The Blue Bird Corporation (originally known as the Blue Bird Body Company) is an American bus manufacturer. Headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia, the company was 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.
Since the 1990s, the company has concentrated on the development of alternative-fuel vehicles in the segment. Along with the production of propane, natural gas, and gasoline-fuel buses, Blue Bird has expanded the development of zero-emissions vehicles, introducing electric-powered versions of each of its product lines.
After producing his first bus in 1927 as a side project, A.L. Luce founded Blue Bird Body Company in Fort Valley, Georgia in 1932. Remaining under family control into the early 1990s, Blue Bird changed hands several times in the 2000s, with the company becoming publicly owned in February 2015 (with previous owner Cerberus Capital Management holding a 58% share). The company currently assembles vehicles in its Fort Valley, Georgia facility, its headquarters since 1946. Currently, Blue Bird is the only American full-line school bus manufacturer under American ownership, and concentrates its product lineup on school buses, school pupil activity buses, and specialty vehicle derivatives.
History
1927–1930s
As the second quarter of the 20th century began, Albert Luce Sr. was an entrepreneur who developed some of the earliest purpose-built school buses, transitioned from wagons. What is now Blue Bird Corporation began life as a side project in a Ford Motor Company dealership in Perry, Georgia. Along with the dealership in Perry, Luce owned the Ford franchise in Fort Valley, Georgia, a rural farming community south of Macon.
In 1925, Luce sold a customer a Ford Model T with a wooden bus body; the customer sought to use the bus to transport his workers. Due to a combination of unsatisfactory construction quality of the bus body and the rough conditions of the rural Georgia roads, the wooden bus body started to disintegrate before the customer had finished paying for the vehicle.
The early use of farm wagons on a part-time basis soon evolved into purpose-built school bus products, each with economy and function as major priorities. In 1937, the company began production of full-steel bus bodies, an innovation which soon replaced the wooden bodies which were then in common use around the United States. undergoing a second restoration in the 1970s.
Currently in its sixth generation, the Blue Bird All American is the longest-running bus model line. While not the first forward-control school bus (the Crown Supercoach was introduced in 1932), the All American would become one of the designs to widely expand its use, leading its wider use by school districts and school bus operators throughout the United States and Canada. Along with the Blue Bird Conventional (and the later Blue Bird Vision), many Blue Bird body designs would share design elements with the All American, including the TC/2000, TC/1000, APC and CS commercial buses, and Wanderlodge recreational vehicle.
1950s
In 1950, A.L. Luce retired from daily operations of Blue Bird, with operations of the company handled by his three sons; A.L. "Buddy" Luce Jr. became company president and general manager; George Luce oversaw engineering and Joseph Luce overseeing production and assembly. In 1962, Blue Bird Midwest was opened in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
At the beginning of the decade, Blue Bird introduced its roofline brand emblem, becoming the first bus manufacturer to do so. In 1962, Blue Bird introduced a panoramic windshield design, used on the All American through 2013 (and still on use on the Vision). In the early 1960s, Blue Bird introduced its long-running company slogan: "Your Children's Safety is Our Business", appearing in company advertising (and inside bus bodies) into the 1990s. In contrast to the City Bird, the Q-Bus shared no design commonality with a Blue Bird school bus. In addition to the Q-Bus, the APC (All-Purpose Coach) and CS (Commercial Series) were introduced, as commercial buses based on the bodies of the All American and TC/2000; a "shell" version was sold for upfitters as well.
To better compete with more modern designs of luxury recreational vehicles, Blue Bird began to update the design of the Wanderlodge. Following the 1988 introduction of the 102" wide body, the Wanderlodge line was redesigned entirely for 1991 (effectively sharing only Blue Bird emblems with the All American). In 1994, a second version of the Wanderlodge was introduced, as the Wanderlodge BMC debuted. To expand its availability, the Wanderlodge BMC was produced using a chassis from Spartan Motors; a Blue Bird QMC commercial variant was introduced, designed as a mobile workstation. In 1997, Blue Bird expanded into the passenger motorcoach segment, introducing the LTC-40 (Luxury Touring Coach); for 1998, the Wanderlodge LX/LXi were introduced, adapting the LTC body.
