SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              
                             Washington, D.C.  20549
                              
                                _______________
                              
                              
                                ANNUAL REPORT
                      PURSUANT TO SECTION 13(d) OF THE
                      SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                              
      (Mark One)

          ANNUAL  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  15(d)  OF   THE
          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (FEE REQUIRED).

            For the fiscal year ended        December 31, 1996

                                   OR
                              
          TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (NO FEE REQUIRED)

       For the transition period from ____________ to ____________

       Commission file number                  1-9801     

       A.  Full  title  of the plan and the address of  the  plan,  if
           different from that of the issuer named below:

                           COLLINS INDUSTRIES, INC.
                    TAX DEFERRED SAVINGS PLAN AND TRUST
                              
       B.  Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the  plan
           and the address of its principal executive office:

                          COLLINS INDUSTRIES, INC.
                            421 East 30th Avenue
                       Hutchinson, Kansas  67502-2489





                         COLLINS INDUSTRIES, INC.
                   TAX DEFERRED SAVINGS PLAN AND TRUST
                              
                              
                           FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                     AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1996 AND 1995
                      TOGETHER WITH AUDITORS' REPORT
                              
                              



      REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS



      To the Plan Administrator of the
      Collins Industries, Inc.
      Tax Deferred Savings Plan and Trust:

      We  have  audited the accompanying statements of  net  assets
      available  for benefits of the Collins Industries,  Inc.  Tax
      Deferred  Savings Plan and Trust as of December 31, 1996  and
      1995,  and  the related statements of changes in  net  assets
      available  for  benefits  for the years  then  ended.   These
      financial statements and the schedules referred to below  are
      the   responsibility   of   the   Plan's   management.    Our
      responsibility  is to express an opinion on  these  financial
      statements and schedules based on our audits.

      We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted
      auditing standards.  Those standards require that we plan and
      perform  the  audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about
      whether   the  financial  statements  are  free  of  material
      misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test  basis,
      evidence  supporting  the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the
      financial  statements.  An audit also includes assessing  the
      accounting principles used and significant estimates made  by
      management,  as  well  as evaluating  the  overall  financial
      statement  presentation.  We believe  our  audits  provide  a
      reasonable basis for our opinion.

      In  our  opinion, the financial statements referred to  above
      present  fairly,  in all material respects,  the  net  assets
      available  for benefits of the Plan as of December  31,  1996
      and  1995,  and  the  changes in  net  assets  available  for
      benefits  for  the  years  then  ended,  in  conformity  with
      generally accepted accounting principles.

      Our audits were made for the purpose of forming an opinion on
      the  basic  financial  statements  taken  as  a  whole.   The
      supplemental schedules of assets held for investment purposes
      as  of December 31, 1996, and reportable transactions for the
      year  then ended, are presented for the purpose of additional
      analysis  and are not a required part of the basic  financial
      statements but are supplementary information required by  the
      Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and
      Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security  Act
      of  1974.  The supplemental schedules have been subjected  to
      the  auditing procedures applied in the audits of  the  basic
      financial  statements and, in our opinion, are fairly  stated
      in  all  material respects in relation to the basic financial
      statements taken as a whole.


                                            /s/Arthur Andersen LLP
                                            Arthur Andersen LLP


      Kansas City, Missouri,
          May 16, 1997
                              
      

                        COLLINS INDUSTRIES, INC.
                              
                   TAX DEFERRED SAVINGS PLAN AND TRUST
                              
                              
             STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
                              
                        DECEMBER 31, 1996 AND 1995
                              
                              
                                                        1996          1995
      ASSETS:                                                     
        Investments -                                           
          Stock Fund -                                        
            Collins Industries, Inc., common stock   $2,723,920   $  704,485
            PNC Institutional Management      
              Corporation - FedFund                      18,698        3,060
          Federal Fund -                                          
            PNC Institutional Management   
              Corporation - FedFund                     364,272      277,053
          Loan Fund -                                             
            Participant loans                            31,557        9,722
                                                      3,138,447      994,320
        Receivables -                                               
          Company contributions                           8,908       35,686
          Participant contributions                         495        6,728
          Other                                             479           36
               Total net assets available
                 for benefits                        $3,148,329   $1,036,770
                              
    The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
  


                            COLLINS INDUSTRIES, INC.
                              
