After being sidelined for six years, Amy Messersmith ‘96 and David Messersmith have turned the key in the ignition for a Texas A&M prize, ready to drive Bus 12 back into the center of Aggieland’s heartfelt traditions. The couple has chosen not to let the history of Bus 12 fade out, as the newly renovated vehicle was parked outside Aggieland Outfitters on April 9 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its 2006 debut. 

“In 2006, the Lane family, they were at an away game at Yell Practice and Bret [‘05], the son, said to his father, ‘I can’t see the yell leaders,’” David said. “And so [Bret] said, ‘Somebody should build something that gets these Yell Leaders up off the ground so we can see Yell Practice.’”

Since its initiation by the Lane family, Bus 12 has been a fixture of Aggie tradition, following Yell Leaders beyond Kyle Field to away games and serving as the maroon backdrop for excited Aggies’ Ring Dunks. Among campus events, it has also been rented for Aggie alumni occasions, such as weddings, engagements and Amy’s own 40th birthday.

“We’ve just always had an attraction and attachment for the bus,” David said. 

When David and Amy heard news of Brett Lane’s passing, they also learned the bus had been discontinued and was going to be sold. 

“This bus went to 34 consecutive Ring Dunks,” David said. “And so they [Brett’s family] said, ‘That’s what we’d kind of like to see, to see it still be a part of the traditions of the school.’I literally called Amy and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this — Bus 12 is for sale,’ and she said, ‘So how much did you pay for it? … What are you waiting on? Write the check.’” 

David and Amy’s decision to get Bus 12 back on the road was contingent on reworking the bus in both design and mechanics. They were put in touch with Buster Doris ‘79, one of the original mechanics for the bus. 

“They gave me Buster’s number, and so I called him,” David said. “ … He loves this bus. … He’s keeping us on the road.” 

The bus’s interior is adorned with drawings of  A&M’s most beloved symbols. Walking up the steps of the metallic Aggie touchstone, you’re greeted by the words, “Welcome Aboard Bus 12.” Inside, the roof is lined with the famous War Hymn in bright maroon, and images of campus are printed across its wall. The rich smell wafting through the cabin is that of Holick’s Senior Boot Leather. Overhead, on the windscreen, an enlarged printed Aggie Ring greets the eye and, on a nearby wall, Miss Reveille. 

Despite the fresh design showcased last week, David said there is always more to be done, that Bus 12 will never be completely finished. According to David, last Thursday marked a promise that the bus will continue to be cared for and continue to show up for A&M students at those events that most define them. 

The Messersmiths hope that donations to Bus 12 can help raise money for scholarships, specifically those of a nonprofit known as Impact Aggies. Assisting A&M students with financial struggles to not be excluded from the college experience is an issue the couple said is close to their hearts. 

“We found out recently, that in the state of Texas, when the kids are in the foster program, at age 18, they kind of age out, and they’re just kind of pushed out and on their own,” David said. “ … The State either covers 80 or 90% of the tuition but the graduation rate is like 20%. My daughter is adopted so we have a real passion for that.”

David said he and his wife feel that raising money for these students to spend on things other than education would improve the graduation rates. 

“To get to have the college experience, it takes some money, right?” David said. “You gotta be able to buy the sports pass. You can’t do Greek life, you can’t do sports. … All these things take some amount of money and those kids don’t have that.”

Though Bus 12 was born through a sporting tradition, the plan for the bus’s reintegration is to ensure its presence within a diverse array of A&M traditions. 

“Ring day is a big tradition,” David said. “There will be things like Muster; there will be things like Bonfire. … I’m sure we’ll do stuff with some of the sororities and fraternities and other clubs around campus.”