Joint ventures
thumb|Late 1990s Blue Bird/GMC CV200
thumb|Blue Bird/ MB-IV on a Ford E-350 chassisDuring the 1990s, Blue Bird would enter into several joint ventures as part of its school bus production, for both small and full-size school buses.
In an effort to supplement the Blue Bird Micro Bird, in 1992, Blue Bird entered into a supply agreement with Quebec-based bus manufacturer Girardin Minibus to supply Blue Birds with Girardin-produced MB-II/MB-IV school buses (branded as Blue Birds) on cutaway van chassis. While configured similar to the Micro Bird, the Blue Bird MB-II/IV by Girardin allowed Blue Bird to offer an updated body design; at the time, Girardin was the sole manufacturer to produce a full cutaway body for single rear-wheel van chassis. The MB-II and MB-IV were sold by Blue Bird until 1999, when they adopted the Girardin branding.
Coinciding with the 1991 redesign of the General Motors medium-duty truck line, General Motors entered into a 10-year supply agreement with Blue Bird, starting early in 1992, as a 1993 model. Under the agreement, the Chevrolet/GMC B7 would only be sold to Blue Bird. Blue Bird offered a choice of other cowled chassis (Ford B700/B800, International 3700, 3800, and later Freightliner FS-65). The CV200 was produced through 2002. The 2002s were considered 2003 models.
Environmentally friendly buses
In place of bringing all-new product lines to production, during the 1990s, Blue Bird explored several methods of reducing the environmental impact of school buses, with several methods reaching production. In 1991, Blue Bird developed the first school bus powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), an All American Rear Engine. In 1995, Blue Bird began a collaboration with John Deere to produce school buses with CNG engines, lasting into the 2000s;
In 1996, Blue Bird debuted the Envirobus 2000 concept school bus. Derived loosely from the Q-Bus, the Envirobus served loosely as a testbed for safety-related technology along with the viability of CNG-powered school buses.
Along with alternative-fuel buses, Blue Bird became the first school bus manufacturer to develop fully electric school buses; during the 1990s, technology limited its development to the prototype stage. In 1994, the company developed a battery-powered school bus in an effort with Westinghouse Electronic Systems for a school district in California. Looking to develop its entries in the transportation sector, Blue Bird was paired with North American Bus Industries (NABI) and Optima Bus Corporation by Cerberus.
At the beginning of the 2000s, Blue Bird sought to modernize its aging transit bus line; the Q-Bus was nearly a decade old and the CS and APC coaches were essentially commercial versions of the All American and TC/2000 school buses. For 2002, the 96-inch wide Q-Bus was replaced by the 102-inch wide Xcel102 and the CS and APC lines were retired. In 2003, the company entered the low-floor segment with the introduction of the UltraLF and UltraLMB.
As the number of full-size school bus manufacturers had been cut from seven to three from 1990 to 2000, Blue Bird began on making its school bus products more competitive during the early part of the decade. Following the substantial update of the All American in 1999, Blue Bird discontinued the slow-selling TC/1000 in 1999 and consolidated the TC/2000 with the All American early in 2004.
However, the largest change came in 2003, as Blue Bird sought to replace the CV200. While initially developed to use the Ford F-650 Super Duty chassis, the Vision underwent a major change before its release. In a major break from precedent, Blue Bird did not use an existing truck manufacturer for the chassis, instead developing its own version from the ground up. While the Vision used the same bus body as the long-running Conventional, engineering changes were made to optimize forward visibility.
