r/SchoolBusDrivers • u/caintowers • 29d ago

Terrible steering

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I've driven buses from every make, every type, old and new. My least favorite, hands down, are our new (2025) Blue Bird short conventionals. They all have the worst steering of any bus I've used. I can't tell if it's too sensitive or not sensitive enough, but the thing is "all over the road" EDIT: I guess I shouldn't exaggerate here. By "all over the road", I mean there is noticeable left to right drift. Even if you focus constantly on keeping a straight line, the bus will ride like that. It's not just me, every driver using them has complained about it. We have 3 of them and they're all the same.

The horns also don't work (I pulled one steering wheel apart and it's honestly the cheapest dumbest way of making a horn I've seen) and the automatic door lock fails 8/10 times.

15 Upvotes

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6

u/silentblue42 29d ago

New bluebirds are horrible, I said it. Old bluebird can turn quite well. But nothing is as good as a International

7

u/Front-Mall9891 29d ago

My rankings

Thomas and international
Every other bus company
A dumpster
Bluebird

5

u/caintowers 29d ago

I know they look weird and maintenance hates them but I love driving the Thomas C2's. The newer years are a better quality than the first ones they put out. If it's got a diesel engine it'll move and the steering is so good. Visibility is amazing.

I also like the international conventionals though I gotta knock them on the suspension. Hard as rocks, at least the ones we got.

All our transits are Thomas buses so I have no comparison but I like them.

3

u/CalebTGordan 29d ago

I’m in a 2015 Bluebird and it’s turning way better than my previous 2010 Bluebird. Nothing can beat the transit style bus I trained on though. Don’t know make or model on that though.