Blue Bird All American
Encyclopedia
The Blue Bird All American is an American
school bus
produced by the Blue Bird Corporation (originally Blue Bird Body Company). Introduced in 1948, the All American is the longest-produced transit-style (Type D) school bus by an American manufacturer. While not the first to use the transit-style design, the All American popularized it through most of the United States during the mid-20th century. It is produced in both a front engine-version
and a rear-engine version
.
For the 2010 model year, the All American underwent a major design change. The 2010 model (internally designated "D3") bears little resemblance to the previous design ("A3"), which was introduced in 1999. Previous updates to the All American were done in 1989, 1977 (due to changes in school bus safety standards), and in 1962.
s were phased out in a nationwide movement in the US to consolidate schools into fewer and larger ones, facilitating graded class structures. This meant that fewer students were attending school in their immediate neighborhoods, particularly as they progressed into high school
, and the previous practice of walking to school for many became impractical.
Company founder Albert Luce Sr. saw a design for a flat front bus at the 1948 Paris Auto Salon. Blue Bird Body Company developed their own transit-style design later that year which evolved into the Blue Bird All-American, often considered among one of the pioneering designs that gained widespread acceptance for transit-style school buses in North America. However, the first school bus manufacturer to design that type of school bus was Crown Coach Corporation
. Crown designed their Supercoach in 1932 and had redesigned it in 1948; with minimal updates, the 1948-style Supercoach remained in production for 43 years (until Crown's 1991 demise).
. The Wanderlodge gained a reputation for its hand-crafted interiors as well as its all-steel construction. As did all school bus manufacturers, Blue Bird upgraded the All American during the 1970s to pass the more stringent school bus safety standards for 1977 with stronger bodywork and higher, padded seats. The 1970s also saw the introduction of diesel engines as Blue Bird sought to increase the All American's fuel economy as well as better compete against West Coast manufacturers. As the front-engine version of the All American proved more popular than the rear-engine version, the rear-engine chassis continued to be outsourced (typically to International Harvester). In 1988, Blue Bird introduced its first purpose-built rear-engine chassis for the All American. Today, all Blue Bird buses (with the exception of the Micro Bird) utilize a Blue Bird chassis.
for the 1988 model year, the All American received its own extensive upgrades for 1989. Inside, the driver's compartment was completely redesigned with a modern instrument cluster and a smaller engine cover for front-engine models. Entry doors gained more visibility through the use of larger glass panels (a feature later adopted throughout the Blue Bird lineup). The most visible changes were focused on the front end. Although not as simple as the TC/2000, the amount of chrome from the grille was pared down significantly. Also, the vertically stacked round headlights (in use since 1964) were replaced by horizontally mounted rectangular headlights. To improve serviceability, Blue Bird made a number of the front body panels removable for general maintenance.
Another change that this generation of All American marked was its name used in export markets; to bring it in line with the TC/2000, the All American's export name changed to the Blue Bird TC/3000. Previously, Canadian exports (the largest market outside the United States) were re-branded as Blue Bird All Canadians.
Much like its ancestor, the 1989 All American would change little over its production run. However, Blue Bird became the first school bus manufacturer to offer a school bus with a compressed natural gas
(CNG) powertrain. CNG-fueled All American REs first became an option in 1991.
Structurally, the All American A3 FE differed from its predecessor (and from all other front-engine school buses); the A3 FE marked the debuted the design of the "dropped" front frame. The front portion of the frame rails were designed lower than the rest of the frame. Consequently, that reduced the size of the engine housing and its intrusion in the driver's compartment. The driver's compartment also received a redesign of the instrument and control panels from the 1989-1999 generation.
Throughout its lifespan, the A3 All American changed relatively little. However, it came at a time when Blue Bird significantly trimmed its transit-style bus lineup. In 2001, the TC/1000 was removed from production and the last TC/2000 was produced in 2003. As such, at the end of its production life, the two A3 All Americans were serving the customer base initially served by five buses when it was introduced. After the introduction of the All American D3 in late 2008, the rear-engine version of the A3 was discontinued while the front-engine version remained in production. Along as its traditional role of a school bus, Blue Bird still produces the A3-generation All American for GSA
orders as well as for export worldwide.
