Vintage School Buses

In this shot submitted by Dan Kobussen of Kobussen Buses Ltd. from September 1963, the company's buses are ready for an inspection in front of a maintenance facility.

This photo was taken in May 1982. Three Kobussen drivers placed in the top 10 at the Wisconsin School Bus Association roadeo. "We went to Kansas City that summer with the two motorhomes to compete at the National School Transportation Association safety competition," says Dan Kobussen, who submitted the photo. The company is based in Kaukauna, Wis.

Dan Kobussen's dad, Jim, is on the left, and his uncle Jack is on the right. "The bus is parked on the ramp leading up to the barn," Kobussen says. "The buses were parked on the grade so that they could wash out the inside of the buses."

This shot of Northshore School District buses from 1962 was submitted by Connie Noll. The district is based in Bothell, Wash.

Another shot from Connie Noll shows Northshore School District buses from 1957.

This photo of a 1985 78-passenger Crown Supercoach was submitted by Robert Berkstresser of Escondido (Calif.) Union High School District. "This is an excellent example of a vanishing breed," he says. "Crown Coach closed its doors in early 1991. This bus is one of the last group of Crown Supercoaches produced in the original Los Angeles factory prior to the move to Chino, Calif. It was originally built for Tehachapi Unified School District. It is currently in service and running strong for the Escondido Union High School District. At 28 years of age, it is the most reliable school bus in the fleet."

Another vintage shot submitted by Tom Carroll of Shasta Union High School District buses and staff.

Another photo submitted by Ray Gesaman of Northwest Local School District. "Pictured here is bus 17, a 1971 IH Loadstar with Carpenter body," he says. "This unit was powered by a gas engine and standard shift transmission. I'm not certain where this photo was taken in the district. This scan is from the July 10, 1978, edition of The Signal News. This bus was retired prior to 1985."

This photo was submitted by Norman Mars of First Student Inc. in Springfield, Ill. He says it is a 1958 or 1959 Chevrolet Suburban converted to a mini-school bus. "These were used quite a bit prior to the 'mini-van' conversions on the Ford Econoline Vans and the Dodge Tradesman vans," Mars explains.

A shot submitted by Dan Kobussen of a school bus inspection from 1970.

Katrina Falk sent us this photo of a 1977 Crown Supercoach that she owns. It's from Pollock Pines, Calif. "It was originally delivered to Taylor Bus and was then purchased by Pollock Pines Elementary School District in northern California," she explains. "It has a 671 Detroit Diesel engine, a Fuller RT910 10-speed transmission, a Jacob's engine brake and Onspot tire chains."

This is bus 19 from Northwest Local School District in Ohio circa 1972. "This bus is a 1972 IH Loadstar with Carpenter Body," says Ray Gesaman, who works for the district. "It is one of three units purchased that year by the school district. The bus was equipped with a gas engine and standard shift transmission. This photo is a scan from our former local newspaper, The Signal News. This picture appeared in the May 16, 1979, edition and highlights the retirement of former driver Anna Selman, who's now deceased. She was the first woman driver hired full time by the district."

This is a 1972 Wayne International, and the photo was taken by its driver, Steve Hafner, in 1981. The bus is from Baltimore County Public Schools' old bus fleet. The photo was submitted by Jared Grodnitzky of Crown Shade Co. "I’ve spent a lot of time researching the 'old' Baltimore County Public Schools fleet over the past few years," he says.

This photo, also submitted by Jared Grodnitzky, shows an order of 54 brand-new Carpenter Internationals arriving in the summer of 1964.

This shot sent to us by Jared Grodnitzky shows an order of 10 new Wayne Dodges arriving in 1960.

This photo of a 1988 International school bus was submitted by David Schwartz of Schwartz Buses in Brooklyn, N.Y. Schwartz says the bus has a DT360 engine and a AT545 transmission. "I've driven this bus since the company purchased it in 2005," Schwartz says. "Twice I had the chance of getting a newer bus, but I went back to this bus. Since I am on top of the maintenance, I make sure it runs OK, and I love this bus."

This is an International/Divco unit. The photo was also submitted by Mars. He says this body and chassis were very popular throughout the country as door-to-door milk delivery trucks in the 1950s and 1960s. "This one has Washington state license plates and appears to be sitting in a field, abandoned," Mars says. "The last time I saw one of these still in service as a school bus was in Tennessee in the early 1970s."