School buses can take on a whole new life after they're retired from student transportation service. Here, we share shots of buses that have been painted and reconstructed for a variety of purposes, from racing to serving as a motorhome to shuttling people for safari tours, and more.
School Buses: Life After Shuttling Students
"A good friend of mine started on the outside while I did the inside," Nunnari says, noting that in the end, more than a dozen people helped with the project.
"The major outside work was the helmet, face and legs. They are all steel frame and fiberglass and laid out by hand." Inside, the seats were removed and Nunnari added a hardwood floor, four-keg cooler, a bar and some custom cabinetry. A full electrical system and a breaker box were also installed. "The bus is wired a lot like a house," he says, adding that a fireplace was also installed, along with an Onan QuietDiesel generator that runs off of the fuel tank to keep the beer cold and the stereo working.
Curt Benassi of Proctor Public Schools in Duluth, Minn., says he purchased this Blue Bird school bus when it was retired from service in 2011. He uses it to participate in school bus races; during one race, he placed third.
Scales' bus features a couch that turns into a queen size bed.
Another safari shot from Dave McDonald.
The Earle family is traveling around the country in this repurposed school bus on The Big Blue Bus Tour. Parents Amy and Jake Earle plan to teach those they visit on their journey about photography and how to capture extraordinary moments on camera. For more information about The Big Blue Bus Tour, visit http://simplybphotos.com. Photo by Amy Earle.
The Big Blue Bus Tour is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheBigBlueBusTour. Photo by Amy Earle.
This 1987 Thomas bus belongs to Jon Jeude of Houston, who works part time for Tomball Independent School District. "It was my route bus," he says. "I have spruced it up with some of the newer LED technology, as well as retrofitting a Spicer 4 speed overdrive auxiliary transmission behind the main transmission, which is now a five-speed Eaton Fuller. The 7.3 diesel died earlier this year and will be replaced by a DT 360 in the coming months. There has been lots of fun associated with this bus, as it is a toy for me, and a party bus to others."
Scott Nunnari of Muni Lot Browns Backers purchased this bus in 2006 and converted it into a tailgate vehicle. The "Dum Dog" is a rolling sports bar supporting the Cleveland Browns.
School bus enthusiast Matt Sayer owns four repurposed school buses, including the three pictured here. He says he works on the buses as a hobby, but he would like to start using the buses for charter services at some point. He currently drives motorcoaches full time and recently became certified to drive school buses in Michigan. "My first bus was a 1990 Blue Bird TC2000, similar to the one I rode on as a kid," Sayer says. "My second bus, a 2002 Blue Bird All American RE, was purchased locally with the intent of flipping for profit."
Another shot of one of Matt Sayer's school buses. "After graduating college I bought my third bus from a dealer," he says. "Though the fourth bus was a smaller body and conventional style, it was already painted, was newer, had lower miles, had tinted windows, one rooftop air-conditioning unit and a generator. It is a 1999 GMC Blue Bird CV200."
Blue Bird Corp. recognized the good deeds of the organization One Million Acts of Kindness by presenting its founder the keys to this 24-foot bus. It’s a badly needed upgrade from the used, 23-year-old bus the group purchased in 2009. SBF featured the old bus in this photo gallery from 2011. Blue Bird gave the freshly painted, road-ready new bus to founder Bob Votruba and his canine sidekick, Bogart. The donation will allow the charity to serve a greater geographic audience and continue to positively impact lives across the nation.
Benassi says he painted the bus one of the district's school colors, and he had students in kindergarten through fifth grade sign their names on the bus. "They really love the monster face on the bus," he adds. "Most of them came to the local race track to watch the race."
Ashton Scales submitted this photo of a '93 Blue Bird TC2000 bus he purchased in 2008 at Canyon State Bus Sales with the intent of turning it into a motorhome. All of the original seats were removed and eight adult seats were installed. "The bus got painted DuPont white by Auto Safety House in Tucson," he says. "In addition, extensive maintenance was done on the 5.9 Cummins engine. Today, the bus runs like new and is used as my motorhome, private taxi, limousine, etc."
He's also outfitted it with fold-up tables, chairs, new tires and a CB radio. "It's definitely one of the best purchases I've made!" Scales says of the bus.
Dave McDonald of Rosco Vision Systems submitted this photo of a school bus that is now used for safari tours at The Wilds in southeastern Ohio.
A shot inside The Big Blue Bus. Photo by Amy Earle.
Dale Honkala races retired school buses on a dirt track, like those pictured here. "I have raced one for the past three years, been rolled over once and had lots of flat tires," he says. "It is a lot of fun; I have a racing seat with a five-point seat belt for safety reasons. There have been as many as 16 buses on a 3/8 mile oval track at once!" Honkala works for Cloquet Transit Co. in Minnesota and races the buses at a speedway in Proctor.