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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
 Posted - 05/09/2010 : 4:23:07 PM
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| We are on a 5 year rotation also senority first. The older buses kind of end up just about everywhere we are a running a really nice fleet right now expect people dont care to much for the C2s. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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old_school
Active Member
United States
29 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 8:32:08 PM
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Let me see if i can catch up on previously asked questions.
@hardybusman
Where did you here that Brunswick County is having an auction, i would like to go? I went by Nottoway County the other day for a game and saw they still have a few fords from the early to mid 90's running but im not surprised most rural districts are going to hold on to those buses if they are still good. I was told by a friend of mine that work there that they ones that they retired earlier this year, the county administrator got a better price for the buses to be scrapped then to sell right off. Sad to see them head up to Farmville or Kenbridge to be scrapped but you gotta do what you gotta do now.
And yes i too have see Fluvanna County's fleet, it is old but just like my screen name states. i kinda admire the them for keeping the old school buses look and working good. Charlotte County has an sort of old fleet too, not too bad though. Halifax and Pittsylvania im not too sure about. Do any of you VA Beach drivers know anything about Southampton's fleet? They have recently started playing the schools up in this area.
That bus 41 that was mentioned earlier that is being sold is from Prince Edward County. I used to drive there and the lady that had that bus got a c2 now. Even though im not driving anymore, i try to keep up with friends i made through the years traveling to games throughout the Southside and James River Districts affiliated counties.
I don't think Brunswick is running full size gasoline buses n e more but if they are that will surprise me. Appomattox, Amelia and Lunenburg counties are the only counties i know that still run sticks, Amelia is buying automatics but still have a few sticks running routes. Prince Edward got out of that back in 1998/ 1999 but still run a few as spares. Not sure about Buckingham or Cumberland. Appomattox still run the smaller 54 pass. buses instead of the 64. Nottoway is all automatic. Mecklenburg ,Greensville and Dinwiddie i believe is automatic also.
Sorry for the long post, but i hope to have answered some of the questions. |
Edited by - old_school on 05/09/2010 8:40:21 PM |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2010 : 4:40:08 PM
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Hello there old school!! Brunswick's sale was advertised on auctionzip.com. I think its this Wed. They do have 1 or 2 gassers for spares but they may be parked now due to the sale. You seem to cover a lot of turf here in Southside. You asked about Southampton Co. and from what I see they still have some 88 model Minotours and 91 Int'ls for spares. The 91's are 52 passengers and have 7.3Ls and automatic. Its neat how they number their buses after the year model. ex. 941,942,943 would be 94 models, 051 would be a 05, etc. I'm in Powhatan Co. and I think we have a very nice fleet. I work for the academy in Powhatan and all our buses are bought used.
bsaund09, it seems the drivers around here dont care for the C2's either. I have a friend in Chesterfield and they are not big fans of the bus. Most of their drivers prefer the EF Thomas. |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2010 : 10:31:36 PM
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| How many All Americans does/did Virginia Beach operate? How old are those units? |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2010 : 10:21:52 AM
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| Those are the only All Amreican REs I've seen in Virginia (at least in pictures). I'm sure it's sad to see them go. |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
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HCPSFan
New Member
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2010 : 10:12:03 AM
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| Any other VA drivers have issues with the kids "Pooting" on their busses? Its a big issue where im from, I was wondering if anyone else had the same issue. |
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old_school
Active Member
United States
29 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2010 : 5:02:26 PM
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@hardybusman...That c2 "up on the hill" is in Pittsylvania County near danville va right? The Bible Way church bus (chevy) is off of hwy 58 in Mecklenburg County near or passed Boydton. Mecklenburg still has alot of older buses just like most of us rural folk will soon find out. but hey, if it runs and looks good, why junk them?
@bsaund09...One of the pics you uploaded on May 28th. The group of older bluebird fords with the thomas ford in the middle. I went to Nottoway County growing up and they had a load of those 4 light mostly yellow with the one black stripe in the middle of the bus. In my travels i've basically seen every type of bus that you have posted in someone's back yard except for that one. mannnn i miss them |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2010 : 08:38:31 AM
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| Hardybusman deserves the credit for some of the recent pics added he has a great collection very happy to show them off. Yes i actually took the time while driving down Hwy 58 to stop and take a few pics. there is a house very near the Bibleway Church bus going toward South Boston with a 1966 or so Chevy Wayne still labeled with the front bummer now painted green use to be black with a number 158 on it.However that bus in the backyard i tried getting shots from the road but no good to house doesnt have much of a side strip to stop on if anyone is game go for it. That would be a great find not many of them around. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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old_school
Active Member
United States
29 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2010 : 6:23:23 PM
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| Yeah i the only thomas ford i seen like that was behind someone's house i saw a couple of weeks ago, went by there today and now it's gone:(. Scrap metal business is getting alot of people's business now adays. There is a guy (junk yard) near concord,va (Appomattox/Campbell county line) that i see every now and then with some oldies. |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2010 : 6:56:59 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by bsaund09
It is sad i put many miles on Bus 74 and 78 when they were new. It is hard to believe they are being sold but time marches on.