A notable feature of the D3's redesign was the design of the headlights: the 2010 All American is the first version since the 1950s to have dual headlights instead of quad headlights and it is the first All American to have round headlights since 1988. Inside, the driver's compartment was completely redesigned for better visibility and ergonomics.
Other changes were intended to make the D3 more passenger-friendly; the D3's roof has squared-off corners to increase headroom while standing up and a flat floor is available as an option in front-engine models. Both of these designs were influenced by the TC/1000 of 1997-2001.
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
Diesel
Blue Bird has a history of exporting the All American to foreign markets. Outside of the United States, the name is changed. When it was first marketed to Canada, the All American was re-branded as the Blue Bird All Canadian. After Blue Bird began the production of the TC/2000 in the 1980s, the All Canadian was re-named the Blue Bird TC/3000, which also became its name in markets outside of North America. When the All American was redesigned for the 2010 model year, the name of all export versions was changed to Blue Bird TX3.
South American Production
When Blue Bird had a manufacturing facility located in Guatemala (Blue Bird Central America), the All American body was produced. The All Americans produced in South America differed from those in the United States in that they utilized locally available truck chassis (Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Hino) instead of the in-house Blue Bird chassis. These buses were used for both student transport and mass transit. Blue Bird ended bus production in Guatemala in the early 1980s.
The Blue Bird CS (Commercial Series) is a commercial transit bus
derived from the All American product line. During their production runs, the TC/2000
and TC/1000 also had CS derivatives of their own. Due to its high parts commonality with the school bus line, the CS is the only commercial bus product Blue Bird still manufactures in its focus on school buses. Currently, Blue Bird has not designed a transit bus variant of the D3-generation All American.
, a luxury motorhome. The All American body was used from the beginning of production in 1963 until 1990, when Blue Bird switched from the All American platform to a 102 inches (2.6 m) wide motorcoach platform, 6 inches wider than the school bus body.
Thomas Built Buses
Carpenter/Crown by Carpenter
Crown Coach Corporaration
Gillig Brothers/Gillig Corporation
New Bus, Inc.
Superior Coach Company
Thomas Built Buses
Wayne Corporation/Wayne Wheeled Vehicles
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
produced by the Blue Bird Corporation (originally Blue Bird Body Company). Introduced in 1948, the All American is the longest-produced transit-style (Type D) school bus by an American manufacturer. While not the first to use the transit-style design, the All American popularized it through most of the United States during the mid-20th century. It is produced in both a front engine-version
Front-engine design
A front-mounted engine describes the placement of an automobile engine in front of the vehicle passenger compartment.Historically, this designation was used regardless of whether or not the entire engine was behind the front axle line...
and a rear-engine version
Rear-engine design
In automobile design, a rear-engine design layout places the engine at the rear of the vehicle. The center of gravity of the engine itself is past the rear axle...
.
For the 2010 model year, the All American underwent a major design change. The 2010 model (internally designated "D3") bears little resemblance to the previous design ("A3"), which was introduced in 1999. Previous updates to the All American were done in 1989, 1977 (due to changes in school bus safety standards), and in 1962.
Overview
The Blue Bird All American was created as the design of schools in the U.S. education system changed immediately following World War II. Additionally, the baby boom generation caused a large increase in the demand for school buses in transportation. In rural communities, one-room schoolOne-room school
One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
s were phased out in a nationwide movement in the US to consolidate schools into fewer and larger ones, facilitating graded class structures. This meant that fewer students were attending school in their immediate neighborhoods, particularly as they progressed into high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, and the previous practice of walking to school for many became impractical.
Company founder Albert Luce Sr. saw a design for a flat front bus at the 1948 Paris Auto Salon. Blue Bird Body Company developed their own transit-style design later that year which evolved into the Blue Bird All-American, often considered among one of the pioneering designs that gained widespread acceptance for transit-style school buses in North America. However, the first school bus manufacturer to design that type of school bus was Crown Coach Corporation
Crown Coach Corporation
Crown Coach Corporation was a manufacturer of school buses and fire trucks located in southern California. Crown closed in March 1991 due to declining demand for school buses at the time.-History:Crown Coach Corporation was founded by Don M...
