WEST GLACIER – Glacier National Park’s iconic White Motor Company Model 706 red buses will begin an extensive rehabilitation this year.

The rehabilitation will replace the current Ford engines with an engine assisted by an electric hybrid system to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

The buses will be remounted on new Ford chassis retaining the existing 176’ wheelbase, as they were with a previous restoration.

The dashboard and gauges will be replaced with historic replicas.

The buses will also undergo refinishing including rust removal and painting using the historic mountain ash color at a later time.

The last time a rehabilitation occurred was back in 1999 with the services being donated by the Ford Motor Company.

This time, the National Park Service included the rehabilitation as a responsibility in the most recent concession contract with Xanterra Travel Collection.

-Reported by Don Fisher/MTN News