Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Collins Industries
Collins Industries is an American bus manufacturer headquartered in South Hutchinson, Kansas. Best known for production of yellow school buses, the company produces buses for multiple applications; all bodies designed by the company have been produced for cutaway van chassis.
Collins was founded in 1967 by Don Collins Sr. as E-CON-O Conversion; originally a part of Collins Industries, the company exists today as a wholly owned subsidiary of manufacturing company Forest River (A Berkshire Hathaway company). All production is sourced from the company's 94,000 square-foot facility in South Hutchinson, Kansas.
In 1967, Don Collins founded E-CON-O Conversion in Kansas City, Missouri, becoming one of the first to develop a school bus derived from a van. Utilizing a Ford Falcon van (Econoline passenger van), Collins shifted away from designs based upon utility vehicles such as the Chevrolet Suburban and International Harvester Travelall.
In 1971, Collins renamed E-CON-O to Collins Industries, coinciding with the expansion of its product range into ambulances. In 1972, the company was relocated to Hutchinson, Kansas (its present-day location).
In 1978, Collins acquired fire apparatus manufacturer American Fire Apparatus.
In 1982, Collins introduced its first bus with a wheelchair lift; in a shift away from van conversions, the company adopted bodies for cutaway van chassis, introducing the long-running "Bantam" product line. In the mid-1980s, the company would diversify its product ranges. To replace the Collins van-based ambulances, the company acquired Wheeled Coach Industries in 1984 (inventor of the modular ambulance) and Capacity of Texas (a terminal tractor manufacturer) in 1985.
In 1986, Collins sold its American Fire Apparatus division.
During the 1990s, Collins Industries grew to become the largest manufacturer of Type A small school buses in the United States. In 1998, the company would acquire its largest competitor, Mid Bus (a successor of the bus manufacturing operations of Superior Coach Company). To expand into the transit bus segment, Collins acquired World Trans, Inc, basing their vehicles on cutaway chassis and rear-engine chassis.
Hub AI
Collins Industries AI simulator
(@Collins Industries_simulator)
Collins Industries
Collins Industries is an American bus manufacturer headquartered in South Hutchinson, Kansas. Best known for production of yellow school buses, the company produces buses for multiple applications; all bodies designed by the company have been produced for cutaway van chassis.
Collins was founded in 1967 by Don Collins Sr. as E-CON-O Conversion; originally a part of Collins Industries, the company exists today as a wholly owned subsidiary of manufacturing company Forest River (A Berkshire Hathaway company). All production is sourced from the company's 94,000 square-foot facility in South Hutchinson, Kansas.
In 1967, Don Collins founded E-CON-O Conversion in Kansas City, Missouri, becoming one of the first to develop a school bus derived from a van. Utilizing a Ford Falcon van (Econoline passenger van), Collins shifted away from designs based upon utility vehicles such as the Chevrolet Suburban and International Harvester Travelall.
In 1971, Collins renamed E-CON-O to Collins Industries, coinciding with the expansion of its product range into ambulances. In 1972, the company was relocated to Hutchinson, Kansas (its present-day location).
In 1978, Collins acquired fire apparatus manufacturer American Fire Apparatus.
In 1982, Collins introduced its first bus with a wheelchair lift; in a shift away from van conversions, the company adopted bodies for cutaway van chassis, introducing the long-running "Bantam" product line. In the mid-1980s, the company would diversify its product ranges. To replace the Collins van-based ambulances, the company acquired Wheeled Coach Industries in 1984 (inventor of the modular ambulance) and Capacity of Texas (a terminal tractor manufacturer) in 1985.
In 1986, Collins sold its American Fire Apparatus division.
During the 1990s, Collins Industries grew to become the largest manufacturer of Type A small school buses in the United States. In 1998, the company would acquire its largest competitor, Mid Bus (a successor of the bus manufacturing operations of Superior Coach Company). To expand into the transit bus segment, Collins acquired World Trans, Inc, basing their vehicles on cutaway chassis and rear-engine chassis.