Buses are more than just transportation vehicles for students and large groups. Here are some iconic buses we love - some real and some you've probably seen on the big screen.
All kinds of people use buses as a form of transportation, from students to workers, to groups of friends and families. There are many examples of iconic buses that have served more than their standard purposes and are recognizable both in media and history.
Buses from TV, Books, and Movies
Partridge Family Bus
In the popular musical sitcom the Partridge Family, a widowed mother purchases a school bus which she renovates with her five young children. The family works together to paint the vehicle bright red, white, blue, and yellow - a clear homage to the Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow painting by Piet Mondrian. Throughout the show, the Partridge family travels nationwide to perform songs for audiences everywhere.
Magic School Bus
One of the most popular educational franchises ever started with a book published in 1986 by Joanna Cole and later became a TV cartoon in 1994. The Magic School Bus series follows Mrs. Frizzle and her students as they take incredible adventures throughout time and space and learn about the world by going deeper into places that are not usually possible (like inside the human body or back to the Jurrasic era!) So, if you want to learn about science most excitingly, "come on, ride on the Magic School Bus!"
Santa Monica Bus 2525
While buses aren't normally known for how fast they can go, the premise of the movie Speed involves a bus rigged with a bomb that will explode if the vehicle decelerates under 50 mph. In this 1994 action thriller, an LAPD cop does his best to save civilians from the impending inevitable explosion.
Buses in the Real World
London's Double-Decker Buses
When visiting London, it's hard to go very long without seeing one of their impressive double-decker buses. These big red vehicles are an incredibly popular way to take a sightseeing tour throughout the city for just the price of a bus ticket. Tourists have been clamoring for the coveted top-floor seats for nearly 200 years, with the first iteration being a two-story horse-drawn carriage.
Glacier National Park's Red Buses
Located in the gorgeous state of Montana, Glacier National Park is home to some of the country's most incredible scenery and wildlife. And the best way to see it all? By taking a tour in one of the park's vintage 1930s Red Buses. These historical vehicles feature roll-back tops for unobstructed views and have room for 17 passengers. They were also the first authorized motor transportation utility in any National Park and are widely considered the oldest touring fleet of vehicles anywhere in the world.
Central America's Chicken Buses
Ever wonder where school buses go to retire? Well, sometimes it's to Central America. After 10 years or 150,000 miles of use, US school buses are typically auctioned off for low prices and are subsequently given a new life. After repairs and makeovers inside and out, these "Chicken Buses" are a popular form of public transportation for both tourists and local citizens (and sometimes their animals, too!). These unique vehicles are easily recognized by their eccentric colors and patterns painted on the exterior and their decorative lights and posters on the interior.
While our buses aren't painted funky colors, can't travel through time, and are only one story, we still think they're pretty cool. When you see the Student Transit name on the side of our vehicles, you know you are undoubtedly getting a safe and comfortable ride wherever you need to go.
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