Thomas Built Buses was supposed to build many new buses for NC, but they ended up messing up and making everything except the rubrail colors, according to the SC spec. What's why SC got the pure yellow buses. A lot of NC activity buses were also made that way, but we kept those. My county has two SC spec activity buses, and 1 SC 2004 IC RE200.
@@ThomasVsBlueBird Yep, I got my CDL/started driving so I could make some extra money in addition to teaching. By the time I started, those transits had been gone for over 3 years.
I remember when the transits were here. They were still here when they decided to build the bus lot behind one of our elementary schools. Now our fleet is full of 17-20s and a few DD5. Our 2008s been taken off and even our last two All American.
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 yes! My district decided to take ours off the road. They plan on turning them into Activity Buses along with some 2008s from the state
Great Video and very good info! I was very lucky to experience the 3800 aswell as the transits! I remember when I was first steped on a transit I feel in love. Despite having no A/C those buses were the best!
When South Carolina began replacing all of their 1995-1996 Thomas ER buses, they could have at least gone with IC buses for variety alongside Blue Bird and Thomas.
@@alexlautzenheiser5024 I agree. The SCAPT (essentially the school bus association for the state) recently participated in a Learn & Drive session with the new CE300, so IC may make a return to South Carolina in the future.
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 The CE is now what it's referred to since MaxxForce engines were discontinued on all their buses in 2016. Since then, they switched to Cummins. The 1988 Blue Bird S-1700s along with the 1990 Blue Bird 3800s were the most reliable buses South Carolina ever had.
@@2004InternationalRE3 I was talking about the mid-2010s when South Carolina began replacing their 1995-96 Thomas ERs. They did add Blue Bird buses when replacing them, such as the T3 REs. Thomas Built Buses though, mostly C2s have replaced them. South Carolina for some reason never added in IC buses for more variety. At the time, IC CEs and IC REs were still being made.
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 I'm glad it's not just me. I can remember my bus driver telling us about them and hearing the excitement in her voice had me too excited for it. She described it to a tee👌🏾 And when she pulled up in it that morning when they finally came in, it was everything and then some that she said it would be! Blew my lil kid brain away😆🚌
I’ve been waiting on this video and my man, it didn’t disappoint. Outstanding video. Seeing those S-1700s are so nostalgic, but those 1995 Thomas ERs hit different. I remember just like it was yesterday, I was in middle school when we got our first one and let me tell you, it was so amazing the first time I saw it. At the time, there wasn’t anything like them beforehand and everyone was amazed at them even people who didn’t care for buses were talking about them because they looked so luxurious compared to the other buses at the time lol. That era was by far my favorite time as a bus fan😊
@@savagejiren9660 Thanks so much, and I appreciate you for watching! Those were my absolute favorites, so it was hard for me to talk about their issues in the video. The first one that I rode was in Pre-K (≈2004) and I rode one for the last time a few months before graduating high school in 2018. I’m determined to get my hands on one of the activity bus versions that are still running.
Those international bluebirds with the 7.3 diesels were great. Loud but looked good, well proportioned and would go and go and go. I really liked some of the older loadstar, F600 and the GMC/Thomas buses. I can remember riding to school on an old gas powered loadstar. It was just cool. New buses are just ugly imo. Look overweight and unproportioned with too much junk on them.
@@mcmacr I definitely agree on the Bluebird Internationals. That 7.3 was as loud as sin under acceleration, but they started without failure, and I’m sure they would’ve continued lasting beyond the 33 years they were in service. As far as the new buses-in addition to looking weird, all of the new electronics are a nightmare also. I’ve driven buses less than a year old with lights all over the dash.
@@ThatOneBusGuy25YT Is that the maintenance shop in Columbia? If so, yes-that’s one of two still surviving. The other one is owned by the manager of Interstate Transportation, the dealer where we get our buses from.
Thomas Built Buses was supposed to build many new buses for NC, but they ended up messing up and making everything except the rubrail colors, according to the SC spec. What's why SC got the pure yellow buses. A lot of NC activity buses were also made that way, but we kept those. My county has two SC spec activity buses, and 1 SC 2004 IC RE200.
@@JoshuaWithTheBuses Ahh, that explains it perfectly. I never knew that was the reason, but thanks for sharing!
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 You're welcome
Sooo RARE in SC do you have a pic of the RE
Them 95/96 buses was fun to drive
@@ThomasVsBlueBird I bet, I have to get my hands on one of the activity bus versions that are still going.
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 did you started driving after they took them off?
@@ThomasVsBlueBird Yep, I got my CDL/started driving so I could make some extra money in addition to teaching. By the time I started, those transits had been gone for over 3 years.
