Ground Force One

The United States Secret Service formerly used rented buses as part of the presidential motorcade, retrofitted for secure communications where necessary. In August 2011, the Secret Service introduced the buses as new permanent additions to the federal government's fleet, initially used by Barack Obama in the campaign leading up to the 2012 presidential election.{{cite news |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/ground-force-one-makes-its-midwest-debut-with-obama/ |title='Ground Force One,' a Custom-Made Ride |first=Mark |last=Landler |date=August 17, 2011 |work=The New York Times |access-date=27 March 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Farley |first=Robert |date=25 August 2011 |title=Obama's Canadian-American Bus |url=http://www.factcheck.org/2011/08/obamas-canadian-american-bus/ |access-date=17 October 2011 |website=FactCheck}} The bus was nicknamed "Ground Force One" following an unofficial solicitation for names held by Mike Allen, who announced the results on the Politico Playbook blog.{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2011/08/grand-bargain-ii-obama-to-try-again-with-major-debt-plan-this-fall-big-jobs-speech-in-early-sept-white-house-promises-fresh-ideas-not-rehash-despite-perry-peril-romney-keeps-hammering-obama-003197 |title=GRAND BARGAIN II: Obama to try again with major debt plan this fall – Big jobs speech in early Sept.: White House promises fresh ideas, not rehash -- Despite Perry peril, Romney keeps hammering Obama |first=Mike |last=Allen |author-link=Michael Allen (journalist) |date=August 17, 2011 |work=Playbook |publisher=Politico |access-date=28 March 2025}}

The model X3-45 VIP was designed and built as a conversion shell on a three-axle bus chassis by Quebec, Canada-based specialist firm Prevost Car, and then fitted out by Hemphill Brothers Coach Company in Nashville, Tennessee, to provide {{convert|505|sqft}} of interior space, including flashing police-style red and blue lights on the front and the back. It was then further outfitted by the Secret Service with secure communications and other specialized equipment. The two buses cost $1.1 million each{{cite news |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2011/0817/1.1-million-bus-used-by-Obama-has-high-tech-defenses-but-what-are-they |title=$1.1 million bus used by Obama has high-tech defenses – but what are they? |first=Chris |last=Richardson |date=August 17, 2011 |work=The Christian Science Monitor |access-date=27 March 2025 |quote=The Secret Service used a fund for transportation and armored vehicles to buy two of these buses from the Hemphill Brothers Coach Company for a total of $2,191,960. No word on whether the company will make more, but Cadillac said they would not make The Beast for any private customers or foreign country saying the design is "very private and secretive." Chances are these buses are two of a kind and will remain so.}} and were leased from Hemphill Brothers during the Obama administration. According to the Secret Service, Prevost was the only manufacturer that had a vehicle which could support the weight of the required security and communication equipment. Senator John McCain criticized Obama for using a Canadian-sourced bus, but the tour bus used by McCain during his 2008 "Straight Talk" tour was also built by Prevost.{{cite news |url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/sheldon-alberts-mccain-insults-obamas-ugly-canadian-bus |title=McCain insults Obama's 'ugly' Canadian bus |first=Sheldon |last=Alberts |date=October 18, 2011 |newspaper=National Post |access-date=27 March 2025}}

The coaches are part of the federal government fleet and are painted plain black, but can be wrapped in campaign materials at the campaign's expense.{{Cite web |last=Trevithick |first=Joseph |date=2024-08-20 |title=Secret Service's "Ground Force One" Presidential Armored Bus Emerges Wrapped For Harris-Walz Campaign |url=https://www.twz.com/news-features/secret-services-ground-force-one-presidential-armored-bus-emerges-wrapped-for-harris-walz-campaign |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=The War Zone |language=en-US}} In July 2012, the official Presidential Seal was applied to the side of the bus for a trip through Ohio and Pennsylvania.{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/obama-bus-rolls-across-ohio-with-presidential-seal |title=Obama Bus Rolls Across Ohio With Presidential Seal |first=Devin |last=Dwyer |date=July 6, 2012 |work=ABC News |access-date=28 March 2025}} The second bus was used by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the campaign leading up to the 2012 presidential election,{{cite news |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/secret-service-drives-hard-to-protect-the-president/4864507.html |title=Secret Service Drives Hard to Protect the President |first=Steve |last=Herman |date=April 7, 2019 |work=Voice of America |access-date=28 March 2025}} and then deployed as a back-up for visiting dignitaries.

In 2020, Mike Pence was transferred from Ground Force One to a limo after it was involved in a minor crash while traveling in western Pennsylvania. The bus was wrapped in Trump-Pence campaign livery and was not damaged.{{Cite news |date=2020-07-30 |title=Vice President Mike Pence's Campaign Bus Involved In Minor Crash; 2 Pittsburgh Police Officers Injured Following 2nd Collision |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/vice-president-mike-pence-bus-crash-greensburg/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=CBS Pittsburgh |language=en-US}}

A wrapped bus was used by the Harris-Walz campaign in 2024.

• Presidential state car
• Air Force One
• Army One
• Navy One
• Marine One
• Coast Guard One
• Executive One

{{Reflist}}

{{U.S. presidential call signs}}

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{{Us-government-stub}}

Category:Customised buses

Category:Transportation of the president of the United States

Category:Road transport of heads of state