BMC 1100FE School Bus  

68507/20/34/49/59

Working with local Authorities Firstgroup have introduced a network of yellow bus services to provide dedicated home to school transport in a number of its operating companies. The yellow buses idea comes from America where there are very strict rules on the transport of children far removed from the traditional school transport in this country of using old coaches and double deck buses that are past their best. Like many of the large bus groups in this country Firstgroup expanded into the America school bus market and their company First Student, is the second largest operator of these buses carrying around a million students every day on more than 15,000 buses in 32 US and Canadian states . Firstgroup started operating yellow school buses in this country in February 2002 at Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire and in Runnymede in Surrey. Other group companies such as First Aberdeen and First Berkshire also now operate yellow school buses. The Yellow school buses in the First Midland Red fleet are made by  BMC Sanayi ve Ticaret which is one of the biggest commercial vehicle manufacturers in Turkey. It was established in 1964 and the company produces trucks, light commercial vehicles, buses and diesel engines on a site 11 km from Izmir in Turkey. The company began with a partnership with the British Motor Corporation (hence the name BMC), producing Austin and Morris commercial vehicles under license, progressing in 1966 to include a range of trucks, vans, agriculture tractors and diesel engines. The vehicles are made in Turkey and imported by BMC (UK) Ltd which is based in Coventry. They are 10.7 metres long and have a body made of stainless steel and seat 70 children on a 3 plus 2 seating arrangement. LK54FNL (which does not carry either fleet numbers or fleet name had been held in store by First Group at the Bolton depot of First Manchester but is numbered 68534). It was drafted into service at Evesham in April 2005 as a temporary replacement for 68549 which was at the time in store at Worcester pending modification to add a wheel chair space and slightly down seat the vehicle (by 5 seats) to make space. In the event 68549 entered service at Evesham without the wheel chair space modification. 68534 is now in use with First Essex Buses. During September 2007 68549 was withdrawn and exchanged for a similar vehicle numbered 68520 from that fleet. The remaining two vehicles that were based at Worcester are used on closed door school contracts for Pershore High School until July 2019 when the vehicles were withdrawn.