As part of its acquisition by Cerberus, Blue Bird gradually saw itself positioned exclusively into yellow school bus production, its largest market. In 2007, the Xcel102 was discontinued and the low-floor UltraLF/LMB product lines were added to NABI. In a controversial move, the rights to the Wanderlodge luxury motorhome were sold to Complete Coach Works; production ended in 2009.
In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the construction the first Blue Bird bus and the centennial of the Model T Ford, the Luce family donated the restored vehicle to The Henry Ford Museum in 2008. Dubbed "Blue Bird #1", it is the oldest known surviving school bus in the United States.
With resources dedicated solely towards school bus production, the Vision saw a major update for 2008. In addition to a new dashboard, it received a new cowl with larger headlights and grille. For 2009, the company expanded alternative-fuel options as it introduced a propane-fuel variant of the Vision; it was powered by a General Motors 8.1L V8. For 2010, the All American was given a complete update, marking some of the largest changes to the Blue Bird body design in over 50 years; along with a complete redesign of the roof, windshield, and rear entry, the interior received a ground-up redesign.
With the streamlining of bus production, the number of production facilities utilized by the company has been reduced. Blue Bird de Mexico was closed in 2001 and Blue Bird Midwest in Mount Pleasant, Iowa was closed in 2002. In 2010, Blue Bird North Georgia was closed, consolidating all bus production back to company headquarters in Fort Valley.
In October 2009, Blue Bird further streamlined its bus production as it entered into a second joint venture with Canadian school bus manufacturer Girardin Minibus. Dubbed "Micro Bird, Inc.", all small bus production was consolidated at the Girardin facilities in Quebec, Canada; consequently, all Blue Bird production is now limited to full-size conventional and transit buses. The 2010 Micro Bird was the last Blue Bird bus to use a non-Blue Bird chassis.
2010s
thumb|2010-present Micro Bird MB-II
alt=|thumb|2008–2014 Blue Bird Vision
Following the consolidation of Blue Bird production to the Vision and All American school buses (and vehicles derived from them), during the 2010s, a number of changes were phased in. In following with the popularity with the LPG/propane autogas version of the Blue Bird Vision bus, a version powered by a Ford V10 and equipped with a ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas fuel system was introduced in 2011 (as the original General Motors V8 engines were no longer in production); in addition, the Vision received a dashboard and steering column shared with the All American.
In late 2012, Blue Bird unveiled a redesigned 2014 All American series (code-named the T3 Series), which would replace versions introduced in 1999 and 2008 produced concurrently. Distinguished by a redesigned (rounder) roof, the new All American has increased parts commonality with the Vision. In October 2013, the 2015 Vision was introduced. Along with clear-lens headlights and a new grille, propane-fueled versions gained the option of an extended-range 98-gallon fuel tank. Company owner Cerberus Capital sold off the majority of its transportation holdings, including NABI and Optima to Canadian bus builder New Flyer; Blue Bird remained under Cerberus ownership.
In late 2013, Blue Bird entered a different segment of school transportation as it introduced Blue Bird Connect™, a GPS-based fleet management software system co-developed with Synovia Solutions. While designed as an integrated system as an option for any Blue Blue school bus, Blue Bird Connect™ was also intended for retrofit to existing fleets of school buses as well, regardless of brand.
Though produced by Girardin under the Micro Bird joint venture, in late 2014, the company introduced the Micro Bird T-Series, a Girardin-bodied Type A school bus; it is the first school bus body ever produced for the Ford Transit in North America. Largely due to the Ford-derived chassis design, Blue Bird predicts a 20% fuel economy increase over its E-Series MB/G5 counterpart. While developed solely for export, the Sigma derived its chassis configuration and drivetrain from the All American.
In September 2014, the ownership of Blue Bird underwent another transition. Texas-based venture capital firm Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corporation purchased a $255 million stake of the company from Cerberus affiliate The Traxis Group. As part of the acquisition, Cerberus/Traxis would retain majority ownership; the Blue Bird leadership team remained in place.
