Blue Bird Vision

Last updated

Blue Bird Vision
Blue Bird Vision Montevideo 54.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation
Also calledVision
Production2003–present
Assembly
  • Fort Valley, Georgia (Blue Bird Body Company; 2010-Present)
  • LaFayette, Georgia (Blue Bird North Georgia; 2003–2010)
Body and chassis
Body style school bus
Layout FR layout
Platform Blue Bird
Powertrain
Engine
  • Caterpillar 7.2 L C7 I6 turbodiesel (2004–2009)L '
  • Cummins 6.7 L ISB6.7 I6 turbodiesel (2006–present)
  • GM 8.1 L Vortec/L18 V8 propane/LPG (2009–2011)
  • Ford 6.8 L Triton V10 (2012–2021, propane/LPG; 2016–2021, gasoline/CNG) [1]

Ford 7.3 L "Godzilla" V8

(2021–present, propane/LPG/gasoline)
Transmission
  • Allison PTS 2500 5-speed automatic (standard)
  • Allison PTS 3000 5-speed automatic (optional)
  • Ford 6R140 6-speed automatic (with Ford V10) [2]
[1]
Dimensions
Wheelbase
  • 169 in (4.3 m) [2] (36 passenger)
  • 189 in (4.8 m) (48 passenger)
  • 217 in (5.5 m) (54 passenger)
  • 238 in (6.0 m) (60 passenger)
  • 252 in (6.4 m) (66 passenger)
  • 273 in (6.9 m) (72/77 passenger)
  • 280 in (7.1 m) (78 passenger)
[1]
Length309–499 in (7.8–12.7 m) [1] [2]
Width96 in (2.4 m) [1] [2]
Height122–128 in (3.1–3.3 m) [1] [2]
Curb weight up to 33,000 lb (14,969 kg) GVWR [1] [2]
Chronology
PredecessorBlue Bird Conventional (Various)
Blue Bird B-Series (Ford)
Blue Bird SBCV (Navistar)

The Blue Bird Vision is a school bus that is manufactured and marketed by Blue Bird Corporation in North America and exported worldwide. In production since 2003, the Vision became the first cowled-chassis bus built on a proprietary chassis designed and manufactured by the same company. While it is sold primarily in a school bus configuration, the Blue Bird Vision is also offered with various commercial and specialty seating and design configurations.

Contents

The Vision is produced by Blue Bird Corporation in its Fort Valley, Georgia manufacturing facility alongside its Blue Bird All American product line. Prior to 2014, the Blue Bird Vision was also produced in LaFayette, Georgia; this facility is now closed.

Background

1990s Blue Bird/GMC CV200, a predecessor of the Vision National Cathedral School Bus 5.jpg
1990s Blue Bird/GMC CV200, a predecessor of the Vision

In the early 2000s, Blue Bird Corporation was in a need to find a reliable source of chassis supplier for its Blue Bird Conventional Type C buses. At the time, a 1991 supply agreement with General Motors was set to expire at the end of 2003 with little signs of renewal. Although many company customers made use of Navistar-sourced chassis for the Blue Bird Conventional, in 1995, Navistar became the parent company of Blue Bird competitor AmTran (renamed IC Corporation in 2001). Freightliner, the parent company of Thomas Built Buses, ended its chassis supply to all competitors after 2000.

As a response to its situation, Blue Bird began development of a next-generation Blue Bird Conventional. In collaboration with Ford Motor Company, Blue Bird designed a bus using a Ford F-650 Super Duty medium-duty truck chassis. Introduced in 2000, the F-650 had yet to see use in cowled-chassis applications. Several prototypes were constructed, developing several all-new features previously unseen on school buses; key to this was a wide-angle lens next to the entry door to increase loading-zone visibility. By the end of 2002, however, production plans for Ford-based Blue Bird Conventionals failed to materialize.

Although the Blue Bird/Ford never reached production, Blue Bird chose to develop the concept further. As with its All American, TC/2000, TC/1000, Wanderlodge, and Q-Bus product lines, Blue Bird developed its own chassis for the vehicle. Though sharing nearly its entire body with its Conventional predecessor, the Vision developed advances for the driver in terms of driver sightlines in the critical loading-zone area. Eliminating a major blind spot, the patented Safety View™ Vision Panel ahead of the entry door is a wide-angled Fresnel lens made from laminated glass.

Design history

As of 2018 production, the Blue Bird Vision has been produced in three distinct generations. For 2008, the Vision chassis underwent a major redesign, with a second update introduced for 2015 production (though released in mid-2013). Though built on a proprietary chassis, the Vision continued the use of the basic Blue Bird Conventional body structure, introduced in 1957.

