Video by Braden Creel and Jared Hernandez.
By Tuulia Koponen
Business/Public relations Manager
@tuulipia
It all started out as an idea to shuttle kids to and from football games and other sporting events.
“My dad one day came home and there was a short bus just sitting in the driveway,” junior Spencer Moore said. “We found [the bus] online at a super cheap auction where they sell old school busses.”
What started out as an idea in late summer has evolved into a short school bus decked out in funky decor galore that screams Coppell spirit and has the Coppell community in awe right and left, such as assistant principal Sean Bagley.
“I saw it earlier one afternoon three or four weeks ago with golf or maybe it was soccer players in it. I think it’s a great idea, especially for tailgating,” Bagley said. “I saw it also at the homecoming parade, and I think it’s just a great way to show school spirit and support.”
According to Moore, the bus did not cost much – only $2,000 for the main body, or in other words, the bus itself with no renovations or anything.
“A [new, long] normal school bus costs about $70,000,” Moore said. “So, [the bus we bought] was a lot cheaper.”
The outside of the bus is painted in a black and red color scheme with various sports equipment painted on it such as a baseball and soccer ball as well as the iconic cheer for the University of Arkansas, “Woo Pig Sooie!”. The inside is decked out with numerous Whataburger place numbers, a random driver’s license, a Dallas Stars hockey poster, a poster from Sonic in regards to the restaurant’s hand-spun milkshakes – even a poster for mane and tail treatment for horses among other whimsical and witty objects drilled to the walls that were purchased from Christian Community Action for 50 cents a piece.
“The outside is just Coppell spirit, so when you are going up and down the streets people realize it’s rooting for Coppell and all the [sporting designs] are for the sporting events it might be going to,” Moore said. “The inside of the bus we changed because it was just really blank and it would be more fun if there was a lot more going on. [The objects drilled to the walls] are cheap, random stuff that we have no correlation with but fill in space and make [the bus] look funny and just add to the atmosphere while [they’re] added in.”
The outside took about three weeks to renovate with painting and treating the bus with care to make it stand out the way it does today. Adding in the wicked sound system that gives off an insanely clear sound, such as Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” Moore played via a USB cord, took a couple more days, while renovating the inside by drilling in all the funky posters that give the bus character and charm added on a couple more days as well.
“Mainly my dad and I renovated the bus with the heavy duty working,” Moore said. “My friend [junior Jon Perez] came over and helped with some of the minor aspects.”
Since ‘Spencer Grant Moore’, as Perez refers to Moore as, is one of his good friends, he decided to contribute in the renovation process.
“I thought it’d be a good way to help out the community,” Perez said. “Also, I like to play a role in this wonderful vehicle because it’s beautiful.”
As far as Perez’s favorite part of the bus, the wacky decorations inside steal the show especially as he noted that “[his] face is on this bus” as the random driver’s license drilled to the wall happens to be his.
Two blue benches are installed inside the bus on both sides that fits 10 people, five on each side. However, whenever the bus makes its way to Whataburger after Friday night football games, the bus fits several more – take 20 more.
“At Whataburger there’s about 30 people in [the bus], just dancing and going crazy,” Moore said.
Perez commented on the matter that it is a hit at Whataburger – a big one.
“[The people at Whataburger] just think it’s cool, unique,” Perez said. “It’s ‘some way’ to celebrate a big win.”
Moore hopes to take the bus to the big sporting events, noting especially football and basketball games and for playoffs for sports that are smaller or not as popular.
In one and a half year’s time when Moore graduates, he is thinking about selling the bus to the student section.
“I will probably sell it to the student section to get all the money back that [my dad, Perez and I] put into it,” Moore said. “And have it go on through Coppell.”
But, for now, Moore will just enjoy driving the bus that he is allowed to with his class C driver’s license and contributing something to the student section that will hopefully endure the test of time with its funky decor galore.