It's pretty sad to see that 74 has a 'POOR' status on Public Surplus. :(
Virginia Beach has listed some buses on Public Surplus today. |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2010 : 8:52:02 PM
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| What do the A and B letters on Virginia Beach's buses mean? |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2010 : 12:08:55 PM
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| bsaund09, thanks for all the credit you gave me. I have had the best time over the years finding and taking pics of those buses. Working in School Transportation has been a great venture and I've made a lot of great friends. I may not know anyone on here but I do consider you all friends. |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2010 : 7:14:22 PM
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| yes, sir your find is a great addition some of us still remember those great buses of the past.the petersburg Bus 105 is a huge find and to see in full operation that is to cool. I wish i had been more of a picture taker back in those days but have a nice little bit of most of those days. still looking for an early 1970s Bluebird IHC pic with" school bus stop state law" but no luck around here. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2010 : 4:50:14 PM
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| I wish I had started taking pics earlier as well. The first bus I drove was a 1978 Ford Ward. It was a gasser with an Automatic transmission. It came out of Maryland. That Petersburg bus was contracted from Virginia Overland. It is a 1974 Ford. I belive the picture was taken in the very early 80's. I have a friend that worked there several years back in the good old days and he gave me several old pics of their buses. I worked there in the shop for a while in 96-97. I'll keep my eyes peeled for that old bird pic you are looking for. |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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Edited by - hardybusman on 06/08/2010 5:15:26 PM |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2010 : 2:13:05 PM
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| We have one more day left in the regular school year I feel like I am driving summer school. I understand they had a good auction with the old Bus 74 here in va.beach. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2010 : 10:05:21 PM
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| Yeah I bid on the older bus with no hhod and it sold for way more than I expected. I saw today Powhatan has pulled licence off 4 of their 98 - 99 Freightliners. I remember when they were new. It was really cool seeing those for the first time. Odd they pulled those when they are still running older buses. We have been out since last week. I'm off for a couple of weeks then its crunch time getting buses and classrooms back together for another year. |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2010 : 08:36:58 AM
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| yes they did very good on that auction from what i heard (good to hear used buses are of value)we still have some 95s and 94s running around as activity buses. The first students I carried on regular route with Bus 74 graduated last night strange how they all went away in the same week. Thanks again Mr. Hardy for the bus pics I am getting very good feedback on them. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2010 : 12:24:19 PM
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| Thats neat the timing of that. I'm glad you like the pics. I will send you more when I get them loaded. Are you driving summer school? |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2010 : 1:14:35 PM
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| Driving parks and rec field trips because it is so much harder then the other stuff(maybe). It should be a fun time with parks and rec hoping 546 holds up noticing it is leaving a stain on its parking location underneath the left side of the engine.It has almost 62k on it now so could be anything but it is such a cool bus. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2010 : 1:46:45 PM
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| 546 your regular bus? Has anyone heard any news on Roanoke's first year under a contractor? I also hear the state roadeo is being held here in Chesterfield Co. this year over at James River H.S. this week on tues., I think. |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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old_school
Active Member
United States
29 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2010 : 04:54:02 AM
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@hardy
What is the reason for the removal of Powhatan's freightliners? are they going to auction them on site or on line? will you try to get some of them? |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2010 : 07:21:09 AM
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| I dont know what they are going to do. I'm sure they will sell them this summer because they pulled them outside the gate. If you've seen Powhatan's lot in the summer you know its full back there. They really need a bigger lot to park all those buses. I am not interested in them at all. They have added a 2000 TC2000 as well. Common sense tells me if they are getting rid of 99-2000 model buses and still running 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, and 98 there must be problems with them. They all have Cummins engines and I know they have been troublesome. I'll let you know if I find out more. |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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old_school
Active Member
United States
29 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2010 : 09:08:31 AM
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| I thought Amelia Academy sold that Wayne! good to know they still have it. they had a late 70's early 80's model thomas gmc that look just as good as that one. oh well when it comes down to aution time....she's all mine!!! |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2010 : 3:39:51 PM
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| I doubt they sell that bus any time soon. I know one of the board members and he says they gonna keep those old mechanical diesels as long as they can. They use that bus for activity and changed the rear so it will run 65+.... |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2010 : 1:18:53 PM
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| Some of us really miss those old Internationals those things were great I will never understand changing things that work and work well. I will be in Petersburg tomorrow with a group and then going to Kings Dominion on Thursday with a much of other buses from Va. Beach not sure of anyone with a brand new one going. Our first set of regular C2s from 2008 have started losing their battery door it is getting kind of funny to hear that called in there is another what was wrong with the old style body. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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old_school
Active Member
United States
29 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2010 : 7:57:58 PM
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| Today i rode by Southampton's garage on hwy 35 in Courtland, VA. Their yard is small and they didn't have alot of buses. I was surprised not to see a football field full of buses because last time i looked on the map...Southampton County isn't small at all. Im going to try and see each bus yard in VA atleast once before i kick the bucket. |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2010 : 09:07:35 AM
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| yeah there fleet is small maybe only like 100 or so buses .they use to stuff there lot with buses at one time maybe they house them else where.cool trying to find all those lots i try sometimes. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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old_school
Active Member
United States
29 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2010 : 3:31:22 PM
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lol@bsaund09
I forget you're from VA Beach so just 100 buses is small to yall!:) |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2010 : 6:25:58 PM
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| Speaking of VA Beach, how large is their fleet? (total number of buses) |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
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hardybusman
Advanced Member
United States
470 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2010 : 8:00:55 PM
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| Hey old school, Powhatan just announced those buses to be sold on a sealed bid due by the 6th of Aug. I would be afraid of them being as that they are keeping much older buses and knowing of the troubles of that Cummins engine. If yu want to see a nice shop visit the Nelson Co. bus shop. Its only 5 or 6 years old and I really like the set up they have. Its behind the H.S. just before you get to the apple orchard. |
Mr. Courtney Hardy
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Edited by - hardybusman on 07/22/2010 8:03:27 PM |
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Official Virginia School Bus Thread
