Thomas Vista

The Thomas Vista is a school bus that was sold by Thomas Built Buses, Inc. from 1989 until 1998. It was unique in that it combined aspects of both conventional school buses and transit school buses. It was built on a Navistar International chassis. Models made before 1995 typically used International 7.3 liter engines and models made 1995 and later typically used International T444E engines. The Vista was used heavily in many school districts in the United States in the mid to late 1990s.

Body

One of the more distinctive aspects of the Thomas Vista was its body. The body design placed the engine half inside the bus and half outside the bus. This allowed the driver more visibility, gave the bus a tighter turning radius and allowed for greater seating capacity while still being cheaper than a transit school bus.Roofs came in either yellow or white.

Chassis

Vistas made before 1992 were built on either GMC or a Chevrolet chassis. Vistas made after 1992 were built on Navistar International 3600 chassis. Because school districts in the US did not start adopting Vistas in mass quantities until the mid-nineties, the Chevrolet chassis versions of the Vista are rare.

Engine

The Chevrolet Chassis Vistas were equipped with a Detroit Diesel 8.2 liter engine. Vistas on Navistar International 3600 chassises made before 1994 came with Navistar International DT360 or 7.3 L engines and those after 1994 came with Navistar International T444E or DT466 engines. The primary difference between the 7.3L and the T444E engines is the addition of onboard diagnostics electronics

Flaws

Despite its wide acceptance in school districts, the Vista was also heavily criticized. The part of the engine that was inside the bus was shielded by a thin metal casing. As a result, a lot of the engine's heat would end up going inside the bus. Diesel engines are not known for being quiet, and a lot of the engines noise also wound up inside the bus. Vistas were also plagued by suspension problems. Because a good portion of the engine was behind the front wheels, this reduced the effectiveness of the bus's suspension. Traditional transit style school buses place the front wheels behind the driver, however the Vista used the wheel placement of a conventional school bus. The front wheels in a conventional style school bus are placed in front of the driver. However, because the Vista's engine is partially inside the bus, there was less weight in front of the wheels, making for a bumpy ride. As a result of these flaws, and as a result of Thomas Built Buses, Inc. being bought by Freightliner, the Vista was discontinued in 1998.