School Bus

File:Schoolbus GTA III.jpg

A school bus (right) depicted in an early pre-release GTA III screenshot.

The school bus is a vehicle that intended to appear in Grand Theft Auto III but was reworked as a more conventional Bus during development for unknown reasons. It can be assumed the Bus was originally to assume the appearance of a school bus, in the same vein as the Bus in Grand Theft Auto 1 (in Liberty City and Vice City).

GTA III — GTA Vice City Stories

Revelation of the buses' existence surfaced during development of GTA III, when early pre-release screenshots depict what were thought to be 1980s conventional cab school buses common in the United States. The bus comes complete with a light-adorned rear, as well as the yellow body color that distinguishes it as a school bus. In addition, the bus features only one entrance, on the passenger side of the bus, unlike the GTA III rendition of the Bus (which features doors on both sides).

The concept of featuring a school bus was dropped during development without a formal explanation, leading to speculation as to whether or not it was removed in attempt to avoid controversy over killing children or representations of children in the game. However, the final design of the Bus does derive its frontal design from the school bus, but features a redesigned side profile and a curved tail end.

The school bus also survives in the final version of GTA III in the form of wrecks, particularly at the 8-Ball Autos compound and Harwood Autocrusher and Junkyard in Harwood, Portland Island, lacking wheels and doors, among others. The bus wreck model continued to be used in succeeding games, including Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (inside the Hyman Memorial Stadium during "Dirtring", and in Little Haiti and Little Havana), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (in "Blackfield Stadium" during the Kickstart) and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (the same locations as in GTA III).

• School bus wrecks in GTA III (rear quarter view).

  School bus wrecks in GTA III (rear quarter view).

• A mod-restored school bus in GTA III.

  A mod-restored school bus in GTA III.

• A couple of junked school buses in the Blackfield Stadium during the Kickstart trial in GTA San Andreas.

  A couple of junked school buses in the Blackfield Stadium during the Kickstart trial in GTA San Andreas.

GTA IV

File:Schoolbus-GTA4-wreck.jpg

School bus wrecks in GTA IV.

School bus wrecks continue to appear in GTA IV in the form of two versions, one with its four tires intact, and the other without wheels and with a slightly crushed body; both versions have been extensively stripped, leaving little but their skeletal cores.

Unlike wrecks of more common road vehicles, school bus wrecks are fewer in between, appearing in at least two locations, including Firefly Island (close to the Screamer roller coaster), and Northwood (in the northwestern scrapyard). The wreck may also appear in The Lost and Damned, near the location of Billy's bike in the first mission of the game. Traffic law signs throughout the city may also be found directing vehicles to stop for school buses.

See also

• Bus, based on a school bus chassis in GTA 1 (with one variant actually being a school bus), GTA III, GTA Vice City, and GTA Liberty City Stories.
• Prison Bus, also based on a school bus chassis.