Blue Bird

The Blue Bird logo plate, found on the rear bumper and beside the front door on many of their school buses.

 For the coach line, see Bluebird Coach Lines.

The Blue Bird Corporation is a manufacturer of school buses in North America. Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US. It continues to operate a number of factories in Georgia.

History

• Founded in 1927 by Albert L. Luce, Sr.
• In 2002, Blue Bird's factory in Mount Pleasant, Iowa was closed.
• On July 16, 2007, Blue Bird Corporation announced the sale of its Coachworks Coach and Waterlodge RV product lines and manufacturing facility to Complete Coach Works of Riverside, CA.
• In August 2006, Blue Bird's transit bus line is acquired by NABI
• In August 2007, Blue Bird closed it's Canadian factory, which opened in 1958, in Brantford, ON.
• On October 14, 2009, Blue Bird and Girardin Minibus entered into a joint venture called Micro Bird Inc. to market Girardin's type-a buses under the Blue Bird name.

Current products

School Bus

• All American (1948-present)
• Micro Bird by Girardin (2009-present)
• Vision (2003-present)
• Sigma - Blue Bird chassis boddied by AYCO of Mexico (2014-present)

Past Products

Coach/RV

• Express (2003-2008)
• LTC-37 (2000-2003)
• LTC-40 (1997-2003)
• Wanderlodge (1964-2008)

School Bus

• Conventional (1960's-2003)
• CV200 (1992-2003)
• EC-72 (2006-2008)
• Envirobus 2000 (prototype)
• Micro Bird (1975-2010)
• Mini Bird (1977-2005)
• TC/1000 (1997-2001)
• TC/2000 (1987-2003)

Transit

• City Bird (1976-1986)
• CS Bus
  • Transhuttle CS (1997-2002)
• Q-Bus (1992-2001)
• Ultra LF (2003-2009)
• Ultra LMB (2004-2008)
• Xcel 102 (2001-2008)

Facilities

Headquarters

Opened in 1946, replacing the original 1936 factory that was destroyed by fire in 1945. Currently produces the All American, Vision and Micro Bird line.

• Address: PO Box 937, 402 Blue Bird Blvd. Fort Valley, GA, 31030
• Fax: 478-822-2466
• Phone: 478-825-2021

Blue Bird North Georgia

Opened in 1984, currently produces the Vision line.

• Address: PO Box 807, 1198 Shattuck Industrial Blvd., LaFayette, GA 30728

Blue Bird Canada

Opened in Brantford, ON in 1958 and closed in 2007.

Blue Bird Midwest

Opened in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 1962 and closed in 2002.

Blue Bird de Mexico

Opened in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico in 1995 and closed in 2001.

Blue Bird East

Opened in Buena Vista, VA in 1972 and closed in 1992.

Blue Bird Central America

Opened in Guatemala City, Guatemala in 1965 and closed in the 1980s.

References

• Blue Bird Corporation - History (retrieved 7 December 2008)
• Mass Transit Magazine
• North American Bus Industries, Inc.
• Personal notes & sightings

External links

• www.blue-bird.com