2003–2007

Early Vision logo from 2003 Blue Bird Corporation Vision Logo, April 2003.svg
Early Vision logo from 2003
A 2003-2007 Vision. Bonny eagle bus 3507.JPG
A 2003–2007 Vision.

In 2003, the Vision made its debut for 2004 production (the Conventional remained solely on Navistar chassis, becoming the SBCV in 2005). Upon the introduction of the Vision, Blue Bird became the first American body manufacturer to design a cowled chassis for its bus bodies; previously, in-house chassis were reserved for transit-style school buses.

As it would serve no other purpose beyond bus use, Blue Bird optimized the exterior of the Vision to maximize forward visibility; the hood was sharply angled from the base of the windshield, as were the front fenders. The 2003 Vision featured a 50° wheel cut, for improved maneuverability over previous Type C buses. The instrument panel featured large back-lit gauges and switches. The Blue Bird "Handy Bus" option package specified wheelchair lifts and flat-floor interiors. The Vision was available in standard (72") or high (77") headroom.

From 2003 to 2009, the Vision came with the Caterpillar C7 engine as standard equipment, and in 2008, the Cummins ISB6.7 became an option. [3]

2008–2014

A 2008 Vision 2008 blue bird vision.jpg
A 2008 Vision
Drivers' compartment, 2011 Vision 2011 Blue Bird Vision dashboard.jpg
Drivers' compartment, 2011 Vision

For the 2008 model year, Blue Bird made a number of updates to the Vision. While the bus body itself remained unchanged, the hood design saw an extensive redesign. To increase space and improve engine cooling required for lower-emissions engines, [4] the sharply angled hood was replaced by a more aerodynamic design that offered a larger grille. The hood design also moved the Blue Bird emblem from the back of the hood sides directly onto the grille. [4] Several changes to the Vision would reflect the connection of Blue Bird to Volvo in the early 2000s; rather than sourcing parts from the All American, the 2008 Vision would source a number of parts from Volvo trucks (headlights, steering column, and instrument cluster). Along with the traditional manual and air-powered service doors, an electric-powered service door became an option.

As Blue Bird unveiled the Vision in November 2006, the company also previewed a prototype Type C bus using the same chassis. [4] The Blue Bird EC-72 was designed as a school bus with a lower production cost than the Vision, primarily through the simplification of its overall design and lack of customization. [4] 28 prototypes were produced, but the EC-72 has yet to enter full-scale production.

In 2009, the Vision became the first factory-produced school bus equipped with a propane-fueled powertrain. In place of the diesel engine, the propane-fueled version used a GM 8.1L Vortec V8 engine with a propane system developed by CleanFuel USA. [5] Previous school buses fueled by propane were aftermarket conversions (typically of the Chevrolet/GMC B series bus chassis). As Caterpillar ended on-road engine production, the C7 diesel was discontinued at the end of the model year. Only a handful of 2nd Gen Bluebird Visions remain with the C7. [3]

For 2011, Blue Bird made several detail changes to the Vision. On the outside, the exterior design of the rub rails was changed slightly. To increase parts commonality with the All American, the Vision was given the instrument cluster and steering column introduced with the newly redesigned All American D3. The propane-fuel Vision saw major changes related to its powertrain. Following the discontinuation of the GM 8.1L V8 in 2010, Blue Bird began a partnership with both Ford Motor Company and ROUSH CleanTech. [6] The end result of the partnership was the propane Vision equipped with a 362 hp Ford 6.8L V10 and Ford 6-speed automatic transmission.

In 2013, a detail change saw the deletion of the namesake Safety View™ Vision Panel forward of the entry door.

2015–present

In July 2013, Blue Bird unveiled a number of changes to the Vision conventional at the School Transportation News Expo trade show. Designated as a 2015 model, the updated Vision entered production in October 2013. [7] Distinguished by a redesigned grille with a larger Blue Bird emblem, a number of changes were made to the exterior lighting. Another distinguishing exterior feature was the roof stripe. In a change made to all Blue Birds, the full-length roof stripe was replaced by a shortened design of a single length. The Volvo-sourced headlamp clusters were replaced with single-piece clear-lens units; the change was intended to simplify beam adjustment. [8] To lower the risk of burned-out lights, all clearance lights on the Vision were changed to LED bulbs (a change also made to the All American). [8] 77 inches became the sole option for roof height as well. For the interior, the drivers compartment saw fewer substantial revisions, with the drivers' seat receiving a height-adjustable seatbelt; [8] another option included a rear-view backup camera.

