Ward Body Works
Encyclopedia
Ward Body Works was a manufacturer specializing in school buses based in Conway, Arkansas
. Ward filed for bankruptcy in 1980, and its successor, AmTran
continued the use of the Ward brand on its school buses until 1992.
in 1933 when he "lowered the roof of a wooden bus for Mr. Carl Brady of the Southside Schools". Southside Schools were located about 15 miles north of Conway.. Later in the 1930s, the company produced its first all-metal body bus as steel replaced wood as the predominant body material in the industry. In the 1960s, Ward School Bus Manufacturing, Inc. was responsible for many notable innovations including use of computers in manufacturing (using IBM 360s), safety advances, and manufacturing process improvements. In the 1970s, Ward opened an assembly facility in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
, but this plant was closed in 1975. In 1976, Ward built a prototype Type D transit school and commercial bus on an International Harvester chassis with front-wheel drive and tandem rear tag axles; it did not enter production.
Type A
Vanguard dual rear-wheel cutaway van
Type B
Coachette on General Motors P30 chassis
Type C
Patriot semi-forward contral conventional
Volunteer conventional on various chassis
Type D
President front-engine on various chassis
Senator front-engine on Navistar International 3900
chassis
Conway, Arkansas
Conway is the county seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 58,908 at the 2010 census, making Conway the seventh most populous city in Arkansas. It is a principal city of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area which had...
. Ward filed for bankruptcy in 1980, and its successor, AmTran
AmTran
American Transportation Corporation was a builder of school buses in the United States. Founded in 1980, the company traces its roots back to Ward Body Works, which was established in 1933. AmTran was acquired by Navistar International in 1994-1995, a move that would begin a series of alignment...
continued the use of the Ward brand on its school buses until 1992.
History
D. H. "Dave" Ward founded Ward Body Works in Conway, ArkansasConway, Arkansas
Conway is the county seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 58,908 at the 2010 census, making Conway the seventh most populous city in Arkansas. It is a principal city of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area which had...
in 1933 when he "lowered the roof of a wooden bus for Mr. Carl Brady of the Southside Schools". Southside Schools were located about 15 miles north of Conway.. Later in the 1930s, the company produced its first all-metal body bus as steel replaced wood as the predominant body material in the industry. In the 1960s, Ward School Bus Manufacturing, Inc. was responsible for many notable innovations including use of computers in manufacturing (using IBM 360s), safety advances, and manufacturing process improvements. In the 1970s, Ward opened an assembly facility in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,987 at the 2010 census. It is located 31 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, and on the Beaver River, six miles from its confluence with the Ohio River...
, but this plant was closed in 1975. In 1976, Ward built a prototype Type D transit school and commercial bus on an International Harvester chassis with front-wheel drive and tandem rear tag axles; it did not enter production.
Products
Vanguard dual rear-wheel cutaway van
- Chevrolet Van/GMC VanduraChevrolet VanThe Chevrolet and GMC G-Series vans were made by General Motors for North America. They are in the same vehicle class as the Ford Econoline van and the Dodge Ram Van.The term "Chevrolet van" also refers to the entire series of vans sold by Chevrolet...
chassis - Ford Econoline 350Ford E-SeriesThe Ford E-Series, formerly known as the Econoline or Club Wagon, is a line of full-size vans and truck chassis from the Ford Motor Company. The E-Series is related to the Ford F-Series line of pickup trucks. The line was introduced in 1961 as a compact van and its descendants are still produced...
chassis
Type B
Coachette on General Motors P30 chassis
Type C
Patriot semi-forward contral conventional
- General Motors chassis
Volunteer conventional on various chassis
- Dodge D-300
- Chevrolet/GMC B-Series
- Ford B-SeriesFord B-SeriesThe Ford B-Series was a Type C bus chassis manufactured by Ford Motor Company from 1948 to 1998 and was used primarily for school bus applications...
- International Harvester LoadstarInternational Harvester LoadstarLoadstar is a series of medium-duty trucks made by International Harvester from 1962 to 1979. It was primarily used for local delivery, including school buses and fire engines. It was also used extensively in the agricultural and construction industries....
/S-Series "Schoolmaster"International Harvester S-Series (bus chassis)The International S-Series "Schoolmaster" was a Type C bus chassis manufactured by International Harvester, which became Navistar during its production run. It was introduced in 1979 as the replacement for the Loadstar bus chassis; it was used for both school bus and commercial bus applications... - Navistar International 3700/3800International 3800The International 3800 is a Type C bus chassis that was manufactured by Navistar International for school bus and commercial bus applications. It was produced from 1989 until 2004. The replacement for the S-Series "Schoolmaster", the 3800 used powertrains and components from the 4700 and 4900...
Type D
President front-engine on various chassis
- International Harvester 1853FC
- General Motors S-7
- Asia-Smith Motors forward-control chassis
Senator front-engine on Navistar International 3900
International 3900
The International 3900 was a front-engine Type D bus chassis manufactured by Navistar International, used for school bus applications. It was the replacement for the 1853-FC chassis, based on the S-Series "Schoolmaster" introduced in the late 1970s...
chassis
See Also
- AmTranAmTranAmerican Transportation Corporation was a builder of school buses in the United States. Founded in 1980, the company traces its roots back to Ward Body Works, which was established in 1933. AmTran was acquired by Navistar International in 1994-1995, a move that would begin a series of alignment...
- direct successor - IC Bus - successor to AmTran