Higher Education

Higher Education is a Custom 3/4 Scale Flat-Nosed School Bus owned by Michael Vaters of Vaters Motorsports out of Hagerstown, Maryland. It has been driven by many drivers, with its most current being Chris Dahoyos. Since the truck's debut at the Monster Spectacular on April 9, 2011, Higher Education has been a fan favorite, primarily due to it being the only school bus-themed monster truck used in competition.

History[]

Higher Education debuted on April 9, 2011, at that year's Monster Spectacular in Montreal, Quebec, with Jimmy Tracey behind the wheel. At the time of the truck's debut, the truck originally ran on the former Killer Bee chassis. The truck entered its first full year of competition the following year and later received a new chassis the year after.

Beginning in 2016, JR Seasock drove Higher Education, sharing driving duties with Tracey until his retirement from driving by the end of the season. Beginning the following year, Higher Education was run as Monster Mutt Rottweiler for the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series. Seasock and the truck, running as Monster Mutt Rottweiler, competed in that year's Monster Jam Triple Threat Series Central. After the series, rookie driver Preston Pérez began driving Higher Education, sharing driving duties with Seasock until his departure from Vaters Motorsports towards the end of the season.

Higher Education would again run as Monster Mutt Rottweiler for the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series East in 2018, with Toxic driver Cory Snyder taking over the driving duties. Afterwards, the truck began running its alter-ego, Taurus, for select shows. Pérez would take over the driving duties until he left Vaters Motorsports in August, and Mike Thompson would take over the driving duties.

Higher Education would run as Monster Mutt Rottweiler yet again for the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series Central in 2019, with Snyder again driving. Afterward, the truck would continue to run on and off in select shows, alternating with Taurus. Following Thompson's death on August 20, Austin Minton of 2Xtreme Racing would be hired out to drive the truck on select occasions. Pérez would assume full-time driving duties the following year as he would run Higher Education as Monster Mutt Rottweiler for the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series Central. Higher Education would later make its first Monster Jam appearance since 2018 the following year in Hagerstown.

In 2022, Pérez left the team to join Team Scream Racing to drive Axe. Richie Yatsko would take over the driving duties following his departure. A new driver would start driving the truck, that being Chris Dahoyos. Kristen Hope also drove the truck as a fill-in at the Hagerstown shows.

Video game appearances[]

Monster Jam Steel Titans 2

Trivia[]

Higher Education was inspired by the Cool Bus wheelstander, owned by Vaters' good friend, Ken Nelson.
Higher Education had a brief rivalry with Instigator, as the two trucks have raced each other several times. One specific example would occur in Trenton 2013, as shown in the gallery.
Higher Education's stop sign moves. When the truck is stationary, the sign pops out from the side of the truck. Meanwhile, when the truck accelerates, the sign folds back onto the left side.