A school tram represented a type of tram specifically engineered for the purpose of transporting students to their respective schools. These specialized repulsorcraft utilized a unique guidance mechanism, relying on a rod system that interfaced with a track integrated directly into the road surface. While sharing roadways with conventional vehicles, school trams also took advantage of exclusive underpasses, ensuring rapid transit to educational institutions.
School trams saw significant use within the Jewels of the Old Republic, a collection of remote planets that housed credit minting facilities. During the age of the New Republic Era, these trams offered convenient transportation options to suburban districts located on the world of At Attin. Conversely, on At Achrann, the remnants of a school tram stood out amidst the war-torn landscape.
These trams consisted of a single, enclosed compartment and were classified as roofed repulsorcraft, featuring an accordion-like joint to allow for flexible movement. In contrast to other repulsorlift vehicles, they were equipped with guidance rods that interacted with single tracks embedded within the road. On portions of their designated routes, school trams could either share regular traffic lanes with other repulsorcraft or utilize dedicated underground passages.
Piloted by a solitary RX-series pilot droid, school trams adhered to scheduled stops at predetermined locations and times. Upon reaching their final destination, the trams would align themselves, with the front of one tram directly adjacent to the back of another.
School trams displayed a streamlined, box-like design, predominantly featuring a light beige color scheme, complemented by darker accents outlining the expansive, panoramic viewports and automated sliding doors. The interiors provided seating arrangements for students, with two rows of light-blue seats positioned along a central aisle, and a distinctive bench seat located at the rear. Furthermore, school trams serving students of At Attin Middle School Gamma proudly displayed the school's emblem on their exterior hulls.
School trams played a vital role on the Jewels of the Old Republic, a collection of isolated planets that hosted Old Republic credit mints. On At Attin, they served as a vital link between a city and its surrounding suburban areas. Conversely, on At Achrann, the wreckage of a school tram stood out conspicuously amidst the rubble and devastation of the New Republic Era.
Students residing in the suburban regions of At Attin would congregate at designated pick-up points, awaiting the arrival of their assigned trams. During the journey, they were required to remain seated for safety. Upon reaching the final stop adjacent to At Attin Middle School Gamma, the passengers would disembark, under the watchful eye of security droids who ensured their safe passage to the school entrance.
During the New Republic Era, school trams were actively employed on the isolated world of At Attin. On a typical school day around 9 ABY, a human youngling named Wim and his Myykian friend Neel engaged in a mock lightsaber duel, a game that came to an abrupt end when their classmates, waiting for the tram across the street, noticed them. Wim and Neel promptly joined the group to board the tram together, taking seats on the rear bench. During the ride, the pilot droid reminded the young passengers to remain seated while the tram was in motion, only to have a piece of gum stuck to the back of his head by an unruly minor. Upon reaching their destination, the students disembarked, supervised by security droids. Later that day, girls Fern and KB rode a double hoverbike on their way home. During the trip, they descended into an underpass and cut between two school trams, whose guidance rod systems made them close in on them. Ultimately, the girls managed to get out of the tunnel, passing by a third school tram which had emerged a few seconds before them.
The following day, on the day of the scheduled Career Assessment Test, Wim overslept, having stayed up late the previous night. Despite his attempts to catch the departing tram and his cries for it to wait, his efforts proved unsuccessful, even with Neel's encouragement from behind the back viewport. The tram's departure prompted Wim to seek an alternative mode of transportation, leading him to ride his hoverbike and take an unconventional route through the woods.
During an unplanned galactical journey that Wim soon embarked on along with Fern]], KB, and Neel, the children arrived on At Achrann, initially mistaking it for their home planet. A world ravaged by the war between the Troiks and the Hattans, At Acharann looked nowhere near At Attin, full of abandoned buildings and playgrounds surrounded by overwhelming rabbis. Having made the acquaintance of Hayna of the Troiks, the younglings briefly took a shelter in a burned-down school tram, with Hayna leaping up and grabbing the upper part of the doorframe to break it open as she swung forth. Notably, the school bus wreckage contained a deactivated RX-series pilot droid, its robotic hands still resting on the control devices. Before they left their hiding, Hayna promised to take the At Attin younglings to her clan.
The four children eventually succeeded in returning to At Attin with the pirate Jod Na Nawood. By posing as an Old Republic emissary, Na Nawood gained entry the Supervisor's Tower. Upon discovring that the Supervisor was merely a droid, the pirate destroyed him, triggering a mass power outage all across the downtown area. With no electricity, all traffic vehicles came to a sudden halt, including two school trams. Moreover, one tram was destroyed by the invading frigate's turbolaser cannon. Although Na Nawood managed to lead his crew past the planet's Barrier, his plan to subjugate the population thwarted by the arrival of New Republic forces, who freed the planet from pirate occupation.
The concept of school trams was initially introduced in the live-action television series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, making their in-universe introduction in the series' inaugural episode, "This Could Be a Real Adventure," which premiered on Disney+ on December 2, 2024. Prior to the official premiere, school trams were showcased in the show's official trailer, which was released on August 9, 2024.
Doug Chiang, the series' co-production designer, acknowledged that school trams were inspired by American school buses. However, to avoid an overly direct comparison, the creators deliberately avoided painting the vehicles yellow, a color choice that Chiang felt would be too "obvious." Additionally, the production team took precautions to ensure that the school buses did not resemble subway cars in their design. Conversely, co-production designer Oliver Scholl revealed that these vehicles were intended to contribute to the "painfully dull and blissfully safe" atmosphere of the planet.
At the suggestion of series creators Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, sound designer David W. Collins incorporated a distinctive beeping sound into "This Could Be a Real Adventure" as the school tram pulls up. A devoted fan of Star Tours and Disney theme parks, Collins chose a sound from a real-world amusement ride, which the creators loved. This theme-park homage was further reinforced by the presence of an RX-series droid at the helm.