“Freedom” Bus Goes on Mega Recovery, Liberates School Bus From Bonneville Flats

Wait, back that up a second. What do the Diesel Brothers have in common with a school bus recovery mission? And how in the world did a school bus end up stuck on the Bonneville Salt Flats? All of these are good questions, and luckily, we have the answers for them.

So, it’s actually just half of the friendly duo (they’re not actual brothers, just very close amigos), namely David “Heavy D” Sparks that gets involved with the mission. No worries, he’s got an entire team to back him up, as well as a very trusty sidekick. It’s the one and only “Freedom” monster bus. And we’re not using the term loosely since it’s riddled with monster truck parts.

Check out that rear-wheel steering system in action during the town driving part at the 2:25 mark. No worries, they’re not taking the humongous former school bus directly to the salt flats. Instead, it gets strapped on the trailer of a Kenworth tow truck – even though it’s almost too much for the platform.

So, the setup is quite interesting, as we find out from the 6:45 mark, as there’s a storm approaching – if rain catches them on site, then it’s goodbye any chances of rescue and they could end up sending a distress call. So, after the drive to location (9:05), it’s time for some gorgeous footage with the “Freedom Bus” on the dried lakebed. Don’t skip it at 13:53, it’s well worth the time.

Then, from the 16:25 mark, it’s the moment of truth. As in, the explanation behind his friend’s decision to take a yellow school bus on the freakin’ Bonneville Salt Flats. Wait, it gets even better, as it turns out this Huner dude is out of his mind. Literally. He attempted to ghost-ride his school bus and climb the front bumper to do something for the cameras...

And of course, he failed, fell to the ground (injuries did occur, though light ones), and the school bus continued alone until it dug itself into the ground. So, this epic rescue mission is for somebody with less sense than... you can put your own imagination to work.

Anyways, the first attempts start at the 18:55 mark and they are equally astounding fails, complete with ripped cable hooks and all. But the drone shots are just marvelous, we’ll give them that. And, from the 26-minute mark, there’s a flawless victory...