To further increase the appeal of the propane-fueled Vision, for 2015 production, Blue Bird introduced an optional 98-gallon extended-range fuel tank (standard equipment being 67 gallons). [1] [8]

In 2016, the powertrain lineup for the Vision saw several introductions. Alongside the propane-fueled Ford V10, development of more Roush CleanTech fuel systems led to the introduction of gasoline and compressed natural gas (CNG) variants of the Vision. The CNG fuel option is available on the vision, however it's not shown on the official Bluebird website. [6] [9] The gasoline variant marked the first time since 2003 that a full-size school bus was available with a gasoline engine (the last example being the 2003 Blue Bird/GM CV200).

For 2017 production, the Cummins diesel lineup was expanded by the introduction of the Cummins ISV5.0 turbodiesel 5.0L V8 (as seen in the Nissan Titan XD). [10] For the Cummins ISB6.7, the 7-speed Eaton Procision dual-clutch transmission became an option, which was soon discontinued by the end of 2019. [11] Blue Bird announced an electric version of the Vision in late 2017 that entered limited (special order only) production in 2018 and mass production 2019.

For 2021, production of the Ford Modular Engine was discontinued and the 7.3L Godzilla V8 was introduced with gasoline and propane options.

For 2024, the roof cap was changed and an angled black background replaced the vertical black background around the 8 way flashers (same roofcap as the T3FE).

Powertrain

2010 propane-powered Vision (with GM 8.1L Vortec V8) Propane powered blue bird vision.jpg
2010 propane-powered Vision (with GM 8.1L Vortec V8)
2020 Blue Bird Electric, version has green Blue Bird roof emblem styled with electric cord Bluebird-Vision-Electric.jpg
2020 Blue Bird Electric, version has green Blue Bird roof emblem styled with electric cord

As with its Blue Bird Conventional predecessor, the Blue Bird Vision is offered with a diesel-fuel engine as standard equipment. Currently, the Cummins B6.7 diesel is the only engine offered in the vision.

Coinciding with other alternative-fuel vehicles from the company, the Blue Bird Vision is offered with propane/LPG, compressed natural gas, and gasoline. [6] For 2019, a battery-electric drivetrain became an option for the model line.

EngineConfigurationYears producedFuelTransmission [12] Notes
Diesel engines
Caterpillar C77.2 L (441 cu in) inline-62004–2009DieselAllison 2000 (2004–2007)

Allison PTS 2300 (2007–2011)

Allison PTS 2500 (2007–present)

Allison PTS 3000 (2010–present)

Standard engine at production launch

Discontinued as Caterpillar exited on-highway engine production.

Cummins ISB6.7 6.7 L (409 cu in) inline-62008–2018Replaced by B6.7 in 2018
Cummins ISV 5.05.0 L

V8

2016 - 2019First V8 diesel in Type C Blue Bird since 2008 discontinuation of Blue Bird SBCV (International 3300/MaxxForce 7)
Cummins B6.7 6.7 L (409 cu in) inline-62018–presentEaton Procision dual-clutch optional beginning with 2017 production. (discontinued by end of 2019)
Alternative-fuel powerplants
General Motors L18 (Vortec 8100)8.1 L (496 cu in) OHV V82009–2011 Propane/LPG Allison PTS 2300First original-equipment school bus sold with a propane-fueled engine (instead of a conversion).

Production of this variant discontinued as supply of General Motors engines ended.

Ford Modular (Triton) V10 [13] 6.8 L (413 cu in) SOHC V102012–2021 (propane)

2016–2021

(gasoline and CNG)

Propane/LPG (2012–2021)

Gasoline (2016–2021)

Compressed Natural Gas (2016–2021)

Ford 6R140 6-speed automaticFord engine replaced discontinued General Motors engine. Developed with a ROUSH CleanTech propane/LPG fuel system.

2016 production introduced an option of regular gasoline fuel system & also a CNG fuel system

Ford Godzilla V8 [14] 7.3 L (445 cu in) OHV V82022–presentPropane/LPG

Gasoline

Replaced discontinued 6.8 L Triton V10

Uses redesigned Roush CleanTech fuel system for both gasoline and propane fuels

TM4 SUMO [15] Electric motor

315 hp

2,400 lb-ft torque

2019–presentElectric powerCummins PowerDrive 7000155 kWh batteries [15] [16]

Vehicle-to-grid capability (V2G). [16]

Comparable products

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Bird Corporation</span> American bus manufacturer based in Georgia

The Blue Bird Corporation is an American bus manufacturer headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia. Best known for its production of school buses, the company has also manufactured a wide variety of other bus types, including transit buses, motorhomes, and specialty vehicles such as mobile libraries and mobile police command centers. Currently, Blue Bird concentrates its product lineup on school buses, school pupil activity buses (SPAB) and specialty vehicle derivatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford E-Series</span> Line of vans by American automaker

