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9 Most Famous Buses in History

9 Most Famous Buses in History

It’s hard to ignore the role of buses in our modern existence.  They are affordable alternatives to other modes of transportation and allow us to travel to places we might not otherwise be able to go — whether it be within our own city, or all the way across the globe.

Bus service has been so important over the last several decades, it’s only natural for some buses to reach a level of iconic status.  Moreover, using buses to get around gave certain individuals the means to do things that became part of modern history.

So, let us take a look at some of these iconic buses and the people who rode them.

Famous Buses from Pop Culture

You might know a bus from pop culture history that has stirred your imagination and ignited your curiosity.  Here are a few of the most famous pop culture buses to take you back to memory lane.

# 1 Further, Ken Kesey’s Bus

The perfect bus for hippies

If you think that’s a weird grammatical error above, then you’re wrong.  Ken Kesey, the famed leader of the Merry Pranksters named the bus that took him and his buddies across the USA, Further.  Talk about a tour bus with beds!  Its exterior was also painted with psychedelic colours that attracted not only other hippies but also law enforcement officials.  The tour bus interior was surely as colourful as its exterior, that’s for certain.

Who exactly were Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters?  Kesey was a famous writer.  He authored the classic novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.  Aside from being a famous writer, he was also a leader of the hippie movement, enticing others to drop out of “normal” society.  He established hippie communes in Oregon and LA.

# 2 The Magic School Bus

The bus that all kids will recognize

Craig Walker was the person who had the original idea for the Magical School Bus, and he transformed it into an exciting adventure for kids all over the world.  The stories all revolve around Ms. Frizzle, a tough but fair and kind school teacher who takes her students on field trips to amazing places.  From the solar system to the past and even inside the human anatomy, like a sort of enchanting voyage for kids.

# 3 The Speed Bus

Satisfy your need for speed

Although widely panned upon its release, the movie Speed has a special place in the hearts of many lovers of action movies.  This 90-minute film stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, and they do everything they can to keep the bus from exploding.  Spoiler alert: the bus must maintain a speed above 50 mph or it will blow up.

# 4 Into the Wild Bus

The year was 1992 and Chris McCandless was walking into the Alaskan wilderness in an attempt to live completely off-the-grid. You could say that it was like a final bus stop for him.  Unfortunately, he did not make it out alive, and the bus where he was found became a tourist attraction.  The whole story of how Chris met his fate is found in the book Into the Wild by John Krakauer.

Famous Music Buses

Usually, when people hear the words tour buses, they would think of buses that musicians use in their concert tours.  That’s actually accurate since thousands of bands have travelled across different countries on these buses.  Let’s discover the iconic buses that have made an impact in music history.

# 5 Willie Nelson’s Tour Bus

The name “Biowillie” may be an easy target for amusing wordplay, but it’s actually the name of Willie Nelson’s beloved tour bus.  Willie and his crew would hop aboard the earth-friendly bus and try to keep themselves from getting into mischief.  The tour bus runs on biodiesel fuel made of vegetable oils and soybeans.  Imagine if you could find a similar one in your local tour bus rental company.  Perhaps a more modern version of the bus would be solar-powered thus allowing Willie and his band to get anywhere they want on a sunny day.

# 6 The Partridge Family Bus

This Chevy bus from 1957, blasted its way across America, transporting the fashionably dressed Partridge family, featuring the ultimate heartthrob David Cassidy as a clever and somewhat vain band leader, and Shirley Jones as the strict-yet-fair mother who keeps the family together.  And who could forget about the dashing Danny Bonaduce holding down the beat with his electrifying, funky bass lines?

This unique bus features a Mondrian-inspired facade — vibrant reds, yellows, and blues in differently-sized blocks decorate the sides of the bus, making sure people know when they are speeding into town.  However, it lasted only until 1987 when it was abandoned in an LA junkyard, lasting just a few more years longer than the careers of its famous passengers.

# 7 The Almost Famous Bus

Cameron Crowe was 15 years old when he found himself on the road with the legendary Led Zeppelin.  He then wrote a cover story about them in Rolling Stone magazine.  It catapulted his career as a music journalist which later parlayed into a stint as a screenwriter.  Cameron Crowe’s stories from the road with many of the 70’s biggest rock bands inspired the film Almost Famous.  It’s about a young journalist who tours the USA on a bus with the fictional rock band Stillwater.

Honourable Mentions

Some buses from around the world have made a significant impact on our collective consciousness.  Here are some of those buses that are worth talking about:

# 8 The Double Decker Buses of London

You can’t hop on a tour bus in London without seeing a double-decker bus on the streets.  These buses were carrying Londoners around town since 1956, and are still used up today to transport tourists around the city.  Many people love riding these buses because it offers them a bird’s eye view of the surroundings.  These buses have become so popular among travellers that cities around the world have adopted them into their tourism programs.

Make sure to ride a double-decker bus

# 9 Chicken Buses

Buses are a crucial part of transportation in various Latin American countries.  It’s very common to see painted buses with ornate, colourful designs, and they are typically old American school buses that were auctioned off after 10 years or more of service.  They are called  “La Camioneta,” and in English, they are called chicken buses.  How did they come up with the name?  One theory is that it’s because the passengers are crammed so tightly into the buses.  Another theory is that passengers will often bring chickens with them on their travels, probably to have something to eat after their journey.  Whatever the reason may be, they’re a sight to behold, and even more, fun to travel on.

Old but still serviceable

The Legacy of the Modern Bus

It’s undeniable that buses have become a crucial part of the development of the modern world.  They have also become a significant part of our daily lives.  As children, we rode buses on our way to school and even as we grew up we still rode them from time to time.  No matter which part of the world you are in, you have surely checked the bus information at one point in your life.  If you love to travel, then you must have researched tour bus service online.

Are you looking for buses in Canada that you can rent?  Parkinson Coach Lines offers dependable and safe transportation for city tours or long bus rides.  We adhere to strict disinfection protocols to protect the health of our passengers.  Call us at (905) 451-4776 or email us at info@parkinsoncoach.com.