By 2015, Blue Bird ranked as the leading provider of propane autogas powered school buses through a partnership with ROUSH CleanTech, which provides propane autogas fuel systems for the buses. At this time, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) estimated that between school districts and private fleets, 11,000 propane school buses had been purchased in the United States.
In September 2015, Blue Bird further expanded its non-diesel fuel offerings as the company introduced a gasoline-fueled variant of the Vision, starting with 2016 production The first gasoline-fueled full-size school bus since the discontinuation of the 2002 Blue Bird CV200, it is powered by the same Ford V10 used by the propane-fueled variant of the Vision. At the end of 2018, Blue Bird produced the 5,000th gasoline-powered version of the Vision.
In January 2017, Blue Bird announced it would begin development of a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) school bus with the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology. This development work is being supported by a $4.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as additional support from other entities, bringing together just over $9 million in funds. The project will result in eight ZEV V2G school buses being deployed in California. After unveiling fully electric versions of the Micro Bird G5 and All American in late 2017, Blue Bird delivered its first production electric school buses in September 2018.
2020s
thumb|2025-present Blue Bird Vision
On May 10, 2022, Bluebird announced its entry into a new commercial product line. At the Expo Trade Center, Bluebird unveiled a Class 5 and Class 6 EV Truck chassis that was intended for use on a delivery truck body.
In the summer of 2024, the company secured $80 million in matching funds, as the company intends to redevelop the former Wanderlodge manufacturing site in Fort Valley into an all-new facility for electric vehicle manufacturing.
Products
In addition to school, activity, and commercial applications, Blue Bird buses have been custom-built for unique applications such as bloodmobiles, mobile libraries, and public safety command centers.
School buses
{| class="wikitable collapsible"
|-
!colspan=4 style="background:#FFD800"|Current product line
|-
!style="background:#FFD800"|Model name
!style="background:#FFD800"|<big>Micro Bird by Girardin</big>
!style="background:#FFD800"|<big>Vision</big>
!style="background:#FFD800"|<big>All American (T3)</big>
|-
!Photo
|style="text-align:center"|A 2011 Blue Bird Micro Bird by Girardin.|250px
|style="text-align:center"|2008 Blue Bird Vision|250px
| style="text-align:center" |Blue Bird All American T3RE|250px
|-
!Year introduced
|style="text-align:center"|2010
|style="text-align:center"|2003 (Gen 5: 2023)
|style="text-align:center"|1948 (T3: 2014)
|-
!Assembly
| style="text-align:center" |Drummondville, Quebec<br>Plattsburgh, New York
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|Fort Valley, Georgia
|-
!Configuration
|Type A (cutaway)
:*MB-II: single rear wheel
:*G5: dual rear wheel
:*T-Series: single/dual rear wheel
|Type C (conventional)
|Type D (transit-style)
:*front engine
:*rear engine
|-
!Chassis manufacturer
|Ford Motor Company
:*Ford E-350/E-450 (2010–present)
:*Ford Transit (2015-present)
General Motors
:*Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana
|colspan=2 style="text-align:center"|Blue Bird
|-
!Fuel type(s)
|
Gasoline, diesel, propane, electric
|
Gasoline, diesel, propane, electric
|
Diesel, electric
|-
!Passenger capacity
|style="text-align:center"|10-30
|style="text-align:center"|36-77
|style="text-align:center"|54-90
|-
!Other notes
|
- Introduced for 2011 model year as part of Micro Bird, Inc. joint venture with Girardin.
- Replaces Micro Bird
- 2015 Micro Bird T-Series is the first Type A school bus based on the Ford Transit cutaway chassis in North America.
- Electric Micro Bird G5 on Ford E450 chassis in production since summer 2018
|
- Vision was introduced for the 2004 model year and is currently in its fifth generation (introduced for the 2024 model year).
- Vision uses an in-house chassis from Blue Bird.
