How it started
1970s
In 1967, Don Collins founded E-CON-O Conversion in Kansas City, Missouri, becoming one of the first to develop a school bus derived from a van. Utilizing a Ford Falcon van (Econoline passenger van), Collins shifted away from designs based upon utility vehicles such as the Chevrolet Suburban and International Harvester Travelall.
In 1971, Collins renamed E-CON-O to Collins Industries, coinciding with the expansion of its product range into ambulances. In 1972, the company was relocated to Hutchinson, Kansas (its present-day location).
In 1978, Collins acquired fire apparatus manufacturer American Fire Apparatus.
1980s
In 1982, Collins introduced its first bus with a wheelchair lift; in a shift away from van conversions, the company adopted bodies for cutaway van chassis, introducing the long-running "Bantam" product line. In the mid-1980s, the company would diversify its product ranges. To replace the Collins van-based ambulances, the company acquired Wheeled Coach Industries in 1984 (inventor of the modular ambulance) and Capacity of Texas (a terminal tractor manufacturer) in 1985.
From Wikipedia’s article on Collins Industries, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2