Blue Bird School Buses

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who manufactures Blue Bird buses?

  Blue Bird buses are manufactured by the Blue Bird Corporation in Fort Valley, Georgia. The first Blue Bird bus, Blue Bird “Number One,” was completed in 1927 by A.L. Luce, a Ford dealership franchise owner who developed some of the earliest purpose-built school buses to replace wooden wagons. In 1932, Luce closed his Ford dealerships and founded the Blue Bird Body Company so he could concentrate exclusively on bus production. By 1937, Blue Bird was producing full-steel bus bodies, and in 1939, Blue Bird contributed to the selection of school bus yellow, the color still used on school buses today.

  The company name was changed from Blue Bird Body Company to Blue Bird Corporation in 1991 after Merrill Lynch Capital Partners purchased an 82% share.

• What types of buses does Blue Bird make?

  Blue Bird offers a complete line of Type A, C, and D school and activity buses in a variety of options and configurations.

  • Blue Bird All American: Type D school bus first introduced in 1948. Available in either a front engine (All American FE) or rear engine (All American RE) configuration, the All American FE can hold up to 90 passengers and the All American RE can hold up to 84. The All American can be configured with a diesel, CNG or electric powertrain.
  • Blue Bird Vision: Type C school bus that has been in production since 2003. The Vision offers room for up to 83 passengers and is available with a gasoline, diesel, propane, or electric powertrain.
  • Blue Bird Micro Bird: Type A bus first introduced in 1975. Since 2010, Micro Birds have been produced as part of a joint venture with Quebec-based Girardin Minibus. Available in three different models, Micro Bird buses can hold 9–30 passengers and are available with gasoline, diesel, propane or electric powertrains.
• Does Blue Bird make electric buses?

  Blue Bird was the first to market electric school buses in 1994 and now offers two electric school bus models, the Vision Electric and All American RE Electric. The Vision Electric has a range of up to 120 miles and can hold up to 77 passengers, while the All American RE Electric has a range of up to 120 miles and can hold up to 84 passengers. Both buses are powered by the Cummins PowerDrive 7000 lithium-ion NMC battery.

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• What engines are in Blue Bird buses?

  Blue Bird’s diesel buses are outfitted with either a Cummins B6.7 diesel engine (Vision, All American RE, and All American FE) or a Cummins L9 diesel engine (All American RE). The All American RE CNG school bus features a Cummins L9N compressed natural gas engine.

  The Vision Gas school bus features the Ford 7.3L V8 gasoline engine, while the Vision Propane is equipped with the Ford 7.3L engine with a ROUSH CleanTech Liquid Propane Fuel System.

• How many passengers can Blue Bird buses hold?

  Blue Bird buses are specifically tailored to each customer and are available in a wide variety of configurations and seating arrangements. Blue Bird’s NextGen Seats can be easily removed, rearranged, and mixed and matched to allow for flexible, versatile seating arrangements.

  The All American RE can accommodate up to 84 passengers, while the All American FE can hold up to 90 passengers. The Vision can fit up to 83 passengers in the diesel, propane, and gasoline models, and the Vision Electric can hold up to 77 passengers.

• Which chassis are Blue Bird buses built on?

  The All American and Vision are built on Blue Bird’s exclusive purpose-built chassis specifically designed for bus applications. Micro Bird models can be built on a Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana, Ford E-350/E-450, or Ford Transit chassis.

• How much do Blue Bird buses cost?

  Because each Blue Bird bus is specially tailored to your unique needs, the cost of a Blue Bird bus can vary greatly depending on the model, configuration, powertrain, etc.

  View our new and used Blue Bird bus inventory and contact us to receive a specific quote from one of our sales representatives based on the bus model and configuration options you are interested in.

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• What safety features are available on Blue Bird buses?

  Blue Bird buses meet and exceed U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. They are also certified to Colorado Rack and Load, Kentucky Pole, and Altoona Test standards.

  Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and backup cameras are standard on every Blue Bird bus, as well as Blue Bird’s one-piece roof passenger safety cage and fully mounted rub rails that provide structural rigidity and protection for passengers. Enhanced forward and mirror visibility for the driver, Blue Bird’s E-Z Light Check System, and windshield defrost air flow improve driver awareness and visibility to increase the safety of children in and around the bus. And all Blue Bird buses have a best-in-class turning radius that provides superior maneuverability for the driver.

  Blue Bird’s buses also meet current EPA and CARB emissions standards, including optional Ultra Low Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) 0.02 emissions on Vision Propane buses and zero emissions on electric buses.

• How many Blue Bird dealerships does Rush Bus Centers have?

  Rush Bus Centers is the country’s premier bus dealer network and currently operates 23 full-service Blue Bird dealerships in Texas.

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• Is Rush Bus Centers certified to service and sell parts for Blue Bird buses?

  Our Rush Bus Centers service departments are staffed by factory-trained, ASE-certified technicians qualified to work on type A, C, and D buses. We currently have 25 dealerships certified to service and sell parts for Blue Bird buses.

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