Blue Bird
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Mehmi Financial Group helps businesses finance and lease Blue Bird equipment, including buses, in Canada and the USA. As a brokerage, we compare options from banks, equipment finance companies and alternative lenders for new and used Blue Bird units, from dealer purchases to private sales. Approval, rates and terms are set by each lender.
About Blue Bird
Blue Bird has built school buses in Fort Valley, Georgia for nearly 100 years, and its electric school buses are built there too. Blue Bird builds conventional and transit-style school buses in diesel, propane, gasoline and electric versions.
Blue Bird buses on our list
Our list includes the Blue Bird All American school bus, a transit-style (flat-front) bus used by school districts and contractors.
How lenders view school buses
School bus financing is tied to the operator's route contracts with school boards or districts. Lenders review bus age, mileage, fuel type and the contracts behind it. Electric buses raise questions about charging and incentives.
Financing Blue Bird buses
Bus contractors often finance several buses to serve a new contract. Lenders review contracts, fleet financials and maintenance programs.
How Blue Bird equipment financing works
Most Blue Bird purchases are financed with an equipment loan or a lease. A loan gives you ownership from day one, with the lender registering a security interest (PPSA in Canada, UCC in the USA). A lease keeps title with the lessor and can lower the monthly payment, with a buyout, renewal or return option at the end.
What lenders check on a Blue Bird buse
Lenders look at model year, odometer reading, engine and emissions history, and your driving or operating experience. Long-haul use is often reviewed more closely than local or vocational work.
Expect to provide a credit application, recent business bank statements, the dealer quote or bill of sale with serial number and kilometres or miles, and financial statements or tax returns for larger amounts.
See the full list of eligible equipment, compare equipment financing options, or estimate payments with the equipment financing calculator.
All Blue Bird models with financing pages
| Model | Type | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Bird | Equipment | Transportation |
| Blue Bird All American School Bus | Bus | Transportation |
Tax treatment of Blue Bird equipment
In Canada, trucks and tractors designed for hauling freight with a gross vehicle weight rating over 11,788 kg generally fall in CCA Class 16, while other trucks and vehicles generally fall in Class 10. Trailers have their own rules, so confirm the class with your accountant. With a loan, you generally claim capital cost allowance and deduct interest. With a true operating lease, lease payments are generally deductible instead. See the CRA classes of depreciable property. In the USA, Section 179 and bonus depreciation may apply; see IRS Publication 946. Always confirm with your accountant.
End-of-term options on a Blue Bird lease
A $1 buyout lease is built for ownership: you keep the machine for a nominal amount at the end. A fair market value lease usually has a lower payment, and at the end you can buy the equipment at its market value, return it or upgrade. Read the return conditions, such as hour limits and wear standards, before you sign.
Who finances Blue Bird equipment
Transportation: owner-operators, long-haul and regional carriers, vocational fleets, construction haulers, logistics companies and municipal fleets finance Blue Bird equipment to take on new work, replace aging units or add capacity.
The right structure depends on how the equipment earns money. A machine tied to a long contract can support a longer term, while seasonal work may call for skip or seasonal payments that some lenders offer.
Questions to ask the dealer or seller before you finance
- What is the exact model year, serial number and kilometres or miles?
- Is there a service history or recent inspection report?
- Is any warranty or extended coverage included, and does it transfer?
- Are attachments, delivery, installation and taxes itemized on the quote?
- For a private sale, is the equipment free of liens, and who will provide the bill of sale?
Insurance on financed Blue Bird equipment
Lenders and lessors require the equipment to be insured for its replacement or financed value, with the lender named as loss payee, before funding. Some also ask for liability coverage. Getting an insurance quote early avoids last-minute delays.
Frequently asked questions
Can a school bus contractor finance Blue Bird buses?
Yes. Lenders review your route contracts and fleet financials.
Can I finance an electric Blue Bird bus?
Some lenders will. Expect questions about charging and incentives.
Where are Blue Bird buses built?
In Fort Valley, Georgia.
Can I finance used school buses?
Yes. Lenders review age, mileage and condition.
Do route contracts help?
Yes. Contracts with school boards strengthen the application.
Can several buses be financed together?
Yes. Many lenders finance a fleet.
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