Few vehicles command attention like General Motors' Futurliner. Constructed in the 1930s, this fleet of twelve streamlined buses demonstrated American industrial strength and GM's technological advancements. They traveled across North America, pausing during WWII, and were finally parked in 1956. Each Futurliner embarked on its own path towards restoration, deterioration, or anonymity.
In the 1990s, two Futurliners were acquired by Peter Pan Bus Lines in Springfield, Massachusetts, and one is currently listed for sale on Facebook for approximately a million dollars. In late 2021, I had the unique experience of riding and driving this colossal vehicle. The company then claimed it was for sale, but only through word of mouth. Now, Peter Pan seems more eager to sell. The bus is currently used for special events; what was once an exhibit space for technological advancements now serves as a small stage for bands.
The original drivetrain has been replaced with a diesel engine, allowing the Futurliner to move at a moderate speed. Driving it is an unusual experience, given its elevated position. The cab is accessible via a narrow staircase and features a central driver's seat and a small bench for passengers. The steering requires numerous turns from lock to lock. When I drove it, the bus was in good condition, and it appears to be even better now.
The worm-screw system for raising the light bar needed attention a few years ago, but it seems to have been fixed. Peter Pan owns two Futurliners; the other is in poor repair. The company planned to use the worm drive from the non-functional bus to improve the operational one, which may have been completed. In 2021, Peter Pan stated that the purchase of the restored bus required the removal of the rusty non-functional one, although this new listing does not mention that condition.
My goal is not to sell the bus, but it's worth noting that it's a significant piece of history, and other Futurliners have sold for higher prices. The restored bus was likely purchased from a group outside Chicago in the 1990s by car collector Joe Bortz, with its earlier history unclear. The second Futurliner, the deteriorated one, has a more intriguing past. It was once owned by televangelist Oral Roberts, who used it to promote Christianity in Central America. Over decades, it ended up in a New York farm field, where Peter Pan discovered it.
Regardless, the bus for sale is operational and drivable. It could benefit from some attention, as its restoration was several decades ago, but opportunities to purchase a Futurliner are rare.
