School Bus History In Photos…
Now that you have read some of the history of the school bus industry, now is the time to see it. While this is not a complete photo history, It is a great overview, and will show buses that aren’t here any longer…
Let’s begin from the first buses to the 40’s. Buses from the 50’s and up to the 80’s can be found here, on Old Shots, Part Duex. Modern day buses can be found on the Modern page.
Horse-drawn school bus circa 1917. I assume this was a one horsepower motor???
This is a old bus from 1931, belonging to the Dewey school in Oklahoma. I am betting there was no power steering in there…
An even older bus, from around the early 1900’s…There is no comparison of todays buses with this early model. (It had air ride…every time it hit a bump, it went in the AIR!)
3 old buses from the 1920’s sitting outside their school.
This poor girl waits with her bus in Alaska in the 1930’s. I think they need to call AAA!
I believe this was around the late 30’s, and is at a school in Wisconsin.
1924 shot of a Arcadia, California school bus…Check out those clothes!
This photograph from 1940 shows the bus for black students of the John G. Fee Consolidated High School in Maysville Kentucky. Kids, if you think your bus is small today, count your blessings it wasn’t as small as this one.
I am not sure of the year of this Cold Creek California bus, but I would say in the 20’s.
Claremont City, California School bus in the 1920’s.
Prince Edward County, Virginia school bus garage in the early 50’s.
Normally, I don’t do side by side shots, but this time is different… These buses and their drivers were shot (with a CAMERA) outside of Sidway School in New York in 1937. I am glad we don’t have those uniforms today…
1936 school bus in Wisconsin.
International L-153 schoolmaster bus picking up school children at a residential stop, in 1953.
This was a 1948 ad for International school buses…
Hadley-Luzerne Central School students with books and lunch pails getting off of an International D-40 school bus. The bus featured a 215-inch wheelbase and a 49-passenger capacity. This was 1938.
1938 picture of students boarding an International D-300 school bus. The bus is equipped with a one hundred and sixty-five inch Hicks body.
Here we see, in 1938, children line up to board a already crowded International D-30 school bus outside a school building. The bus served Van Buren township in Grant County, Indiana. They really could have used a 84 passenger Blue Bird All American!
Boy with a book and lunch pail waiting as an International D-300 school bus pulls up in front of his rural farm house. Another mischievous lad is sticking his head out of the bus window. The bus served the Fabius Central School.
Members of the Lancaster High School basketball team in letter sweaters boarding an International D-30 school bus outside a gymnasium. The bus served Lancaster township in Huntington County, Indiana.
Children boarding an school bus as the driver stands by. The bus served the Fieldston-Riverdale apartments in New York. This was 1931.
Group of school children boarding a crowded International Model 52 or 53 motor coach school bus in 1924.
1937 Ford with a WOOD body…
Jefferson County Alabama buses in the mid 20’s.
1920’s bus in Georgia.
West Virginia school bus in 1922.
New Vienna School and their buses.about 1920.
New Vienna Bus and driver.
Earlier than 1920, they had this horse drawn unit. (New Vienna)
Here’s a better shot of it…I’m wrong.. this had a 2 horsepower engine…
A few year before, in 1909, this was the cast and crew.
1948 All American Number 1.
On to Old Shots #2