Wisconsin’s Kobussen Buses delivers exemplary service to its school district customers — one of which the contractor has been serving for nearly 75 years. Check out these shots of the family operation, which SCHOOL BUS FLEET named its 2012 Contractor of the Year.
2012 Contractor of the Year
Dan (left) and Joe Kobussen accept the SBF Contractor of the Year award at the National School Transportation Association’s convention in Milwaukee on July 17.
From left: SBF’s Frank Di Giacomo with members of the Kobussen family: Ann, Scott, Joe, Dan, Melissa (Miller), Marion and Jim Kobussen.
This aerial shot shows the Kobussen Buses terminal in Neenah, Wis. The contractor provides transportation services for 12 school districts in Wisconsin.
An older family portrait of the Kobussens on one of their motorcoaches (they run 31 motorcoaches in addition to their 452 school buses). Bottom row, from left: Joe, Amanda, Marion, Jim and Amy. Top row, from left: Dan, Mike, Scott, Melissa and Ann.
Jan VandenHeuvel started driving for Kobussen in 1977, and she still drives for the company today. In 1983, she picked this bus up at the Thomas Built factory in High Point, N.C., and then drove it on her school route for 15 years. In the end, the bus had 256,000 miles on it, all from VandenHeuvel.
Here’s an aerial view of the company’s Kaukauna office from around 2005.
This is the second edition of Kobussen’s driver manual. It was a collaboration of several contractors in Wisconsin.
Kobussen donated this bus to Lakeview Elementary in Neenah, Wis. The students used it for classes related to the Magic School Bus series.
Kobussen buses are lined up in this photo from around 1970. There were no restaurants nearby, so Marion Kobussen would provide sweet rolls and coffee at break time and lunch for all at noon — including for the state inspectors and mechanics.
The bus on the left is fleet No. 32. It was a “fancy” school bus used for longer trips before Kobussen purchased motorcoaches.
These are mostly Neenah drivers, with classic yellow Kobussen jackets, at the 1983 Wisconsin school bus safety competition. Kobussen’s Carol Funk placed first and then went on to Kansas City to compete in the international competition.
Kobussen acquired this vintage school bus earlier this year to run in parades. So far, it has been in the Appleton Flag Day parade and the Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival parade.
The Kobussens manage a school bus shuttle program for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. More than 10,000 aircraft fly in to the event each summer.
This is the company’s first driver manual, written by Marion Kobussen in about 1960. Copies were made on a mimeograph machine. The bus is a rear-engine Superior, fleet No. 32.