Driving the 1986 GMC Blue Bird

[MrWill1985]

This sound brings me memories from when I was a kid. I rarely rode buses with this sound as my first ES we had the 6 row special ed buses which sounded like an old pickup truck. And when I went to regular ed school my 2nd year of 4th grade the morning bus had a International DT360 and the afternoon as the 6 row unit. My 5th grade with both DT360s. 6th grade my regular bus had this sound and after 6th grade only spare buses we had did as we had T444E units from grades 7-12.

[MrWill1985]

Now if only I lived on a large amount of land or knew someone who had a large amount of land Id consider buying an old school bus to practice commercial driving. Probably one from the 80s or early 90s due to cost being cheaper. Since I would like to be a bus driver and practice can help me get there. Im leaning towards Transit or Intercity bus driving.

[htfkid2000]

this is the first time i heard a GMC/Chevrolet (GM) School Bus Go in reverse O_O

[kaiyoshi2243]

@htfkid2000 Really? O_o?

[htfkid2000]

@kaiyoshi2243 Yah, i seen them but i never really heard them go in reverse! i only been on them when they go forward! and i love the sound! >_>

[MrWill1985]

@htfkid2000 How old are you? I remember this sound alot when I was in Elementary school but that was a long time ago. And my 7th grade year and up I was regularly riding diesels and only rode gasolines if the bus was out for maintenance/repair. And now the system is all diesel.

[htfkid2000]

@MrWill1985 16 lol!

[bobcats330]

that thing rattles like the old bus i rode in jr high back in the early 2000s

[NickWilliam89]

What kind of fuel consumption do u get on this bus with the V8 gasoline engine?

[kaiyoshi2243]

Well, on the highway I get about 6.5mpg @ 70mph.

City driving, stop and go traffic I get about 4 to 5 mpg.

[506corvette]

i have two questions. is it hard to drive, and is driving a school bus any similiar to driving a semi?

[kaiyoshi2243]

No, it's not hard to learn how to drive a bus. I had a good instructor.

And No, a bus is not like a semi. A semi truck is much longer and wider. and the transmissons are completely different.

But with a good instructor you can learn to drive both.

[RealmLords]

It'll do 70 with the 366? That's a decent speed for a motor designed for low end torque and all that weight.

Is it hard to get into traffic? I've heard stories of some buses that measure zero to sixty with a calendar.

[kaiyoshi2243]

She's pretty stout. I took a long drive though some small mountains and my speed didn't drop below 60mph on the longest climb. I've had this bus up to 83 mph once but I don't think I'll ever do that again. I just wanted to pass the big red Peterbilt Semi truck. *grin*

And maybe the diesels measure acceleration with a calender. But definitly not this bus. Cars have trouble keeping up with me when the light turns green. She's got a lot of good "Get up and go" power.

[chevyblows2001]

thats why they use diesels alot more not ehh?

[BigBoofBoof]

what are you going to do with the bus

[kaiyoshi2243]

I was gonna turn her into an RV... but I think I'll just have fun driving her around.

[89BluebirdGMC]

I have a 1989 Bluebird Chevrolet with a 8.2 liter Detroit and an Allison AT-545 Auto tranny and air brakes. It is a good bus except it's slow and it is a pain to get started on the cold mornings. If I didnt have the push button Ether I probably would never get that thing started. Sometimes I wish it was a gas burner!!!

[Bluetailvappy]

Thanks for the video. When I was in the 1st or 2nd grade or so we had buses with the whining Allison transmission. That's the thing I remember most about them. In second grade my bus driver had a lead foot at times, and used to accelrate just like that, pretty much making it whine out exactly like that.

Thanks for that brief trip down memory lane there.

[alarmkid66]

can you make a video of the lights

[bluebirdvision]

Can you post a video of the exterior and interior of the bus and a cold start . please and thank you

[kaiyoshi2243]

In fact, I do plan on giving her a cold start with some fresh gas soon. I never though of videoing it until you asked. So I will video it. Thanks for the interest!

[bluebirdvision]

Thanks

[bluebirdvision]

Love the sound of a AT-545 in the evening. That is the wining you are hearing

[kaiyoshi2243]

yup

[Publowle]

Hey i own a Saf-T-Liner i say there not as good as you would think

[6V92TA]

you own this ole rig?

[kaiyoshi2243]

Yup.

[6V92TA]

hey can i drive?!!?

[kaiyoshi2243]

Watch the video very closely... you'll feel like you're in the driver's seat. XP

I guess it all depends on how far away you live, eh?

[6V92TA]

Evil!!!!

Is Cleveland close by?

[kaiyoshi2243]

only 1200 +/- miles away

[6V92TA]

oh yea....dats real close by! lol

[gajda1984]

nice engine sound. what is it a 366CI? my dad sold bucket trucks that had 366s except they were 5 speeds. i rode a ford bus during elementary school that was a ford 370CI with an allison AT545 sounded excactly the same. get more videos of the bus if gas goes down!

[kaiyoshi2243]

Thanks! I believe it has a 427ci. It's an old Texas bus and Texas usually does things big. (takes the same spark plugs as a 454ci, if that helps ya.)

I used to drive the old 1984 Fords with the 370 2v engine, those were awesome and had a much louder whine. I have some audios of those buses but no vids.

[gajda1984]

cool man some of the older 100ft bucket trucks my dad sold had 427s. the newer ones had cats. but the usual 55 to 75 footers had 366s. i'd love to hear the 84 fords. my dad also sold ford 700 series bucket trucks with 429s, some had 370s. but those days of gas power are gone unfortunaly. i could sort of hear the whine of the tranny but mostly that 427 your bus. love it!

[gajda1984]

i thought it took off a little quick to be a 366!