Great video!
I remember when the transits were here. They were still here when they decided to build the bus lot behind one of our elementary schools. Now our fleet is full of 17-20s and a few DD5. Our 2008s been taken off and even our last two All American.
@@scpsbus41 When you say All Americans, do you mean they’ve already taken off the 2018-2019 ones? That’s strange.
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 yes! My district decided to take ours off the road. They plan on turning them into Activity Buses along with some 2008s from the state
Great Video and very good info! I was very lucky to experience the 3800 aswell as the transits! I remember when I was first steped on a transit I feel in love. Despite having no A/C those buses were the best!
@@scpsbus3165 Thank you! And I agree. I’d give anything to be able to drive a 95/96 transit, AC or not. That sound was unforgettable!
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 yess those were the one of the reasons I wanted to drive school buses
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 oh man the 9 second alarm was irresistible
When South Carolina began replacing all of their 1995-1996 Thomas ER buses, they could have at least gone with IC buses for variety alongside Blue Bird and Thomas.
@@alexlautzenheiser5024 I agree. The SCAPT (essentially the school bus association for the state) recently participated in a Learn & Drive session with the new CE300, so IC may make a return to South Carolina in the future.
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 The CE is now what it's referred to since MaxxForce engines were discontinued on all their buses in 2016. Since then, they switched to Cummins. The 1988 Blue Bird S-1700s along with the 1990 Blue Bird 3800s were the most reliable buses South Carolina ever had.
Well…at the time IC would’ve been AmTran and we would’ve had the Genises and 3800’s
@@2004InternationalRE3 I was talking about the mid-2010s when South Carolina began replacing their 1995-96 Thomas ERs. They did add Blue Bird buses when replacing them, such as the T3 REs. Thomas Built Buses though, mostly C2s have replaced them. South Carolina for some reason never added in IC buses for more variety. At the time, IC CEs and IC REs were still being made.
You did an outstanding job with this!! Those 95/96 Thomas Saf-T-Liners are what started my passion for buses and why I own one today❤
@@MrDmagic88 Same here! As soon as I can start setting aside the money to get one, I have to get my hands on one.
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 I'm glad it's not just me. I can remember my bus driver telling us about them and hearing the excitement in her voice had me too excited for it. She described it to a tee👌🏾 And when she pulled up in it that morning when they finally came in, it was everything and then some that she said it would be! Blew my lil kid brain away😆🚌
I really miss those S-1700 models. Despite their loud engines, they were very nice and smooth to ride on.
@@joshpack7330 Agreed. Regardless of age, they were seemingly bulletproof.
I’ve been waiting on this video and my man, it didn’t disappoint. Outstanding video. Seeing those S-1700s are so nostalgic, but those 1995 Thomas ERs hit different.
I remember just like it was yesterday, I was in middle school when we got our first one and let me tell you, it was so amazing the first time I saw it. At the time, there wasn’t anything like them beforehand and everyone was amazed at them even people who didn’t care for buses were talking about them because they looked so luxurious compared to the other buses at the time lol. That era was by far my favorite time as a bus fan😊
@@savagejiren9660 Thanks so much, and I appreciate you for watching! Those were my absolute favorites, so it was hard for me to talk about their issues in the video.
The first one that I rode was in Pre-K (≈2004) and I rode one for the last time a few months before graduating high school in 2018. I’m determined to get my hands on one of the activity bus versions that are still running.
Those international bluebirds with the 7.3 diesels were great. Loud but looked good, well proportioned and would go and go and go. I really liked some of the older loadstar, F600 and the GMC/Thomas buses. I can remember riding to school on an old gas powered loadstar. It was just cool. New buses are just ugly imo. Look overweight and unproportioned with too much junk on them.
@@mcmacr I definitely agree on the Bluebird Internationals. That 7.3 was as loud as sin under acceleration, but they started without failure, and I’m sure they would’ve continued lasting beyond the 33 years they were in service. As far as the new buses-in addition to looking weird, all of the new electronics are a nightmare also. I’ve driven buses less than a year old with lights all over the dash.
Theres a surviving 95 transit still surviving at the joe Madden cente
@@ThatOneBusGuy25YT Is that the maintenance shop in Columbia? If so, yes-that’s one of two still surviving. The other one is owned by the manager of Interstate Transportation, the dealer where we get our buses from.
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 idk I know from a friend of mine
@@dynamicvehiclesimulation8633 there is a third, though its partially scrapped. its at the greenville lot
@@chandelure102 Oh wow, good to know. Check out my community tab for an update on “Top Cat” from CCSD.