- Vision underwent further upgrades for 2015, 2022, and 2024.
- Electric version introduced 2019
|
- Blue Bird has produced the chassis for front-engine versions since 1952, rear engine versions since 1988.
- Current version (internally known as T3) introduced for 2014.
- Electric version of model line (based on T3RE) in production since 2018.
- Known in export markets as the Blue Bird TX3; formerly known as the TC/3000 and All Canadian.
- Basis for Blue Bird Sigma (export bus chassis)
- All-American A3RE was produced up until 2014(A3FE in 2013), it was replaced alongside the D3 with the T3.
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible"
! style="background:#FFD800" colspan="5" |Former product lines
|-
! style="background:#FFD800;" |Model name
! style="background:#FFD800;" |Production
! style="background:#FFD800;" |Vehicle type
! style="background:#FFD800;" |Chassis
! style="background:#FFD800;" |Notes
|-
!Micro Bird
250px
|1975–2010
|Type A (cutaway)
|Ford Motor Company
:*Ford Econoline/E-Series (1992–2010)
General Motors
:*Chevrolet G-30/GMC Vandura (1975–1996)
:*Chevrolet Express (1997–2010)
:*Chevrolet P-30 (1995–1996)
|
- Replaced with products from Micro Bird, Inc. joint venture with Girardin.
- From 1992 to 1999, the Micro Bird was sold alongside Girardin-produced Blue Bird MB-II/MB-IV models.
- From 1995 to 1996, a heavy-duty model using the Chevrolet P30 chassis was produced using modified Chevrolet G30 front bodywork.
|-
!MB-II/MB-IV
250px
|1992–1999
|Type A (cutaway)
:*MB-II: single rear wheel
:*MB-IV: dual rear wheel
|Ford Motor Company
:*Ford Econoline/E-Series (1992–1999)
General Motors
:*Chevrolet G-30/GMC Vandura (1992–1996)
:*Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana (1997–1999)
|
- Introduced in Canada in 1991.
- Produced by Canada's Girardin Minibus and distributed in the United States as Blue Bird-brand products
- MB-II continues in production and is now sold again as a Blue Bird (Micro Bird by Girardin)
|-
!Mini Bird
250px
|1977–2002
|Type B (integrated)
|General Motors
:*Chevrolet P30
|
- Mini Bird was the first Blue Bird marketed with special-needs customers in mind.
- Featured the same body width as full-size Blue Birds.
|-
!Conventional
250px
|c.1957–2004
| rowspan="3" |Type C (conventional)
|Chrysler Corporation
:*Dodge D-300 (to 1977)
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
:*Freightliner FS-65 (1997–2002)
Ford Motor Company
:*Ford B600/B700/B800/B8000 (to 1998)
General Motors
:*Chevrolet/GMC B-Series (1966–1991)
International Harvester<br>Navistar International
:*Loadstar 1703 (1962–1978)
:*S-1700/S1800 (1979–1989)
:*International 3800 (1989–2004)
|
- The Conventional uses a cowled-chassis version of the body used by the All American (except for the D3 Series) and the TC/2000. Available on a wide variety of commercially produced chassis, discontinued with the end of International 3800 production in 2004.
- Replaced by Blue Bird Vision.
- In export markets, the Conventional was often produced using locally sourced chassis.
|-
!Chevrolet/GMC CV200
250px
|1992–2002
|General Motors
:*Chevrolet/GMC B7
|
- Produced under a supply agreement between Blue Bird and General Motors; the Chevrolet/GMC chassis was used exclusively by the company. Ford, Freightliner, Navistar versions of the Conventionals were produced as options.
- The 2003 CV200 was the last full-sized C school bus (prior to 2016) available with a gasoline engine.
- CV200 was replaced by the Vision.
|-
!SBCV
250px
|2004–2007
|Navistar International
:*International 3300
|
- The SBCV was the replacement for the Conventional based on the International 3800; Blue Bird is the only body manufacturer to use this chassis besides IC Bus.