. Crown designed their Supercoach in 1932 and had redesigned it in 1948; with minimal updates, the 1948-style Supercoach remained in production for 43 years (until Crown's 1991 demise).
Design History
At the 1948 Paris Auto Salon, Albert L. Luce, the owner of Blue Bird Body Company, saw a forward-control bus based on a GMC chassis. After the show, Luce brought back to Fort Valley, Georgia, a fully built forward-control bus produced in Belgium because he was unable to secure a supply of GMC chassis in order to produce bodies. The chassis for the first All Americans were conversions of conventional truck chassis, a common practice of the time.First generation (1948-1988)
In 1952, Blue Bird became the first school bus manufacturer to produce its own chassis rather than rely on outside suppliers for the All American. Not only was the chassis produced in-house, but rather than modifying a truck chassis, it was designed from the ground up as a bus chassis. In the late 1950s, the All American's body and chassis were redesigned with flatter sides and a taller roof; quad headlights, a signature of the All American, were also added. In 1962, a taller and wider windshield was added. All of these changes were passed onto the Blue Bird Conventional and the basic body shape would stay unchanged for nearly 50 years. In 1963, the front-engine version of the All American was developed into an high-end recreational vehicle, the WanderlodgeBlue Bird Wanderlodge
Wanderlodge is a high end brand of Class A motorhome recreational vehicle that was built by Blue Bird Body Company now Blue Bird Corporation in Fort Valley, Georgia, from about 1963 until 2009. Production started with a gas powered forward control model and expanded to include larger diesel...
. The Wanderlodge gained a reputation for its hand-crafted interiors as well as its all-steel construction. As did all school bus manufacturers, Blue Bird upgraded the All American during the 1970s to pass the more stringent school bus safety standards for 1977 with stronger bodywork and higher, padded seats. The 1970s also saw the introduction of diesel engines as Blue Bird sought to increase the All American's fuel economy as well as better compete against West Coast manufacturers. As the front-engine version of the All American proved more popular than the rear-engine version, the rear-engine chassis continued to be outsourced (typically to International Harvester). In 1988, Blue Bird introduced its first purpose-built rear-engine chassis for the All American. Today, all Blue Bird buses (with the exception of the Micro Bird) utilize a Blue Bird chassis.
Second generation (1989-1998)
Coinciding with the introduction of Blue Bird's TC/2000Blue Bird TC/2000
The Blue Bird TC/2000 is a Type D school bus built by Blue Bird Corporation which was introduced for the 1988 model year. Blue Bird introduced the TC/2000 as a lower-cost alternative to the long-running All American line of transit-style school buses...
for the 1988 model year, the All American received its own extensive upgrades for 1989. Inside, the driver's compartment was completely redesigned with a modern instrument cluster and a smaller engine cover for front-engine models. Entry doors gained more visibility through the use of larger glass panels (a feature later adopted throughout the Blue Bird lineup). The most visible changes were focused on the front end. Although not as simple as the TC/2000, the amount of chrome from the grille was pared down significantly. Also, the vertically stacked round headlights (in use since 1964) were replaced by horizontally mounted rectangular headlights. To improve serviceability, Blue Bird made a number of the front body panels removable for general maintenance.
Another change that this generation of All American marked was its name used in export markets; to bring it in line with the TC/2000, the All American's export name changed to the Blue Bird TC/3000. Previously, Canadian exports (the largest market outside the United States) were re-branded as Blue Bird All Canadians.
Much like its ancestor, the 1989 All American would change little over its production run. However, Blue Bird became the first school bus manufacturer to offer a school bus with a compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
(CNG) powertrain. CNG-fueled All American REs first became an option in 1991.
