1999 Thomas FS-65, halogen lights, 66 cap. Air Brakes, 171k miles. I actually use to ride this bus when i was in Middle and High School. Top speed 45 mph (governed).
Haha yeah, i use to draw this bus in middle school like everyday. It was my favorite too. I rode it shortly in middle school, after coming from a 1989 Ford.
I saw 3 at Bullworth Academy, 225, 227, and 229. And 5 of these at Meadowbrook Elementary, Kyle Smith's former school in Caiden County (he now attends Roland Park K-8 School, soon to attend Discovery when we move to Polk County), 98-52, 98-53, 98-80, 99-05, and 99-60. But I only saw 218 and 226 at Glendale High School and 244 at East Chaseville High School. So many in Glendale County NC, for example, 121, 160, 171, 166, 165, 145, 119, and 199. I also saw 139 and 110 when I moved to Alabama. While preparing to go to our new Alabama home, I saw Bus 111, 122, and 150. Signed, Lizzie Willigan. P.S. Kyle and Lexi will now ride Bus 225 starting August 2020 until December 2020 when I graduate Bullworth Academy when we move out of Georgia and into Florida then get used to Polk City Elementary. Manny and Gilly, Kyle's Friends, will miss him when we move to Polk County, Florida.
yea i thought so too...when we first received this bus i was in middle school...i was so in love with it. I use to draw them just about everyday. I was so glad when i was finally able to ride it...when it was switched to my route. talk about happy!
I had graduated before the introduction of the FS series (graduated in 1980) - the equivalent was the IC (International Chassis) series; which was that shared chassis before the beginning of the Dominance Of The One-Piece began - with what would later become IC - but was then Ward and later AmTran, oddly enough). IC/Thomas was the body/chassis combo on my pre-collegiate youth - despite my only riding a bus with that combo ONE year - 1976. (First grade and most of second I walked to school; second and third - Superior/International with the rounded rear from '61 - the only year I rode a bus older than me; third through fifth, Thomas/Ford (a brand-new bus for almost half the third-grade year, it had no number); sixth through eighth; Ward/Ford (another new bus) - ninth - Ward/Ford (different then the Ward/Ford of sixth grade and older besides) - tenth was Thomas/IC (the odd year).
In Forsyth county most of our 1998 and 1999 fs-65's are retired, we don't really have many of the 2002-2003 fs-65's we have several 04-06's though. My personal favorite busses on general are the 06's.
The state deems that as a safe top speed for a bus to travel daily with students. The speed limiter can be disabled, but only once the bus is no longer in service do they disable them. One time my bus (2007 C2) had to be repaired, after i got it back it, they forgot to set the speed limiter, and i was able to travel around 50-55mph. Not much faster but it was cool to be able to drive at that speed.
Interesting how you toured your childhood school bus. One of my childhood buses, bus B-137-02, an AmTran RE from 2002 delivered for Scottsdale Unified School District #48, was replaced by a 2012 Blue Bird All-American RE, sadly.
Good point, i will try and include some history...you making me have to study man! lol, anyways thanks for watching. p.s. everybody may not want to see the motor, but "some" people do! thanks!
Do your older buses have strobe lights on them? I thought I saw one but I wasnt for sure....My county installed strobe lights on the older buses as well.
yea i've noticed that too, when visiting other counties some buses were spec'd differently, i assume the counties have some say in how buses are ordered???
I noticed that this is a Davie County bus - were you at their yard (one of them) with this particular bus? Or are you at home (and this is a bus you own)?
Thats odd for the front mirrors to look like that on that type of bus. On our buses here that look like that model the mirrors aren't fully round. And im in NC too
I would take the 3126 over a cummins or navistar any day. The cummins is used too much in the older Thomas's, whether it's conventional, EF or ER. It's good to see the caterpillar. A lot more power being that it's a 7.6L
I ride one of these, It a good bus, however the Check Engine Light stays on and no matter how much the gas gauge says it have in the tank the Gas Light stays on. Also when It gets up to 35mph it acts like it wants to stall. However it turns on and goes for a 14 year old bus!
Cat engines are lousy. We got 3 of the cat engines in our 3 blue birds, but all of them have had engine problems or blew up in service. Two are in, what I like to call the graveyard. One Thomas 2001 I used to drive is there with transmission trouble and two International Transit style buses. The others are 88-90 Thomas buses and 4 actually start. To put them on the road would require major retrofitting.
