Cardinal Coach Lines 1650-1651, 1662
Cardinal Coach Lines 1650-1651 and 1662 were 1999 model Blue Bird TC/2000 FE buses delivered brand new to the Calgary branch in 1999. Notable features included air brakes, interior overhead luggage racks and a speaker/PA system.
All three units were originally ordered for use on the company's Yellowknife Transit service in the Northwest Territories. As part of this commitment, the units were painted white with black rubrails and yellow bumpers. Shortly after receiving some pre-service commissioning work, the units were sent north to join the Yellowknife Transit fleet.
Two of the units; 1651 and 1662; spent only a couple of years in service before being returned to Calgary, where they were repainted into standard school bus colors and deployed on regular school service. 1650 would rejoin its sister units in January 2014, when it too was converted to regular school service use.
| Engine | Transmission | Seating | Destination Sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cummins B5.9 | Allison | 72 passengers | None |
Details
| Fleet number |
Thumbnail | Year | VIN | License plate | Location | Status/Disposal | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1650 | 
|
1/1999 | 1BAAJCSH3XF086699 | K-34833 (AB) | Calgary | Retired 2017 |
| |
| 1651 | 1/1999 | 1BAAJCSH6XF086700 | C-25172 (AB) | Calgary | Retired November 2009 Scrapped in November 2009. |
| ||
| 1662 | 
|
1/1999 | 1BAAJCSH0XF086689 | C-25174 (AB) | Calgary | Retired 2016 |
| |
1651 Accident
On the morning of November 12, 2009, 1651 was involved in a major accident in the NW Calgary community of Huntington Hills. The unit, which was operating on a King George/Balmoral school route, was driving eastbound on 78th Avenue NW, when it approached a minivan stopped on the road as it attempted to turn left onto 9th Street NW. The driver of 1651 proceeded to overtake the minivan on its left and over the yellow centre line. At the same time, the minivan began its turn onto 9th Street NW, resulting in the two vehicles colliding. Due to icy conditions at the time of the accident, both vehicles were unable to come to a complete stop, with 1651 crashing into a large spruce tree outside of a home, while the minivan landed upside down in that same home's driveway.
36 children onboard 1651, as well as its driver and the minivan's driver, were sent to hospital to be treated for minor injuries. Following a police investigation which saw both drivers charged, a First Student spokesman stated that "We believe that the equipment had a fuel problem and that she [1651's driver], in that moment in time, thought that she didn't have brakes and that she took a course of action to protect her students, herself and the general public".
Due to the significant front-end damage sustained in the accident, 1651 was written-off and scrapped not long after the accident.