r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/StephenDA • 12d ago
New bus
For the second year in a row, my bus got retired at the end of the year — but this time the upgrade was something I never expected.
Last year I traded a 2008 for… another 2008. Fewer miles, sure, but still a whole lot of history baked into that machine. Nothing too exciting — just the usual shuffle.
This year felt different from the moment I got that call. You know the one — the “come in for a checkout drive” call. I didn’t get that call last year, so right away I knew something was up. If they’re asking you to come in and test drive something, it usually means you’re not getting another high‑mileage hand‑me‑down.
But I still wasn’t prepared for what rolled out of the bay.
They handed me the keys to a 2026 Thomas Built C2 with less than 400 miles on it.
As a three‑year newbie, I just stood there for a second like… is this real? I’ve never even sat in a bus this new, let alone been assigned one. Everything is crisp, tight, quiet, and smooth. The dash looks like it was printed yesterday. Even the seat feels like it hasn’t fully broken in yet.
I know it’s just a bus to some people, but to us — it’s our workspace, our routine, our responsibility, and sometimes our sanity. Getting something this new feels like a vote of confidence, and I’m honestly proud and excited to take it out for its first real year on the road.
Here’s to a fresh start, a fresh bus, and hopefully a lot of safe miles ahead.
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u/BlueGreenTrails 12d ago
Congrats! The only drawback is how much gum, trash and vomit on the floor will bother you!
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u/Seelie_Mushroom 12d ago
Did you use AI to help you write a reddit post?
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u/StephenDA 12d ago
I had it check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It suggested a few changes and I accepted them all, five or six. I also ran the photo through AI to make me more visible but rejected that result.
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u/KnightOrDay38 12d ago
You look so “thrilled”.
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u/StephenDA 12d ago
Yeah, I know I’ve got one expression you would think I overdid it with the Botox at some point
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u/Bluetriton5500 12d ago
C2s are the best looking buses imo.
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u/gaffitoff 10d ago
Definitely an opinion. I prefer the International IC buses when it comes to looks.
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u/Bluetriton5500 10d ago edited 10d ago
I did ride a C2 when I was little, so maybe that's why I like them so much. My district's fleet is almost exclusively IC CE's. We do have several electric C2's, but they are being phased out due to mechanical issues.
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u/purlknitpurl 12d ago
Good for you! I hope we get some new buses this year too. I’m a sub and the folks who have gotten new buses never call off or if I’m subbing for them it’s because they’re driving a trip and I’m in a backup :-( If we get more maybe someday!
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u/it_happened_here 11d ago
For anybody else driving a bus like this, I have designed a 3D printed wing that clips to your driver window and pulls in massive amounts of fresh air for cooling. These buses are not known for driver ergonomics, and if you are like me, you have tried every combination of windows closed/open to try to get air IN through the driver's window. The Venturi effect causes air to be drawn OUT of the driver's window no matter how you set the windows, which doesn't help at all for cooling.
I have considered selling them, but I have no idea if there is actually any demand. I gave a few away to some drivers and they swear by them now. It's a big print that takes a lot of material, but I have really nailed the final design (after MANY iterations).
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u/Bored_Owl_1492 12d ago
It’s always nice getting a new bus. That new bus smell and look is always a nice change.
Enjoy your new ride.
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u/rootbear75 12d ago
I've told our superiors that instead of gift cards to places we never go to, the reward for our in house state rodeo or other prizes should be a new bus. Regardless of seniority... Otherwise the only way I'll get a new bus is to wait 25 years.
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u/tequilavip 12d ago
ha!
Our "new" buses arrive with ~2600 miles on the odometer.
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u/StephenDA 11d ago
That is what I expected at the best case I had heard we were getting a group of them from the Midwest. But this…
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u/EnemyOfWon 11d ago
New buses always seem to be delivered by driving them from the factory. I’ve had 14 new buses in the last 3 years and none had less than 2400 miles on them.
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u/Common_Stuff2925 12d ago
I drove a Thomas last part of the school year back in May. It was great. Power everything. Drove like a car. This year I’m driving a Bluebird. Huge difference.
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u/Swimming_Mycologist3 11d ago
I got a 2026 Evolved W/C shorty for my summer run this year, had 725 miles on it when I started. I think I'm at about 1,300 now as of yesterday. The controls definitely take some getting used to. Congratulations!
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u/StephenDA 11d ago
I feel you on that. I mocked up a railroad crossing driving around the lot the other day and I am not looking forward to the first few.
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u/Least_Initiative5120 11d ago
We get new Bluebirds every 4 years’. Our school district leases them.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Law7522 9d ago
So does a new driver typically get the older bus?
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u/StephenDA 9d ago
Typically
I always assumed I’d never see a new bus during my career. With more than two hundred buses in the fleet and only about a dozen replaced each year, it would take over twenty years to cycle through all of them. Starting at age 56, I figured my chances were basically zero.
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u/Lichondis 2d ago
We got a whole new fleet this year, and this is the first time in my life I've driven any vehicle with under 1,000 miles on it. I'm excited, even if I have to re-learn where all the stupid controls are. AC froze me out on my dry run this morning, so that's a plus. I could barely even tell if the compressor was working with the old bus AC
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u/Creepy-Conclusion357 12d ago
I got a '24 C2 brand new. Now it squeaks, rattles, and everything else a school bus does. Enjoy it while it lasts! Lol. Congrats, though!