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pwcsken
New Member
3 Posts |
 Posted - 08/16/2011 : 09:58:49 AM
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Here is a link to a former Prince William County school bus # 488. This is a 1991 Thomas ER This bus was part of the second batch of the first transit buses used in Prince William (#'s 488-501).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3hiiFHVTW8
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2011 : 6:15:13 PM
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| nice find! I'd assume they retired that a few years ago. In the video, the bus looked and sounded pretty darn good....It's a shame a perfectly good bus has been retired. I hope a private school gets some good use out of it... |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2011 : 10:18:24 PM
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| Saw on the news that the earthquake damaged Louisa County H.S. so bad they are holding classes in the middle school. They are alternating days. Mon Wed and Fri. they hold high school classes and the middle school kids attend tues. thurs. and sat. from 8 to 5 I believe. I think they said this will go on through January. Louisa is about 50 miles from me and we didnt have any damage around here. |
"Hardybusman" |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2011 : 06:36:48 AM
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| I'm not surprised. That sounds like a great solution to the mess that has been caused there. That'll cut driver hours down for sure though. Mineral, where the epicenter was, isn't too far from Louisa high school... |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2011 : 08:04:02 AM
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| Yeah I would say mineral is maybe 10-20miles from the high school?? A lot closer if you drew a straight line. I hope Brian is doing ok with the hurricane. Its been a busy week here in Virginia. |
"Hardybusman" |
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Jake
Top Member
USA
3527 Posts |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2011 : 5:29:12 PM
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| wow, where did summer 2011 go ? I think every school system around here has gotten new C2s in over the last couple of weeks I know Va. Beach has a bunch starting out on Tuesday. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2011 : 08:42:54 AM
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| C-2s are the stnadard around here as well. I guess Thomas must be building a good bus. I do know that offering the trade ins helps them to win the bid. Dont see any new IC buses around here and really new buses are kinda rare. Thanks for the directions the other day Brian. I rolled right up with no problem. We won our game 28 to 16 and it was a good game. It took me 2 hrs. and 50 min. to get there with just a little traffic at the high rise bridge. |
"Hardybusman" |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2011 : 5:36:36 PM
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http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auction/view?auc=607604 <BR>
Does anyone else think that was originally a VA bus? The Emergency Door label in the back, the cage on the lower glass of the E door, the holes where the VA standard (what was standard) warning light activation box is, etc. No roof branding.. Looks like it was bought by a place in AZ, and turned into an AZ bus with the aftermarket black paint around the tail lights and window tints. |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2011 : 7:51:19 PM
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It doesn't look like an old VA bus to me. The roof doesn't look like it is white, but rather off white, and it looks like it was painted like that.
Don't VA buses have another set of rub rails above the tail lights? They're absent on that All-American. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2011 : 5:22:18 PM
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| Oh, you're totally right about the rub rail....GOOD call... |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2011 : 07:34:30 AM
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| I just saw one of the first Prince William C2s they got a few years ago (Their ones with the long skirting)...Looks like they've been retrofitted with A/C to match the newer C2s they have! Are many districts going with A/C in the states? The few I know of are Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Albemarle County, and Harrisonburg City. I'm surprised that Arlington County (relatively affluent) doesn't even have A/C on their Special Ed buses! |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2011 : 4:01:05 PM
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Does anyone else hear of other districts having a diffcult time getting spare bluebird bus parts. We have buses waiting on parts and it seems to take weeks even monthes to receive them?
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keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2011 : 7:21:50 PM
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| Cumberland County which is a fairly poor county has been ordering A/C for quite a few years now. I have heard that Brian from the guys here at the county shop. They are not at all pleased with their Bluebirds or the parts and service. At least with the Visions. |
"Hardybusman" |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
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bjkhokie
New Member
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2011 : 8:22:54 PM
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I saw some messages posted earlier about PWCS school buses. At some point, I'll try to upload a bunch of photos I took in the mid 1990s that has a good collection dating back to the 1980s back when Prince William was predominantly a Blue Bird county! Also, does anybody know what happens to old PWCS buses? I would really like to have one that retired several years ago (one of the Blue Birds) from 1990.