The Ford E-Series is a range of full-size vans manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for 1961 as the replacement of the Ford F-Series panel van, four generations of the model line have been produced. Marketed for both cargo and passenger transport configurations, the E-Series has been designed with multiple design variations for both retail and commercial sale, including vans, and commercial-grade cutaway van chassis and stripped chassis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navistar</span> American industrial company

Navistar, Inc. is an American holding company created in 1986 as the successor to International Harvester. Navistar operates as the owner of International-branded trucks and diesel engines. The company also produces buses under the IC Bus brand. On July 1, 2021, Navistar became a wholly owned subsidiary of Traton, and therefore part of the Volkswagen Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IC Bus</span> Bus manufacturing company owned by Navistar International

IC Bus is an American bus manufacturer. Headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, IC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Navistar International. Established in 2002 by Navistar through the reorganization of subsidiary manufacturer American Transportation Corporation (AmTran), IC currently produces school buses and commercial-use buses for multiple applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet/GMC B series</span> Motor vehicle

The Chevrolet and GMC B series was a series of cowled chassis that were produced by General Motors. Produced across three generations from 1966 to 2003, the model line was a variant of medium-duty trucks marketed under the Chevrolet and GMC nameplates. Initially derived from the medium-duty C/K series, later examples were derived from the GMT530 architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Kodiak</span> Series of medium-duty trucks by General Motors

The Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick are a range of medium-duty trucks that were produced by the Chevrolet and GMC divisions of General Motors from 1980 to 2009. Introduced as a variant of the medium-duty C/K truck line, three generations were produced. Slotted between the C/K trucks and the GMC Brigadier Class 8 conventional, the Kodiak/TopKick were developed as a basis for vocationally oriented trucks, including cargo haulers, dump trucks, and similar vehicles; on later generations, both cutaway and cowled-chassis variants were produced for bus use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford F-Series (medium-duty truck)</span> Medium-duty line of trucks manufactured by Ford

The medium-duty version of the Ford F-Series is a range of commercial trucks manufactured by Ford since 1948. Derived from the smaller F-Series pickup trucks, the medium-duty range is currently in its eighth generation. Initially slotted between the F-Series pickup trucks and the "Big Job" conventionals, later generations were slotted below the L-Series "Louisville" trucks; the last two generations are the largest vehicles produced by Ford since its exit from the heavy-truck segment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2</span> School bus model

The Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 is a cowled-chassis bus manufactured by bus body manufacturer Thomas Built Buses. Introduced in 2004, the vehicle is produced primarily as a school bus; other configurations of the model line were developed for commercial use and specialty configurations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International DuraStar</span> Medium-duty truck series

The International MV, known as the 4000 series prior to 2008 and the DuraStar from 2008 to 2018, is a line of medium-duty trucks produced by Navistar International since 2001. Introduced as the successor to the International 4000 series of 1989–2001, the 4000 series was renamed the DuraStar in 2008. Sharing its chassis with the medium-duty Ford F-Series, the International DuraStar competed against chassis cab vehicles derived from pickup trucks, such as the Freightliner M2 and the Hino 600, Developed as a Class 6-7 product range, the 4000/DuraStar was slotted below the 8000/TranStar regional-haul semitractor, with the Class 5 International TerraStar (2010–2015) serving as the smallest International conventional-cab product range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford L series</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford L-series is a range of commercial trucks that were assembled and marketed by Ford between 1970 and 1998. They are also known as Ford Louisville or, for the 1990s aerodynamic models, Ford Aeromax. The first dedicated Class 8 truck produced by the company, although Ford had been producing "Heavy Duty" trucks since 1948 and their "Super Duty" lineup since 1958. The L-Series was the successor of the F-900/F-1000 Super Duty and the Ford N-Series. The line encompassed a wide range of models in GVWR Classes 6 through 8, as either straight trucks or as semi-tractors, with vehicles developed for medium-duty, on-highway, severe-service, and vocational applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International S series</span> Motor vehicle

The International S series is a range of trucks that was manufactured by International Harvester from 1977 to 2001. Introduced to consolidate the medium-duty IHC Loadstar and heavy-duty IHC Fleetstar into a single product range, the S series was slotted below the Transtar and Paystar Class 8 conventionals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International 3000</span> Motor vehicle

The International 3000 Series is a transit-style bus chassis manufactured by Navistar International, used for school bus and commercial bus applications. In production since 1990, it has been produced in both front and rear-engine configurations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Bird TC/2000</span> Motor vehicle