                      TAX DEFERRED SAVINGS PLAN AND TRUST
                              
                              
          STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
                              
                          DECEMBER 31, 1996 AND 1995
                              
                              
                                                       1996        1995
     ADDITIONS:                                                  
       Investment income -                                     
         Net appreciation (depreciation)                    
          in fair value of Collins
          Industries,  Inc.,  common stock         $1,953,600    $ (86,435)
       Interest income                                 19,176       13,256
                                                    1,972,776      (73,179)

       Contributions -                                             
         Company                                       69,727       76,688
         Participant                                  273,884      241,239
                Total additions                     2,316,387      244,748
                                                                
     DEDUCTIONS:                                                     
       Benefits paid                                  204,828      196,295
                Total deductions                      204,828      196,295
                Net increase                        2,111,559       48,453
                                                                
     NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS:                              
       Beginning of year                             1,036,770     988,317
       End of year                                  $3,148,329  $1,036,770

                                                                
  The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
                              


                           COLLINS INDUSTRIES, INC.
                              
                     TAX DEFERRED SAVINGS PLAN AND TRUST
                              
                              
                       NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                              
                         DECEMBER 31, 1996 AND 1995
                              
     1.  PLAN DESCRIPTION:

     The  following  description of the Collins  Industries,  Inc.
     (the  Company) Tax Deferred Savings Plan and Trust (the Plan)
     provides only general information.  Participants should refer
     to  the plan agreement for a more complete description of the
     Plan's provisions.

     General

     The  Plan  is a defined contribution plan.  All employees  of
     the  Company,  except for corporate and subsidiary  officers,
     directors,  subsidiary presidents and general  managers,  are
     eligible  to  join the Plan following one year of employment,
     during  which at least 1,000 hours are worked, and attainment
     of  age  21.   The Plan is subject to the provisions  of  the
     Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA),  as
     amended.  The plan trustee is The Bank of Kansas.

     Participant Accounts

     Each participant's account is credited with the participant's
     contributions  and  allocation of company  contributions  and
     earnings.   Earnings and losses on plan assets are  allocated
     based  on the proportion of the participant's account balance
     to  the  total  of  all  participant account  balances.   The
     benefit  to  which a participant is entitled is  the  benefit
     that can be provided from the participant's accounts.

     Contributions and Withdrawals

     Participants  may elect to contribute a percentage  of  their
     compensation  on  a  tax-deferred basis  subject  to  certain
     Internal  Revenue  Code limits.  The Company  makes  matching
     contributions   equal  to  50  percent   of   each   eligible
     participant's tax-deferred contributions to the extent  those
     tax-deferred  contributions do not exceed 6  percent  of  the
     participant's total compensation.  Additional amounts may  be
     contributed  at  the  discretion of the  Company's  board  of
     directors.

     Participants  may receive loans from their account  prior  to
     retirement, termination, death or disability, and  may  apply
     for  full  receipt of their account balance in  the  case  of
     financial hardship.

     Upon    retirement,   termination,   death   or   disability,
     participants  receive  lump-sum distributions.   Participants
     may elect distribution in cash or in company common stock.

     Benefits Vesting

     Participants    immediately   vest   in    their    voluntary
     contributions  and earnings thereon.  Participants  vest  100
     percent  in the remainder of their accounts after five  years
     of service, as defined.

     Forfeitures reduce future employer contributions.

     Plan Termination

     Although  it  has  not expressed any intent  to  do  so,  the
     Company  may  discontinue its contributions at any  time  and
     terminate  the Plan subject to the provisions of  ERISA.   In
     the  event  of  plan  termination,  participants  become  100
     percent vested in their accounts.

     2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

     Method of Accounting

     The financial statements have been prepared using the accrual
     basis  of  accounting in accordance with  generally  accepted
     accounting  principles.   The preparation  of  the  financial
     statements   requires  management  to  make   estimates   and
     assumptions.    Actual  results  could  differ   from   those
     estimates.

