year, it looks like they are getting AC! The bid sheets say only one free blow unit in the rear, and the rest should come from the dash. Interesting!
http://www.pwcs.edu/purchasing/RLB-7000_IFB.pdf |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5085 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 02:38:19 AM
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| That's interesting. When I talked to the TD a while back, he stated there wasn't much interest in the C2 for them. I guess that changed really quick. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 08:08:48 AM
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| They already have a TON of C2s on the road, but they aren't of this bid/spec. They don't have the AC, but they are nice looking. As far as I can tell, they havn't bought an ER for atleats a year. |
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Rich
Top Member
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 08:26:57 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by BusFreak
So, I've been checking out some of the state's school bus bids, and I found this one from Prince William County. Looks like they aren't even trying to bid on any more Thomas ERs. Looks like they are putting out an invitation to bid, but only the Thomas C2 will meet all of the bid specifications. It's like they are trying to spec the C2 into winning the bid. A 77 passenger conventional must have one heck of a tail swing! New for this year, it looks like they are getting AC! The bid sheets say only one free blow unit in the rear, and the rest should come from the dash. Interesting!
http://www.pwcs.edu/purchasing/RLB-7000_IFB.pdf
They sure did write that to C2 specs, ha, wow. Bird and IC can attempt to match certain things, but in others they will have to write an explanation on why they don't offer it.
There are quite a few districts that do this type of bidding, and many times other buses win anyway just because of a price difference.
Should be interesting. |
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poor_driver
Senior Member
162 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 12:12:49 PM
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bus freak
how do you check the state bids?...what's the website? |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5085 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 12:48:51 PM
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| The bid that was posted above is a local bid for Prince William County. In Virginia, each county bids. That information can typically be found on the county website or the school district website, depending on where they decided to post it. Do some poking around and you'll find it. |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 3:52:07 PM
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| Brian, I was looking at Virginia beach's bid sheet, and it has some new things on it as well. The most interesting to me was the addition of strobing stop arms....something I havnt seen in that district before. |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2007 : 10:44:37 AM
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| yes, all the new buses this year have them i have not actually seen any in real action as i am usually in neighborhoods all by myself . i guess the bus i get next year might have them we will see. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2007 : 2:15:33 PM
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| Actually ICRE1629, I have Virginia State bid sheets and options pricing for Sonny Merryman, Kingmore, and Commonwealth Truck Center. From what I understand, the districts bid, as does the state. Pretty much ANY option that is available to a Virginia school district is listed on these options bid sheets, and you'd be supprised they all add up for a FCPS or LCPS spec bus! They have all the options for type A, C, and D. Sonny Merryman even states on their pricing guide how much it would reduce the cost to get a manual transmission. They are the only one who is able to do that, so I'm guessing that the C2 is indeed available with it! |
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pbfreak30
Senior Member
USA
171 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2007 : 2:33:52 PM
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| all of our busses come from Sonny Merryman, as do most districts around here just for the fact that he's the closest |
ARROW transportation RP..the best out there! |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5085 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2007 : 08:03:20 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by BusFreak
Actually ICRE1629, I have Virginia State bid sheets and options pricing for Sonny Merryman, Kingmore, and Commonwealth Truck Center. From what I understand, the districts bid, as does the state. Pretty much ANY option that is available to a Virginia school district is listed on these options bid sheets, and you'd be supprised they all add up for a FCPS or LCPS spec bus! They have all the options for type A, C, and D. Sonny Merryman even states on their pricing guide how much it would reduce the cost to get a manual transmission. They are the only one who is able to do that, so I'm guessing that the C2 is indeed available with it!
What I was referring to is the fact that the state of Virginia does not purchase the buses for the districts. The school districts are free to buy what they want as long as it conforms to Virginia's regulations. The state of Virginia does not say "Loudoun County, your getting Thomas C2's this year, like it or leave it".
I know some states, like Florida I believe, purchase the buses for the districts. The districts get little or no say in what they get as far what buses, what options, etc. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2007 : 3:36:34 PM
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Right...I got you 1629. Florida actually does something very similar to what Virginia does. They recieve a bid from each of the manufacturers as a state, with a list of costs for upgrades, and then the district specs their own buses based off of the bids put out by the state. Florida districts actually have a wide range of vehicles on the road. Dade has been getting Visions, while Polk has been getting C2s. Florida in General has some NICE specs that fall onto their buses by default. North Carolina is one of those states who does the whole thing for the entire state, including type (A,B,C,D), options, etc. Districts in North Carolina simply say "we need more/replacment buses," and the state issues them accordingly.
I find this bidding process in Virginia very interesting! Districts can still choose whatever kind of bus they want, and they are all base priced accordingly. Say you want a 65 passenger conventional with hydraulic brakes...there is a sheet from each dealer with a base price, and then a WHOLE list of options that you can get on a hydraulic brake bus with prices. You can still get what ever kind of bus you want, but the state has actually started the work for you with their standard specs. |
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Topic |
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Official Virginia School Bus Thread