Third generation (1999-2009)
In 1999, Blue Bird introduced a new generation of the All American, code-named "A3". Although the All American FE was sold alongside the TC/2000 and TC/1000, the 2000 All American RE served as a successor to the rear-engine TC/2000. The TC/2000 also donated its larger windshield to the All American. This was a change that necessitated a smaller grille (on FE versions); the Blue Bird lettering moved from above to below the grille in between the headlights.Structurally, the All American A3 FE differed from its predecessor (and from all other front-engine school buses); the A3 FE marked the debuted the design of the "dropped" front frame. The front portion of the frame rails were designed lower than the rest of the frame. Consequently, that reduced the size of the engine housing and its intrusion in the driver's compartment. The driver's compartment also received a redesign of the instrument and control panels from the 1989-1999 generation.
Throughout its lifespan, the A3 All American changed relatively little. However, it came at a time when Blue Bird significantly trimmed its transit-style bus lineup. In 2001, the TC/1000 was removed from production and the last TC/2000 was produced in 2003. As such, at the end of its production life, the two A3 All Americans were serving the customer base initially served by five buses when it was introduced. After the introduction of the All American D3 in late 2008, the rear-engine version of the A3 was discontinued while the front-engine version remained in production. Along as its traditional role of a school bus, Blue Bird still produces the A3-generation All American for GSA
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
orders as well as for export worldwide.
Fourth generation (2010-present)
The new-generation 2010 All American, known by the code name "D3", was unveiled at an industry trade show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on October 28, 2008. The exterior features the most extensive changes to the All American's body design in nearly 50 years.A notable feature of the D3's redesign was the design of the headlights: the 2010 All American is the first version since the 1950s to have dual headlights instead of quad headlights and it is the first All American to have round headlights since 1988. Inside, the driver's compartment was completely redesigned for better visibility and ergonomics.
Other changes were intended to make the D3 more passenger-friendly; the D3's roof has squared-off corners to increase headroom while standing up and a flat floor is available as an option in front-engine models. Both of these designs were influenced by the TC/1000 of 1997-2001.
| Model Name | All American FE | All American RE |
|---|---|---|
| Seating Capacity | 54-90 | 66-84 |
| Overall Length (inches) | 354–487 in (9–12.4 m) | 405–489 in (10.3–12.4 m) |
| Body Width (exterior) | 96 inches (2.4 m) | |
| Body Height (depending on configuration) | 123–124 in (3.1–3.1 m) | 126 inches (3.2 m) |
| Wheelbase | 141–232 in (3.6–5.9 m) | 189–273 in (4.8–6.9 m) |
| Interior Headroom | 78 inches (2 m) | |
| GVWR | Up to 36200 lbs | |
| Fuel Type(s) | Diesel |
|
| Engine | Cummins ISB-10 (200 hp) |
(260 hp) (250 hp) |
| Transmission |
|
|
| Brakes |
Standard
Optional
|
Standard
|
Powertrain history
Engine
Gasoline- Chevrolet 427 cu in (7 l) Mark IV V8
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
- Cummins ISL-G
- John Deere 6.8L
- John Deere 8.1L
Diesel
- Caterpillar 3208
- Caterpillar 3116
- Caterpillar 3126
- Caterpillar C7
- Cummins VT555 "Triple Nickel" V8
- Cummins B5.9/ISBCummins B Series engineThe Cummins B Series is a family of straight-four and straight-6 diesel truck and industrial piston engines manufactured by Cummins. The B Series is known for displacing "one liter per cylinder" because of the popular straight-four and straight-six. A straight-four is also available...
- Cummins C8.3/ISCCummins C Series engineThe Cummins ISC is a straight-six diesel engine, design by a Cummins production line, which is in displacement. This went into production in March 1998 by Cummins. The engine was built off its predecessor, the Cummins C 8.3 litre engine originally introduced in 1985 as the 6C8.3...
- Detroit Diesel 8.2L "Fuel Pincher" V8
Transmission
Automatic- Allison AT545
- Allison MT643
- Allison 2000 Series
- Allison World/MD3060
- Allison B300
- Allison PTS 2500
- Allison PTS 3000
Export Markets
Export SalesBlue Bird has a history of exporting the All American to foreign markets. Outside of the United States, the name is changed. When it was first marketed to Canada, the All American was re-branded as the Blue Bird All Canadian. After Blue Bird began the production of the TC/2000 in the 1980s, the All Canadian was re-named the Blue Bird TC/3000, which also became its name in markets outside of North America. When the All American was redesigned for the 2010 model year, the name of all export versions was changed to Blue Bird TX3.