The Blue Bird TC/2000 is a product line of buses that was produced by the American manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation from 1987 to 2003. Introduced as a second transit-style product range alongside the Blue Bird All American, the TC/2000 was produced in front-engine and rear-engine layouts. While produced primarily as a yellow school bus, Blue Bird offered the TC/2000 in commercial configurations and numerous custom-built variants. For commercial use, Blue Bird badged the model line as the TC/2000 or the APC 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International S series (bus chassis)</span> Motor vehicle platform

The bus chassis variant of the International S series is a cowled bus chassis that was produced by International Harvester from 1979 to 2001. Produced primarily for school bus applications, the chassis was also produced for other applications, including commercial-use buses and cutaway-cab buses. In addition, the cowled chassis formed the basis for front-engine and rear-engine stripped chassis produced for bus applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International 3300</span> Motor vehicle

The International 3300 is a Type-C cowled bus chassis (conventional-style) manufactured by Navistar International, derived from the International DuraStar since 2004 for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. While most examples are produced as yellow school buses, variants of the 3300 are also produced for commercial applications; International also produces as cutaway-cab variant of the model line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Bird All American</span> Motor vehicle

The Blue Bird All American is a series of buses produced by American school bus manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation since 1948. Originally developed as a yellow school bus, versions of the All American have been designed for a wide variety of applications, ranging from the Blue Bird Wanderlodge luxury motorhome to buses for law enforcement use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Minotour</span> Motor vehicle

The ThomasMinotour is a bus body manufactured by Thomas Built Buses since 1980. The smallest vehicle sold by the company, the Minotour is a bus body designed for cutaway van chassis. Primarily sold for school bus usage, the Minotour is also produced as a MFSAB or in specialized configurations specified by the customer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford B series</span> Motor vehicle platform

The Ford B series is a bus chassis that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. Produced across six generations from 1948 to 1998, the B series was a variant of the medium-duty Ford F series. As a cowled-chassis design, the B series was a bare chassis aft of the firewall, intended for bodywork from a second-stage manufacturer. While primarily used for school bus applications in the United States and Canada, the chassis was exported worldwide to manufacturers to construct bus bodies for various uses.

The Wayne Lifestar is a product line of buses that was manufactured and marketed by Wayne Corporation and its successor company Wayne Wheeled Vehicles from 1986 to 1995. Produced nearly exclusively in a school bus configuration, the Wayne Lifestar used a transit-style body configuration with a front-engine chassis. Marking the return to transit-style production, the Lifestar adopted the single-piece body stampings of the Wayne Lifeguard in its construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freightliner FS-65</span> Motor vehicle platform

The Freightliner FS-65 is a cowled school bus chassis that was manufactured by Freightliner from 1997 to 2008. Derived from the Freightliner FL-Series medium-duty trucks, the FS-65 was produced primarily for school bus applications, though commercial-use buses and cutaway-cab buses were also built using the FS-65 chassis.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "2015 Blue Bird Vision Online Brochure" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Blue Bird Vision Technical Specifications" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 3, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Stock #2869 - 2009 Bluebird Vision". 2009 Bluebird Vision. May 9, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "A New Vision from Blue Bird to be Unveiled at NAPT". May 29, 2012. Archived from the original on May 29, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  5. "Product Information". August 31, 2008. Archived from the original on August 31, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 "Blue Bird Unveils New Gasoline-Powered Type C Vision School Bus". www.blue-bird.com. Blue Bird Corporation. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  7. "Blue Bird unveils 2015 model year product enhancements at the School Transportation News Expo". Blue Bird Corporation. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "web.archive.org/web/20131203223225/http://www.blue-bird.com/newsdetails.aspx?id=1334#.WGY8JifnaUk". Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  9. "Blue Bird Unveils Three All-New Powertrains for 2016 Introduction at NAPT Show | Business Wire". www.businesswire.com. November 10, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  10. "Cummins ISV5.0 turbo V8 Brochure". New York Bus Sales.
  11. Park, Jim. "Eaton Discontinues Procision Dual-Clutch Transmission". HDT Trucking Info. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  12. "Blue Bird Vision - CPTDB Wiki". cptdb.ca. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  13. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. "Blue Bird to Begin Production of Updated Propane and Gasoline Buses with All-New and Exclusive Ford 7.3L V8 Engine". investors.blue-bird.com. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  15. 1 2 "Blue Bird Vision-Electric | Technical Specification Highlights" (PDF). Blue-Bird.com.
  16. 1 2 "Electric School Buses". www.blue-bird.com. Retrieved February 11, 2021.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Blue Bird Vision at Wikimedia Commons