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Old 11-21-2007, 05:37 PM   #1
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Activity Bus

New to the forum but not to Skoolies. First off the wealth of knowledge on this forum in amazing. It's like a walking (rolling) encyclopedia.

Some personal background to help with some questions I have. In the early 80's I converted an old Thomas 66 passenger bus and lived in it for a couple of years while traveling around working construction projects, etc., so I have a fair idea of the work invovled in converting a bus. Of course that was a "budget" bus with a 5 gallon bucket under the sink for gray water, an outside shower and a 5 gallon bucket with a seat for black water. I plan on going a little further with this next project.

Now for what my plan is and what I'm looking for. I want to keep it under 26 feet because I plan on visiting a lot of State and National parks and want to be able to get in with no problems. I also have to have room for my motorcycle in the back which, if I bring it in the back, will take up eight feet. So the first question, if my research is right if I get around a 26 foot flat nose bus will that leave me about 20 feet of usable conversion space? That would leave me with 12 feet for living quarters, which is adequate for my needs. I know that seems small but I also spent a couple of years in the Navy traveling around on an old diesel submarine. After cramming 80 to 85 people into a 300 hundred foot hull with full operational equipment for a sub anything is spacious since then. Also, I'm used to living for a couple of weeks at a time with whatever I can pack on my motorcycle tent camping and I can do it in comfort. Plus once I'm set up and the bike is unloaded I've got a nice 8x7 open area in the back. Put down a couple of fold up camp chairs and it would be a nice open roomy area. I plan on putting in a couple of fold up bunks in the back for the occaisional guest and I should be OK.

So with those requirements my thought is that I would like to pick up an old activity bus. If my research is correct they usually come with better drive trains for highway cruising and fuel efficiency and many have the underneath storage already built in. Another plus is that many of them are already a different color than school bus yellow and would give me some extra time to worry about painting down the line. Does this sound about right? Also, if I can find one with a rear side door I'm pretty sure I can bring the bike in that way and park on an angle freeing up some extra space for living area. Anybody out there done or seen anything similar?

Now the tuffy, all the ads talk about passengers and not length!!! If the windows are about 2.5 feet would I need a 7 or 8 window flat nosed bus to give me the 20 foot usable interior space? Would that be about a 40-42 passenger bus? Is 6 feet about right for drivers compartment on a flattie? Very confusing.

Any thoughts, helpful hints, watch out fors and just letting me know I'm nuts would be greatly appreciated.

Roger the Dodger

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Old 11-21-2007, 06:00 PM   #2
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Re: Activity Bus

As for size, my bus is twenty feet from the back of the driver's seat to the back door. My bus is the usual dog house front which with the driver's seat is about eight feet.


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Old 11-21-2007, 06:21 PM   #3
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Re: Activity Bus

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Old 11-21-2007, 07:35 PM   #4
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Re: Activity Bus

Train-train, how many passengers was your bus rated for? Also what drivetrain are you running? 28 feet total should be OK for what I want.

Thanks for the reply.

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Old 11-21-2007, 08:41 PM   #5
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Re: Activity Bus

Rogotoo,

As you can see in the last pic I listed, My bus was used as a handicap. The larger seats have two seat belts per seat and the smaller seats had one seat belt. In regular school buses with all large seats, they figure three kids per seat, per window. That would be 42 if the handicap lift wasn't there.
http://www%2EKerlinbus@kerlinbus.com/sh ... =160&w=160
This is a bus from the same location I bought mine from.
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Old 11-21-2007, 09:11 PM   #6
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Re: Activity Bus

sorry I cant help you much with your search, however I would like some info from you.
You said:
Quote:
I want to keep it under 26 feet because I plan on visiting a lot of State and National parks and want to be able to get in with no problems.
Can you elaberate a little on this. Is there lenght restrictions in the parks? Im from up north, Canada, and plan a trip through the states next year and of course the national parks are on the list but our bus is 40'.
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Old 11-21-2007, 11:12 PM   #7
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Re: Activity Bus

swinada, do a Google for something like "national park rv limits" and you will find quite a few sites that have restrictions ranging from 25 to 32 feet. It depends on which CG you are in. I'm not sure how strictly it is enforced though. Anybody else out there have first hand experience with this?

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Old 11-21-2007, 11:47 PM   #8
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Re: Activity Bus

I just did a search and what I found sucks. Some limits were down to 23 ft. Others were 31, 34, 35. Not good with a 40 footer.
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Old 11-22-2007, 03:39 PM   #9
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Re: Activity Bus

hmmm that kind of sucks, should have known that (thought of that) before i bought my bus. I guess that for sure settles the question if I'm going to tow something or not. Will make the trip planning a little harder.
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Old 12-16-2007, 02:57 PM   #10
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Re: Activity Bus

wow that is crazy considering that most people tow at least a 20 foot travel trailer with a pickup or suv thats at least 40 feet right there our bus is 30 feet long the issue here on vancouver island is the ferrys extra length overheight all costs extra now that we have our bus we will be selling our trailer and will lose 10 feet of length! thanks for the info
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Old 12-16-2007, 08:04 PM   #11
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Re: Activity Bus

Something else you might want to consider while you're searching for the perfect bus. Consider purchasing a Handicap bus, they are usually shorter than the regular buses. There is a large side door in the rear with a lift, and though the lift may not have enough 'beef' to lift a bike, perhaps it could be modified enough to lift one. With that in mind, the bike would load from the side and since the bus is already 8' wide, that means you wouldn't have to take some much from the floor space going forward...perhaps only about 4' for the "garage" area...

Just something to consider....
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Old 12-20-2007, 01:30 AM   #12
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Re: Activity Bus

Anyone have any first had knowledge on how strict the Natl. parks are? My bus is 25 feet, do you think they would stop me for 2 feet too many?
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Old 12-27-2007, 01:20 PM   #13
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Re: Activity Bus

Don't fret over their limits. Not all parks enforce the limits. Also every park has other non park camping and rv parking outside. userally they are cheeaper and more private.
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