United Airlines 322

AM General was a subsidiary of American Motors and was a bus manufacturer in the 1974-1979 period. American Motors was the successor to the business started by Willys-Overland (producer of military jeeps) and later Kaiser Motors. AM General’s primary product continued to be military trucks, but it also built a total of 5,431 buses and trolley buses. AM General based its buses on a design licensed from Western Flyer, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, for Western Flyer’s model D700 bus. AM General’s bus was available in 35-foot or 40-foot long models and was similar to the “New Look” buses produced by General Motors at the time. However, No. 322 was not used in a movie, but may have operated on a fan trip. The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (SCMTD) was formed in 1968 to replace the privately-owned Santa Cruz Transit Company based in Santa Cruz, California. SCMTD provides transit service throughout Santa Cruz County. Initially, SCMTD subsidized operation by Santa Cruz Transit Co, but SCMTD took over operation in 1971. In 1977, to provide for route expansions, SCMTD ordered six AM General 35-foot length, model 9635B-6 buses. These buses, Nos. 846-851, were delayed at the factory for the installation of wheel chair lifts and did not arrive until February, 1978. These were the last motor buses that AM General built, although the firm subsequently produced trolley buses for Philadelphia and Seattle. Nos. 846-851 were the only AM General buses in the SCMTD fleet. At some point before 1997, United Airlines acquired three AM General buses (Nos. 848-850) from SCMTD. No. 848 became United Airlines No. 322. United Airlines used these buses to shuttle crews at San Francisco. In 2003, Regional Transit in Riverside, CA acquired No. 322 and the other two AM General buses from United. Regional Transit is owned by Scott Richards and provides buses as props for movies and television productions. However, No. 322 was not used in a movie, but may have operated on a fan trip. Seashore acquired No. 322 in 2014.