Blue Bird Vision

Blue Bird Vision
2011 Blue Bird Vision
Overview
Manufacturer	Blue Bird Corporation
Production	2003–present
Assembly	Fort Valley, Georgia LaFayette, 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) Cummins 5.9 L ISB5.9 I6 turbodiesel (2004-2006) 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-present, propane/LPG; 2016-present, gasoline/CNG)
Transmission	Allison PTS 2500 5-speed automatic (standard) Allison PTS 3000 5-speed automatic (optional) Ford 6R140 6-speed automatic (with Ford V10)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	169 in (4,292.6 mm) (36 passenger) 189 in (4,800.6 mm) (48 passenger) 217 in (5,511.8 mm) (54 passenger) 238 in (6,045.2 mm) (60 passenger) 252 in (6,400.8 mm) (66 passenger) 273 in (6,934.2 mm) (72/77 passenger) 280 in (7,112.0 mm) (78 passenger)
Length	309–499 in (7,848.6–12,674.6 mm)
Width	96.0 in (2,438.4 mm)
Height	122–128 in (3,098.8–3,251.2 mm)
Curb weight	up to 33,000 lb (14,969 kg) GVWR
Chronology
Predecessor	Blue Bird Conventional (Various) Blue Bird CV200 (GM) Blue Bird SBCV (Navistar)

The Blue Bird Vision is a bus that is manufactured and marketed by Blue Bird Corporation in North America and exported worldwide. Built on a proprietary chassis designed and manufactured by the company, the Blue Bird Vision is a conventional-style cowled-chassis bus with various seating configurations and capacities ranging from 36 to 77 passengers. While sold primarily in a school bus configuration, the Vision is also built in various commercial and specialty configurations.

First introduced in 2003, the Vision underwent a major redesign for 2008 model year and an exterior update for the 2015 model year. Coinciding with other alternative-fuel vehicles from the company, the Vision has been available with propane/LPG fuel systems since 2009. In 2016, the Vision will become the first gasoline-fueled school bus in the United States since the discontinuation of its CV200 predecessor in 2003.

The Vision is produced by Blue Bird Corporation in its Fort Valley, Georgia manufacturing facility alongside its Blue Bird All American product line. Until its closure in 2010, the Vision was also produced in a second facility in LaFayette, Georgia.

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 (IC Corporation in 2001). Freightliner, the parent company of Thomas Built Buses, ended its chassis supply to all competitors after 2002.

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.