     Investments

     Two  separate  funds are maintained for investment  purposes:
     the  Federal Fund, consisting entirely of a money market fund
     invested  primarily in U.S. treasury bills, notes  and  other
     obligations  of  the  U.S. government; and  the  Stock  Fund,
     consisting  primarily  of  the  registered  and  unregistered
     common  stock  of  the  Company.   Employees  may  choose  to
     allocate contributions among the two funds.

     During   1996  and  1995,  the  Company  made  its   matching
     contributions  in  unregistered Company  common  stock.   The
     quarterly contributions were valued using the average  market
     price   per   registered  share  during  the   period.    The
     unregistered shares have the same voting and dividend  rights
     as registered shares.  In 1996 the Company also made matching
     contributions of $21,650 in cash.

     Administrative Costs

     The  Plan  pays brokerage fees.  The Company pays  all  other
     administrative and professional fees related to the Plan.
  
     Other

     Certain  1995 amounts have been reclassified to conform  with
     the 1996 presentation.

     3.  INVESTMENTS:

     At  December 31, 1996 and 1995, the Plan held 463,646  shares
     and  433,529  shares, respectively, of Company common  stock,
     with  a  cost of $1,485,133 and $1,396,835, respectively,  of
     which   196,779   and  184,818  shares,  respectively,   were
     unregistered.   The unregistered and registered  shares  were
     valued  by  the  Trustee at the December 31, 1996  and  1995,
     market  price per registered share of $5.875 and  $1.625  per
     share,  respectively.  Money market funds are stated at  cost
     which approximates market.

     Investments representing 5 percent or more of the Plan's  net
     assets  are  separately identified on the statements  of  net
     assets available for benefits.

     As  of  May 16, 1997, the Company common stock had  a  market
     price of $4.75 per share.

     4.  TAX STATUS:

     The  Plan  obtained  its  latest determination  letter  dated
     December 29, 1993, in which the IRS stated the Plan, as  then
     designed,  was in compliance with the applicable requirements
     of  the  Internal  Revenue Code.  The Plan has  been  amended
     since   receiving   the  determination  letter.    The   plan
     administrator  believes  the Plan is currently  designed  and
     being operated in compliance with the applicable requirements
     of the Internal Revenue Code and, therefore, no provision for
     income taxes is reflected in the financial statements.

     5.  RECONCILIATION TO FORM 5500:

     As  of December 31, 1996, the Plan had approximately $334,000
     of  pending  distributions  to participants  who  elected  to
     withdraw  from  the  Plan.  The amounts  are  recorded  as  a
     liability in the Plan's Form 5500; however, these amounts are
     not recorded as a liability in the accompanying statements of
     net   assets  available  for  benefits  in  accordance   with
     generally  accepted  accounting principles.   There  were  no
     pending distributions at December 31, 1995.

     The  following  table  reconciles net  assets  available  for
     benefits  per  the financial statements to the Form  5500  as
     filed by the Company for the year ended December 31, 1996:

                                                                 Net Assets
                                      Benefits                 Available for
                                     Payable to     Benefits   Plan Benefits
                                    Participants      Paid         1996
                                                      
     Per financial statements       $          0    $204,828     $3,148,329
     1996 amounts pending to                                       
       distribute to participants        334,000     334,000       (334,000)
     Per Form 5500                  $    334,000    $538,828     $2,814,329




     FUND INFORMATION:

     The following tables present the changes in net assets
     available for benefits by fund.

                                        Year Ended December 31, 1996
                                 Federal     Stock                   
                                  Fund       Fund       Other      Total
    ADDITIONS:                                               
      Investment income -                                     
       Net appreciation                                            
        (depreciation) in fair                                   
         value of Collins                                             
         Industries, Inc., 
         common stock            $      0  $1,953,600  $        0  $1,953,600
       Interest income             16,982           0       2,194      19,176
                                   16,982   1,953,600       2,194   1,972,776
      Contributions -                                               
       Company                          0      60,819       8,908      69,727
       Participant                100,946     167,003       5,935     273,884
          Total additions         117,928   2,181,422      17,037   2,316,387
                                                                
     TRANSFERS                     (1,570)     29,340     (27,770)          0
                                                                
     DEDUCTIONS:                                                     
      Benefits paid                29,139     175,689           0     204,828
          Total deductions         29,139     175,689           0     204,828
          Net increase (decrease)  87,219   2,035,073     (10,733)  2,111,559
                                                                
     NET ASSETS AVAILABLE                                            
      FOR BENEFITS:
      Beginning of year           277,053     707,545      52,172   1,036,770 
      End of year              $  364,272  $2,742,618   $  41,439  $3,148,329
                                                                

     FUND INFORMATION: - Con't.