- Produced alongside Vision until its 2007 discontinuation.
|-
!TC/1000
|1997–1999
|Type D (transit-style)
:*front engine
| rowspan="2" |Blue Bird Corporation
|
- Marketed primarily for special-needs customers
- Front-engine version only; smaller than TC/2000
- Flat-floor interior configuration
- Had a similar roof style to the All American D3, looking more boxy than the standard rounded roof look of the AA series and the TC2000, though some may have a more standard roof depending on the year
|-
!TC/2000
1988–1990 Blue Bird TC/2000 school bus (retired)|250px
|1987–2003
|Type D (transit-style)
:*front engine
:*rear engine
|
- Lighter duty chassis than All American
- Lower price meant to attract larger fleet buyers.
|}
Other vehicles
{| class="wikitable collapsible"
|-
! colspan="5" style="background:#63A4C7" |Other product lines
|-
! style="background:#63A4C7;"|Model !! style="background:#63A4C7;"|Production !! style="background:#63A4C7;"|Configuration !! style="background:#63A4C7;"|Type!! style="background:#63A4C7;"|Notes
|-
!City Bird
|| 1976–1986 || Rear engine
High floor
|Transit bus|| Short-wheelbase adaptation of All American for the mass-transit market
|-
!CS-Series<br />APC-Series
250px
|| 1990s-2002 || Front-engine
Rear-engine
High floor
|Commercial bus
Transit bus
Shuttle bus
Specialty use
<br />|| Various derivatives of the All American and TC/2000 product lines developed for commercial use. CS=Commercial Series
APC=All Purpose Coach
The CS-Series was marketed towards transit and shuttle use while the APC was marketed towards various commercial buyers.
Both versions were sold as an incomplete vehicle (shell) for conversion to multiple types of specialty uses.
|-
!Q-Bus
|| 1992–2001
In addition to school buses, a single low-floor city bus, known as the Blue Bird LFCC9, was built in late 2003. The 29-seater midibus, registered NK53TJV, received the then-popular Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork and entered service with Arriva North East.
|-
!style="background:#d0d0d0;"| EC-72
|| 2006 || Blue Bird Vision (conventional, cowled chassis) || Using the chassis of the Vision, the EC-72 was a limited-production series of conventional prototypes intended for testing new production designs; the EC-72 used the hood later seen on the 2008–2014 Vision along with a new roof and window design. Approximately 50 were produced in total.
|}
Company timeline
{| class="toccolours" style="margin:auto;"
|-
| colspan="58" style="text-align:center;" |Blue Bird Corporation timeline, 1970–present
|- style="text-align:center; background:##f0f0f0; background:#f0f0f0;"
| colspan="2" rowspan="2"|
| colspan="10" |1970s
| colspan="10" |1980s
| colspan="10" |1990s
| colspan="10" |2000s
| colspan="10" |2010s
| colspan="6" |2020s
|- style="background:#f0f0f0; text-align:center;"
| '70 || '71 || '72 || '73 || '74 || '75 || '76 || '77 || '78 || '79
| '80 || '81 || '82 || '83 || '84 || '85 || '86 || '87 || '88 || '89
| '90 || '91 || '92 || '93 || '94 || '95 || '96 || '97 || '98 || '99
| '00 || '01 || '02 || '03 || '04 || '05 || '06 || '07 || '08 || '09
| '10 || '11 || '12 || '13 || '14 || '15 || '16 || '17 || '18 || '19
| '20 || '21 || '22 || '23 || '24 || '25
|- style="text-align:center; background:##f0f0f0; background:#f0f0f0;"
| colspan="2"|Company ownership
| colspan="22" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|A.L. Luce family
| colspan="7" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|Merrill Lynch Capital
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|Henlys plc
| colspan="1" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|Peach<br />County<br />Holdings
| colspan="9" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|Cerberus Capital
| colspan="11" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |Publicly traded
<sub>(Cerberus Majority owner)</sub>
|-align=center
! colspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;" | Buses (by configuration)
| colspan="56" style="background:#f0f0f0;" |Blue Bird school buses
|-align=center
| rowspan="4" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|Type A
| rowspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|Single rear-wheel
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="2" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="12" style="background:#ffd800;"|MB-II by Girardin