-Bryan
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2011 : 4:46:29 PM
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| ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY :) I've got it posted on bsaunds flikr. Bryan the school I work for has a Prince Wm. GMC but its a 90 model Thomas 34 passenger. They trade most of their in to the dealer towards their new buses. I would love to see some those pics!! |
"Hardybusman" |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2011 : 11:17:33 PM
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Mr. Hardy, I heard that your school has a new addition to the fleet. It seems like you have a nice bus with a new engine inside of it. ;)
I hope she treats you well! :D |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2011 : 3:25:34 PM
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| Boy news travels FAST!! It's not new by any means but its perfect for a shuttle we will be doing and I think it will be fine. It's a little rough around the edges but mechanically sound and tight driving. Met an awsome "bus nut" in the process. Super nice and honest man that knows buses inside and out. |
"Hardybusman" |
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Carson
New Member
9 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 4:33:47 PM
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| Sorry for bumping, but I live in Manassas Park, VA. I was wandering if anyone knows of a Virginia School Bus Photo Site? Thanks in Advance! |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2011 : 02:59:07 AM
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| Check out Flickr.com and search "school bus history" bsaund09 has over 1600 pics. |
"Hardybusman" |
Edited by - C.HARDY on 11/14/2011 03:00:12 AM |
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Carson
New Member
9 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2011 : 3:06:46 PM
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| Thanks! |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2011 : 7:59:26 PM
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| Goodness, those aren't even 10 years old yet! I heard that they liked to ride down the road a bit crooked, but aren't bad little busses! Surprise to me too, as the rest from that era in VA beach are all the 4 cyl Mercedes Thomas FL65s... |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 11/15/2011 : 3:26:54 PM
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| Yes, they are trying to let the GMCs go first I saw them bringing them in to the garage on Thursday from the overflow lot. They are really good buses and low mileage to but there is something about getting parts for these buses that are the issue . We had this same deal back in 1986 when Dodge quit making parts for those early mid to 70s school bus line of vehicles . |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 11/15/2011 : 4:40:46 PM
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| He paid good money for them.I watched them and believe they sold for over 4k a piece. You dont often see Va. buses at Taylor Bus. GM likes to consider a vechicle obsolete after 10 years old and since these arent produced anymore it is tough to get parts. Normal car dealerships cant get them and the medium duty departments dont seem to stock many. I work on a 1995 for a local school and go through the same thing each time it shows up for work. |
"Hardybusman" |
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Dennis S
New Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2011 : 09:40:16 AM
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| Hello Everyone. I am new here and I have read all the post on this thread. I must say we have some of the most knowledgable people here pertaining to VA buses. I grew up in Spotsylvania county. Seen many different buses over the years. I even remember when the county was growing so fast they had absolutely NO spares and if a bus broke down the bus had to sit and wait for another bus to empty out or the repairs were done right there. And I remember when Spotsy got 4 buses from Henrico county that Henrico had retired. Everyone called them "the junkyard buses". I remember they were Internationals. They were put on regulars runs. Still no spares. Today they have plenty of spares partly because of lack of drivers. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2011 : 7:58:41 PM
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Hi Dennis, Boy has Spotsylvania come a long way with the buses they are ordering. They went from being one of the last ones to get Automatic transmissions in the state to ordering 77 passenger buses with tinted windows, automatic transmissions, and LED lighting! I know they still have some of those 5 speeds running around on quite a few runs. I bet part of their driver shortage is because the newer drivers are starting out their driving career with the possibility of getting a knee replacement from those clutches! I remember the first time I saw a Spotsylvania bus in person was in 99 in Virginia Beach. I was shocked that it was a near new Thomas Internation with a stick shift! Virginia Beach had been getting automatics since the early 80s, and even still, I thought those weren't fancy compared to some of the others in the area.
Site note, does anyone know if Harrisonburg City is still getting Rear Engine buses with A/C? The last buses I knew them to get were mid 2000s IC REs. |
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Dennis S
New Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2011 : 09:23:18 AM
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| BTW, I used to be a substitute driver for Prince George County. All they had at the time were Fords. Although they did get 5 new Thomas Internationals while I was there, but they were not happy with them and never got any more. Now they have Fords and Freightliners as far as I know. They did not start getting automatics until 1990 (Thomas Fords). |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
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bsaund09
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2011 : 5:43:45 PM
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| no that is an old va. beach bus they sold 5 a few weeks ago the number sold was 958 they added the 18 after sell.the stickers on the inside are all va. beach. |
keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory |
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Tatum
Top Member
United States
606 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2011 : 5:57:36 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by bsaund09
no that is an old va. beach bus they sold 5 a few weeks ago the number sold was 958 they added the 18 after sell.the stickers on the inside are all va. beach.
According to unedited pictures I have of that bus, it says Isle of Wight Academy on the side...
Maybe it was purchased by Isle of Wight Academy after being sold off by VA beach? |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2011 : 07:20:18 AM
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| Wow Isle of Wight Academy just bought that bus this summer. That doesnt make any sense...... That is an old Va. Beach, they bought two buses this summer. A pusher and that GMC. Both came from Sonny Merryman. |
"Hardybusman" |
Edited by - C.HARDY on 11/23/2011 07:26:14 AM |
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Official Virginia School Bus Thread
