Old school buses find many uses after they are retired, everything from campers to storage containers. These seven buses are in remarkably good condition. Being in California, they are rust free, but because of safety concerns and pollution laws buses older than 1990 are being phased out. Seven of these retired buses have found a new home in Haiti! The local school district, working with Those Angels Foundation began the process. They refurbished seven of their surplus buses and sold them to the foundation for just $100 each. The next step has been to find a place to park them until transportation to Haiti can be arranged. After several weeks of asking all my contacts and having no luck, the new director of the museum agreed to let them be parked behind the museum.
There was concern that at forty feet long. they wouldn’t all fit, but they did, easily. They are 65 passenger buses and all are diesel powered, five GMCs and two Internationals. They all have new engines and transmissions. One is a 1980, five are 1985 and one is a 1986. These will be used to transport children to school and also for transportation around Haiti. In a few weeks they will be driven to Oakland and then transported from there to Haiti.
Haiti will put them to good use!
Is there a better use? I think not!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wfb1dYuxxI
Isn’t this the track that also has motorhome races and pickups pulling trailers all in a figure 8 track??? Seen this on TV maybe 8 / 10 years ago but for some reason they stopped showing them.
Hi JW, I think this is in NY. The one you are thinking of is in Rockford, Ill.
Great story! Thank your director for letting them park behind the museum!
Great article. It’s good to see that they still have a nice use for them. The kids in Haiti will benefit from them for years.
That’s California hypocrisy at its best: we don’t want them because they’re too “dirty” but we don’t care if they go to a third world country and pollute up there! Don’t get me wrong I’m glad kids in Haiti get to enjoy them. Typically California, they think they’re holy’er than the pope.
Actually, those are federal laws concerning pollution levels and mandating upgrades. Sorry if we can’t all be like China. Perhaps you’d rather live there free of the oppressive laws.
As for the kids in Haiti, it’s more a matter of survival than fun. I can’t see the hypocritical bit myself, trying to mitigate the misery a bit.
In many countries, if it were not for old busses like these, there would be no transportation.
In Massachusetts most towns have it in contracts that bus’s can’t be older than six years.
Haiti? Many former U.S. school buses make their way to Guatemala, where they are tricked out by local entrepreneurs and used to transport people for profit. Locals call them camillonetas de pollos, or “chicken buses.”
Correct! Third world countries ALL love our handouts. We are the great benefactor of the world. We are solicited endlessly to give to save the starving in every corner of the world. BUT… in the same breath they hate us. WTF.
Glad the buses are going to be used. But a handful of diesel buses is not going to save the planet (or california’s air). We are all being fed what they want us to know. The media is biased in whatever direction they are being paid, at any point in time we are getting 1/2 the story. BTW where’s the barn in this find. Ban me if you want but this is not in keeping with the sites intentions.
Here in San Diego so many of the old school buses and fire trucks go down to Baja California through Tijuana. I have always liked seeing the occasional older Crown school bus in the fleets around here, they were built in L.A. back in the day, and extremely sturdy with a unique rounded body. Many So Cal school districts ran Crown coaches almost exclusively, including long ones with dual rear axles, they were some serious equipment. I guess with the 1990 cutoff, all the Crowns will be gone now, such a loss.
@David, I think Dairymen was making the point that they are still polluting somewhere in this small world, not taken out of service. And China has some of the strictest Motor Vehicle Emissions standards anywhere on the planet.
cool story even if bcavileer doesnt approve!
I dont understand, if you dont like a feature then why even bother to read or comment? like going to the grocery store….i dont buy everything. only the items i want but i dont ask that they only carry the items i will buy
cool story even if bcavileer doesnt approve!
I dont understand, if you dont like a feature then why even bother to read or comment? like going to the grocery store….i dont buy everything. only the items i want but i dont ask that they only carry the items i will buy
I hope that all car enthusiasts are aware the next thing that the wonderful people in California are going to ban is your classic car. All cars older than 20 years old will have to be crushed or deactivated. Then who is going to be crying? Check back in 10 years for the results.