A Jet-Powered School Bus Is Trying To Keep Kids Off Drugs

Jet Bus

I thought I had seen just about every kind of repurposed bus possible, from traveling homes and community kitchens to art studios. But, Paul Stender’s “School Time” school bus is unlike any other.

Stender equipped his bus with a 42,000 horsepower jet engine originally made for an F-4 Phantom fighter plane, and while he admits part of his motivation was simple fun, he also tries to use his bus for altruistic missions. “The first [mission] is to entertain people because, come on, its a jet bus. The second is to inspire kids to keep away from drugs.”

Yes, Stender is attempting to encourage kids to take up safe and productive hobbies rather than doing drugs by showing them a school bus capable of shooting 80-foot flames from its back.

Of course, Stender did more than just drop a jet engine into a bus. Nearly every part of the bus has been custom-built, aside from the exterior. With the huge engine installed, there is only enough room for three passengers, not a bus load of students.

This also isn’t Stender’s first jet engine rodeo. Among his nearly 30 other creations you can find a 350 MPH Humvee, a 400-MPH Ram pickup truck, a beer truck, a semi truck, and even a portable toilet, all powered by jet engines.

“We do a lot of displays at schools and we are trying to show kids there’s more to life than sitting in front of computers,” Stender says on his website. “It’s important for them to have active hobbies and creative interests to keep busy and keep away from bad influences and drugs. That’s why we wrote our motto on the side of the bus, ‘jets are hot, drugs are not’.”

You can see the bus in action below.