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 No More Blue Bird Safety View Vision Panel?
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bknebel
Active Member

USA
43 Posts

Posted - 08/03/2013 :  10:49:34 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I was viewing the new Blue Bird brochure online and I see that the new Blue Bird Visions coming out have a stripe returned by the bird above the door, but it is a shorter one. I missed the stripe in the 2010-on buses!

I see too that the 2014/2014(?) Vision buses have a larger logo emblem on the hood and some very subtle hood sculpting has changed... also the Blue Bird Safety View Vision panel is gone! This is the one located under the dash by the service door. It was supposed to allow us drivers to be able to see students on the passenger(right) side of the bus if they were by that particular front wheel-well. I can honestly say when I drove Blue Bird Visions, both 1st and 2nd Generation, that the window was generally cloudy-looking or covered with mud; so offered little to no help.

Does anyone know why the Safety View Vision Panel was scrapped? (was it for reasons like I posted above?

Here is the brochure:
http://www.blue-bird.com/uploadedFiles/Downloads/SB-VISBROCHURE-0713.pdf

bluebirdvision
Top Member

USA
1081 Posts

Posted - 08/03/2013 :  3:00:37 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
BB asked owners and operators if they used the safety window and the consensus was that they did not. So, they do not offer it any longer.

A full length stripe can be added at your dealer for extra cost.

Facebook Page: Blue Bird Corporation Fans
https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_212311114614&ap=1


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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member

USA
4177 Posts

Posted - 08/04/2013 :  07:49:14 AM  Show Profile  Visit Thomas Ford 85-16's Homepage  Send Thomas Ford 85-16 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
It looks like the headlights were also squared up some.
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1983WardFord
Top Member

USA
1395 Posts

Posted - 08/04/2013 :  5:28:27 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Also the angled piece of metal that "shapes" the rear-most window on each side has disappeared.

Due to the current economic condition, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off until further notice.
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Girardin_71
Top Member

Canada
626 Posts

Posted - 08/05/2013 :  10:24:41 AM  Show Profile  Send Girardin_71 a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
That angled metal that shaped the last side window was only standard with low headroom. Now that High headroom is standard no more angled metal shaped window.

Girardin/Blue-Bird are my favorite school buses

http://www.g71bdpt.net

Edited by - Girardin_71 on 08/05/2013 10:28:43 AM
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bwest
Administrator

United States
3820 Posts

Posted - 08/05/2013 :  11:48:53 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I noticed from this brochure that there is a light check system on these too. My drivers have been asking why BB didn't have this. I also noticed that, on page 6, they claim to have the best paint warranty in the industry. This, along with the windows, have been my biggest gripe with BB. I hope that better with the better warranty come actual better paint. lol

Bryan
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Alex403
Active Member

USA
10 Posts

Posted - 08/05/2013 :  5:15:23 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
The shorty is so tall! But the logo on the grille is just too big. The headlights even look like the CE's a bit.

IC Bus.. The company that makes Thomas Built fan hide in shame. :)

Edited by - Alex403 on 08/05/2013 5:17:03 PM
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bknebel
Active Member

USA
43 Posts

Posted - 08/05/2013 :  7:36:01 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks all. I figured that must be what it was... like I said, i never used it because it was always dirty, and when clean, it was cloudy... only showed shadows really.
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Former School Bus M8
Senior Member

143 Posts

Posted - 08/05/2013 :  10:09:31 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Not Bad! I really wish they would change the windshield to a larger, one piece windshield and also change the instrument cluster. No reason for a speedometer on a school bus to read 140 mph's. I know it can change from MPH's to Km's but still.

School Bus M8
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Tatum
Top Member

United States
606 Posts

Posted - 08/05/2013 :  11:05:07 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I like Blue Bird's windsheilds the way they are now. I'd rather replace just one side than have to replace the entire winsheild should it get cracked or damaged...
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RichBusman
Advanced Member

453 Posts

Posted - 08/06/2013 :  11:36:45 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Curved windshields are stronger and less likely to break. Ask an operation with a lot of C2s and they do far less windshield replacements than fleets with just flat glass windshields.

With that said, I'm okay with Blue Bird's philosophy of the 4 piece windshield if they were to make the windshield around 3-4 inches taller to improve visibility. It's unreal what the difference is going from a large bus windshield like a C2 or Lion then walking into a Vision. Haven driven every one of the current Type C buses, I will say that the larger windshields make a tremendous difference in the driving experience.

Edited by - RichBusman on 08/06/2013 11:39:08 AM
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08 Thomas EF
Top Member

533 Posts

Posted - 08/06/2013 :  8:35:02 PM  Show Profile  Visit 08 Thomas EF's Homepage  Reply with Quote
^ The passenger experience, too... easier to see out the front! High headroom windows make a big difference, too. Going from a 2010 CE with high headroom to, say, a 2001 TC or AmTran FE with low headroom made me feel like being in jail.
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1983WardFord
Top Member

USA
1395 Posts

Posted - 08/07/2013 :  3:18:36 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Another Blue Bird downgrade I noticed today - the Visions no longer sport a metal nameplate by the door; it's a sticker now.

Due to the current economic condition, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off until further notice.
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bluebirdvision
Top Member

USA
1081 Posts

Posted - 08/07/2013 :  3:45:45 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
^ Been that way for awhile

Facebook Page: Blue Bird Corporation Fans
https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_212311114614&ap=1


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C.HARDY
Advanced Member

354 Posts

Posted - 08/09/2013 :  6:26:55 PM  Show Profile  Click to see C.HARDY's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
All of the C2 owners I know dispise that tall windshield. Takes an army to install it and I really dont see much difference in the winshield height making a difference. I drive a Bluebird and it seems to me a taller winshield just makes it that much harder to drive wit hthe sun in your eyes. Just my opinion

"Hardybusman"
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78fordwayne
Top Member

USA
2868 Posts

Posted - 08/12/2013 :  1:13:44 PM  Show Profile  Visit 78fordwayne's Homepage  Send 78fordwayne an AOL message  Send 78fordwayne a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by C.HARDY

All of the C2 owners I know dispise that tall windshield. Takes an army to install it and I really dont see much difference in the winshield height making a difference. I drive a Bluebird and it seems to me a taller winshield just makes it that much harder to drive wit hthe sun in your eyes. Just my opinion



I've said the same thing for years.
Im seeing drivers tape cardboard to the top of the windshield trying to keep the sun out of there eyes
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