                                         Year Ended December 31, 1995
                                    Federal     Stock                   
                                     Fund       Fund       Other      Total
     ADDITIONS:                                               
      Investment income -
       Net appreciation                                            
        (depreciation) in fair                                           
         value of Collins
         Industries, Inc.,
         common stock              $      0  $ (86,435)  $      0  $  (86,435)
       Interest income               13,256          0          0      13,256
                                     13,256    (86,435)         0     (73,179)
      Contributions -                                               
       Company                            0     41,002     35,686      76,688
       Participant                   80,328    154,183      6,728     241,239
            Total additions          93,584    108,750     42,414     244,748
                                                                
    TRANSFERS                        (5,917)    57,018    (51,101)          0
                                                                
    DEDUCTIONS:                                                     
     Benefits paid                   32,546    161,826      1,923     196,295
            Total deductions         32,546    161,826      1,923     196,295
            Net increase (decrease)  55,121      3,942    (10,610)     48,453
                                                                
    NET ASSETS AVAILABLE                                            
     FOR BENEFITS:
     Beginning of year              221,932    703,603     62,782     988,317
     End of year                 $  277,053   $707,545   $ 52,172  $1,036,770
                                                                


                            COLLINS INDUSTRIES, INC.
                              
                     TAX DEFERRED SAVINGS PLAN AND TRUST
                              
                              
           LINE 27A--SCHEDULE OF ASSETS HELD FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES
                              
                               DECEMBER 31, 1996


                                                                    Current
           Description                         Shares     Cost       Value
                                                               
    * Collins Industries, Inc.
       common stock                        **463,646   $1,485,133  $2,723,920  
      Provident Institutional                                   
       Management Corporation -
       FedFund                               382,969      382,969     382,969
    * Participant loans at rates
       ranging from 9.75% to 11.0%                 0       31,557      31,557
                                                               
                                                               
    * Represents investments with a party-in-interest to the Plan.
   ** Includes 196,779 unregistered shares.
                                        


                             COLLINS INDUSTRIES, INC.
                              
                        TAX DEFERRED SAVINGS PLAN AND TRUST
                              
                              
                    LINE 27D--SCHEDULE OF REPORTABLE TRANSACTIONS
                              
                        FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996
                              
                              
                                    Purchases               Sales
                               No.              No.       
                               of               of        Sales     Net
      Identity of Issue       Trans.   Cost    Trans.    Proceeds   Gain
                                                             
    * Collins Industries,                                     
       Inc., common stock       9    $50,956     8       $74,000   $24,103
    Provident Institutional
     Management Corporation -     Not available from the custodian or
     FedFund                      recordkeeper.
                                            
   * During the year ended December 31, 1996, Collins Industries,
     Inc., a part-in-interest to the Plan, also contributed 31,723 shares
     of unregistered common stock to the Plan valued at $74,855, which
     included shares contributed in satisfaction of the December 31, 1995,
     contribution receivable.
                              
                              
                              
                                SIGNATURE
                              
     Pursuant  to  the  requirement  of  the  Securities  Exchange
     Commission  Act  of 1934, the trustee (or other  persons  who
     administer  the employee benefit plan) have duly caused  this
     annual  report to be signed on its behalf by the  undersigned
     thereunto duly authorized.

                                 Collins Industries, Inc.
                                 Tax Deferred Savings Plan and Trust



     DATE:    June  20,  1997   
                                 /s/  Larry  W. Sayre         
                                 Larry W. Sayre
                                 Vice President - Finance &
                                 Chief Financial Officer
                                 (Principal Accounting Officer)



               CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


     As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the use of
     our report included in or made part of this Form 11-K of Collins
     Industries, Inc. Tax Deferred Savings Plan and Trust.



     Kansas City, Missouri,
          June 20, 1997