South American Production
When Blue Bird had a manufacturing facility located in Guatemala (Blue Bird Central America), the All American body was produced. The All Americans produced in South America differed from those in the United States in that they utilized locally available truck chassis (Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Hino) instead of the in-house Blue Bird chassis. These buses were used for both student transport and mass transit. Blue Bird ended bus production in Guatemala in the early 1980s.
Blue Bird CS
Transit bus
A transit bus , also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus, is a bus used for short-distance public transport purposes...
derived from the All American product line. During their production runs, the TC/2000
Blue Bird TC/2000
The Blue Bird TC/2000 is a Type D school bus built by Blue Bird Corporation which was introduced for the 1988 model year. Blue Bird introduced the TC/2000 as a lower-cost alternative to the long-running All American line of transit-style school buses...
and TC/1000 also had CS derivatives of their own. Due to its high parts commonality with the school bus line, the CS is the only commercial bus product Blue Bird still manufactures in its focus on school buses. Currently, Blue Bird has not designed a transit bus variant of the D3-generation All American.
Wanderlodge
The All American school bus body and chassis served as the platform for the Blue Bird WanderlodgeBlue Bird Wanderlodge
Wanderlodge is a high end brand of Class A motorhome recreational vehicle that was built by Blue Bird Body Company now Blue Bird Corporation in Fort Valley, Georgia, from about 1963 until 2009. Production started with a gas powered forward control model and expanded to include larger diesel...
, a luxury motorhome. The All American body was used from the beginning of production in 1963 until 1990, when Blue Bird switched from the All American platform to a 102 inches (2.6 m) wide motorcoach platform, 6 inches wider than the school bus body.
Comparable products
Contemporary
IC Bus- IC Bus FE
- IC Bus RE
Thomas Built Buses
- Thomas Saf-T-Liner EF
- Thomas Saf-T-Liner HDX
Historic
AmTran/Ward- AmTran Genesis
- AmTran RE
- Ward President
- Ward Senator
Carpenter/Crown by Carpenter
- Carpenter Cavalier
- Carpenter Chancellor
- Carpenter Coach RE
- Carpenter Corsair
- Carpenter Counselor FE/RE (Crown FE/RE)
Crown Coach Corporaration
- Crown Supercoach
- Crown Supercoach Series II
Gillig Brothers/Gillig Corporation
- Gillig Transit Coach
- Gillig PhantomGillig Phantom (school bus)The school bus version of the Gillig Phantom, referred to as the Gillig Phantom School Bus, was introduced in 1986. Production ended after 1993, after none had been sold in 1991 or 1992....
New Bus, Inc.
- New Bus Chickasha FE
Superior Coach Company
- Superior SuperCruiser FE/RE
Thomas Built Buses
- Thomas All Star EF
- Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP EF/ER
- Thomas Saf-T-Liner ER/WestCoastER
Wayne Corporation/Wayne Wheeled Vehicles
- Wayne Rear Engine
- Wayne LifestarWayne LifestarThe Wayne Lifestar is a front-engine transit-style school bus produced by Wayne Corporation and its successor Wayne Wheeled Vehicles. It was introduced in 1986 and production continued until the demise of Wayne Wheeled Vehicles in 1995.-Overview:...
See also
- Blue Bird WanderlodgeBlue Bird WanderlodgeWanderlodge is a high end brand of Class A motorhome recreational vehicle that was built by Blue Bird Body Company now Blue Bird Corporation in Fort Valley, Georgia, from about 1963 until 2009. Production started with a gas powered forward control model and expanded to include larger diesel...
- luxury motorhome based on the All American from the early 1960s to the early 1990s - Blue Bird TC/2000Blue Bird TC/2000The Blue Bird TC/2000 is a Type D school bus built by Blue Bird Corporation which was introduced for the 1988 model year. Blue Bird introduced the TC/2000 as a lower-cost alternative to the long-running All American line of transit-style school buses...
- Blue Bird's other Type D product line (1988–2003).