| colspan="1" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="2" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="13" style="background:#FFD800;"|Micro Bird SRW
| colspan="6" style="background:#FFD800;" |Micro Bird MB-II
|-align=center
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="5" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="11" style="background:#FFD800;" |Micro Bird T-Series
|-align=center
| rowspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|Dual rear-wheel
| colspan="5" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="36" style="background:#FFD800;"|Micro Bird (DRW)
| colspan="4" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="11" style="background:#FFD800;" |Micro Bird T-Series DRW
|-align=center
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="2" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="7" style="background:#ffd800;"|MB-IV by Girardin
| colspan="1" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="16" style="background:#FFD800;" |Micro Bird G5
|- align=center
|colspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;"| Type B
| colspan="7" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="29" style="background:#FFD800;"|Mini Bird
| colspan="4" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
|- align=center
|colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;"| Type C
| colspan="35" style="background:#FFD800;"|Conventional (various chassis)
| colspan="4" style="background:#FFD800;"|SBCV (Navistar 3300)
| style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
|- align=center
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="2" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="12" style="background:#FFD800;"|CV200 (GM B7)
| colspan="4" style="background:#FFD800;"|Vision
| colspan="7" style="background:#FFD800;"|Vision
| colspan="11" style="background:#FFD800;" |Vision
|- align=center
| rowspan="5" style="background:#f0f0f0;" |Type D
| rowspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;" |All American series
| colspan="19" style="background:#FFD800;"|All American Forward Engine (1957)
| colspan="11" style="background:#FFD800;"|All American Forward Engine (1989)
| colspan="14" style="background:#FFD800;"|All American (A3FE)
| colspan="12" rowspan="5" style="background:#FFD800;" |All American
(T3FE/T3RE)
|- align=center
| colspan="18" style="background:#FFD800;"|All American Rear Engine
(various chassis)
| colspan="1" style="background:#FFD800;"|AARE
(Blue Bird)
| colspan="11" style="background:#FFD800;"|All American Rear Engine (1989)
| colspan="10" style="background:#FFD800;"|All American
(A3RE)
| colspan="4" rowspan="4" style="background:#FFD800;"|All American (D3RE/D3FE)
|- align=center
| rowspan="3" style="background:#f0f0f0;" |Transit Coach series
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="8" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="3" style="background:#FFD800;"|TC/2000
<sub>Forward Engine</sub>
| colspan="1" style="background:#FFD800;"|TC/2000<br /><sub>Forward Engine</sub>
| colspan="12" style="background:#FFD800;"|TC/2000<br />Forward Engine
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
|- align=center
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="1" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="1" style="background:#FFD800;"|TC/2000<br /><sub>Rear Engine</sub>
| colspan="7" style="background:#FFD800;"|TC/2000<br /><sub>Rear Engine</sub>
| colspan="1" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
|- align=center
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="7" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
| colspan="5" style="background:#FFD800;"|TC/1000
| colspan="8" style="background:#d0d0d0;"|
|- align=center
! colspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;" |Buses (by type)
| colspan="56" style="background:#f0f0f0;" |Blue Bird non-school buses
|- align="center"
| colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="background:#f0f0f0;" | Transit Buses
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="11" style="background:#63A4C7" |City Bird
| colspan="3" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="2" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="10" style="background:#63A4C7" |Q-Bus
| colspan="6" style="background:#63A4C7" |Xcel102
| colspan="2" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
