The school bus industry of the 1980s was a time of relative turmoil: along with the struggling economy, fewer Americans were school-age than in years past. Several manufacturers would either file for bankruptcy or close their doors by the end of the decade. Innovation and low cost were key to attracting school bus orders. By the mid-1980s, Wayne's best hopes lay in its newest product, a transit-style (Type D) school bus named the Lifestar. Like the Lifeguard conventional (Type C) bus, it featured the continuous longitudinal interior and exterior panels for the sides and roofs.