|- align="center"
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="8" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="15" style="background:#63A4C7" |CS-Series
| colspan="7" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="4" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="12" style="background:#63A4C7" |Sigma (export only)
|- align="center"
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="3" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="8" style="background:#63A4C7" |Ultra LF/Ultra LMB
| colspan="9" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
|- align="center"
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|Coaches/recreational vehicles
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="7" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="7" style="background:#63A4C7" |LTC-40
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
|- align="center"
| colspan="20" style="background:#63A4C7" |Wanderlodge (96" body)
| colspan="8" style="background:#63A4C7" |Wanderlodge (102" body)
| colspan="12" style="background:#63A4C7" |Wanderlodge LX/LXi/M380
| colspan="10" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
| colspan="6" style="background:#d0d0d0;" |
|}
Manufacturing and assembly
Traditionally, school buses such as those produced by Blue Bird consist of components purchased from various outside suppliers and parts which are manufactured in-house to the company's specifications. These two categories of parts are then typically assembled into bodies which can be mounted onto chassis which have often been variations of those used in a myriad of truck applications. Alongside its role of vehicle assembly, the Blue Bird facility in Fort Valley, Georgia, also manufactured parts used for all company facilities to produce vehicles. Blue Bird Wanderlodges were manufactured in an adjacent facility in Fort Valley, including Wanderlodge Wayside Park, a tree-shaded motor home park to accommodate Wanderlodges visiting for service.
Blue Bird currently operates its Fort Valley manufacturing facility as its sole point of assembly; Micro Birds are assembled in the Girardin factory in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. In the past, the company held four factories (and the Wanderlodge factory) in the United States, two facilities in Canada (separate from Girardin), one in Mexico, and one in Guatemala. In the 1980s, Blue Bird exited production in Central America; during the 2000s, the company gradually wound down its number of factories as the company centralized production and consolidated its model lines to school buses and their derivatives. In 2010, Blue Bird North Georgia (LaFayette, Georgia) was closed.
|-
!Blue Bird Midwest
|Mount Pleasant, Iowa
|
|1962
|2002
|In August 2002, Blue Bird announced that it will shut down the Blue Bird Midwest manufacturing plant. Approximately 350 employees were laid off, along with 70 job losses at Celestica in the same month, resulted in the loss of about 10% of the town's jobs.
|-
!Blue Bird East
|Buena Vista, Virginia
|
|1972
|1992
|
|-
!Blue Bird Wanderlodge
|Fort Valley, Georgia
|
|1963
|2007
|Originally opened as Cardinal Manufacturing
|-
!colspan=6|Canada
|-
!Canadian
Blue Bird
|Brantford, Ontario
|
|1958
|2007
|
|-
!Blue Bird Québec
|Saint-Lin-Laurentides, Quebec
|Conventional
|1975
|1982
|Acquired J.H. Corbeil assets, and converted the assembly line for its products. Factory bought back by the Corbeil family and local businessmen in 1985, becoming Les Enterprises Michel Corbeil, until its acquisition by Collins Bus Corporation in 2007, shutting down manufacturing for good.
|-
!Micro Bird, Inc.
|Drummondville, Quebec
| Micro Bird (MB-II, G5)
|colspan=2|1981
|Girardin Minibus production facility
|-
!colspan=6|Worldwide facilities
|-
!Blue Bird de Mexico
|Monterrey, Nuevo León
|
|1995
|2001
|
|-
!Blue Bird Central America
|Guatemala City, Guatemala
|See Notes
|1965
|1980s
|Produced All American and Conventional bodies on locally available chassis.
|}
Branding
thumb|Blue Bird company logo in steering wheel
Company name
The exact origin of the Blue Bird company name is unknown; several theories are known to exist. Most commonly, A.L. Luce was perceived to have been hesitant about using the family surname for the company out of fears of mispronunciation (i.e., a Luce bus = "loose bus").