Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 06-25-2019, 06:03 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3
Hello I'm new in need of advice

Hello everyone I'm new to the group. We have a 2002 Freightliner Thomas 66 passenger bus 5.9 24V we are moving from NY state to GA we are towing our van on a tow dolley. Wonder what the best/safest route would be to travel ? We are leaving on Thursday June 27th. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advanced.

Bruno1980 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 06:35 PM   #2
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,349
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Thomas 4 window w/lift
Chassis: G30~Chevy cutaway
Engine: 5.7/350 Chevy Vortec
Rated Cap: Just me and my "stuff"?
Welcome to the site Bruno.
If it was me doing the drivin', I-95 most all the way. That way if any trouble occurs, you're going to get help the quickest, being on the hiway.
Hopefully your transmission can handle the heat.
Good luck...
peteg59 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 06:55 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
HazMatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
^
What he said!
Thankfully you didn't wait until the very last second to ask!
Don't expect to set any land speed records.
You won't.
Especially hauling that toad...
Keep an eye on your RPMs and temp gauges, especially when climbing grades. If temperatures starts to creeping up, you'd be well advised to throttle back 'til you can find a place to safely cool your jets.
If you're in a hurry, a Skoolie is SO not the way to go!
Welcome to the insane asylum.
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
HazMatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 07:05 PM   #4
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,995
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Quote:
Originally Posted by HazMatt View Post
^
What he said!
Thankfully you didn't wait until the very last second to ask!
Don't expect to set any land speed records.
You won't.
Especially hauling that toad...
Keep an eye on your RPMs and temp gauges, especially when climbing grades. If temperatures starts to creeping up, you'd be well advised to throttle back 'til you can find a place to safely cool your jets.
If you're in a hurry, a Skoolie is SO not the way to go!
Welcome to the insane asylum.
I moved my bus today and drove it on the highway for the first time. I'm not really sure where the temperature gauge is supposed to be during operation, and it seemed like when I got the bus up to 65 the needle was starting to creep up towards the 210 mark. Since I understand 220 is when you should maybe be pulling over, I eased back to 55 and the needle went back down a little bit.

RPMs were about 2500 (I think?). Is 65 a speed where I should start worrying about engine temp? The guy that delivered my bus came 300 miles at 65, so I guess it's OK, but maybe I have a cooling problem now that he didn't (I had all my fluids and filters changed by a mechanic since it was delivered).
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 07:22 PM   #5
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Interstate 84 west to Scranton, south on 81 into Charlotte and then 85 south through Ga. It avoids all the toll roads and the mess of NY/NJ.


210 is not so hot you need to pull over. I might slow down a bit and see what it does, but 210 is not critical at all.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 08:01 PM   #6
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
Interstate 84 west to Scranton, south on 81 into Charlotte and then 85 south through Ga. It avoids all the toll roads and the mess of NY/NJ.


210 is not so hot you need to pull over. I might slow down a bit and see what it does, but 210 is not critical at all.

Uhh, that brings our OP down I-77 - Fancy Gap. Long 7% downgrade (~5 miles). I've gone both ways on that grade and had no problems, just drive it responsibly and you'll be fine too. I-81 has a few hills too, on the south end of VA. If you don't mind that, then it avoids big cities, tolls and is otherwise a pretty friendly drive to Charlotte.



I-95 south of Philly isn't too bad on the weekends and is much less hilly. I-85 from Richmond ... well, all the way to Montgomery is reasonably flat and straight. Baltimore and DC can be nightmares during rush hours, and don't ask me what the tolls are, I don't know/remember.
Brad_SwiftFur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 08:04 PM   #7
New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3
Thank you for the quick reply I was debating on 95 or 81 being it's a heavy load and towing a van on the dolley.
Bruno1980 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 08:10 PM   #8
New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3
o1marc thank you I'll check in on that route
Bruno1980 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 09:41 PM   #9
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno1980 View Post
o1marc thank you I'll check in on that route
I travel to Ct. a couple times a year from Ga. The way I go is a bit longer, but avoids about $50 in tolls and there's less truck traffic.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 02:38 AM   #10
Traveling
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,302
Year: None
Coachwork: None
Chassis: None
Engine: None
Rated Cap: None
Depends on the part of GA your destination is in...

Didn't see whether BSF had replied as of yet, maybe I missed it...
But BSF and I are both former truck drivers... So, a bit more info and we could dial ya in a bit. ;)
CHEESE_WAGON is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 06:56 AM   #11
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,995
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur View Post
I-95 south of Philly isn't too bad on the weekends and is much less hilly. I-85 from Richmond ... well, all the way to Montgomery is reasonably flat and straight. Baltimore and DC can be nightmares during rush hours, and don't ask me what the tolls are, I don't know/remember.
I-95 between Philly and DC is like the mirror image of how highway traffic is supposed to work, with most drivers trying to get into the farthest-left lane possible. This is maddening in a car, but in a slow-moving skoolie I imagine it would pleasantly keep people away from me.
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 08:44 AM   #12
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by musigenesis View Post
I-95 between Philly and DC is like the mirror image of how highway traffic is supposed to work, with most drivers trying to get into the farthest-left lane possible. This is maddening in a car, but in a slow-moving skoolie I imagine it would pleasantly keep people away from me.

My guess is traffic moves left to get some distance from merging and exiting traffic. Fine if you plan to cruise the highway a while and keep up speed, not so much for slow poke left lane-hogs and someone exiting in half-a-mile.
Brad_SwiftFur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 10:37 AM   #13
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur View Post
My guess is traffic moves left to get some distance from merging and exiting traffic. Fine if you plan to cruise the highway a while and keep up speed, not so much for slow poke left lane-hogs and someone exiting in half-a-mile.
Ya, I think it's a law here in Ga., if you are getting off the freeway to the left, it's ok to be in that lane and go slow, even though the exit is 25miles ahead. Freaking morons. Left lane is for overtaking only, it's the only time that lane should be used.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 12:15 PM   #14
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
Ya, I think it's a law here in Ga., if you are getting off the freeway to the left, it's ok to be in that lane and go slow, even though the exit is 25miles ahead. Freaking morons. Left lane is for overtaking only, it's the only time that lane should be used.

Well, within reason. Cruising in the left lane is allowed, but drivers are supposed to move over to allow overtaking drivers to pass. The ones who cruise there (left lane) for miles on end, next to another car and preventing others from passing are the ones who cause following drivers to get angry and everything that goes with it (and the ones the law is designed to target).


I've used the left lane plenty, and I've always tried to be conscientious of overtaking drivers and move over to let them go around. In a big truck this is not always as easy as is sounds, because some drivers are so aggressive that they completely disregard my right turn signal *AND* the fact I'm already halfway across the lines into the right lane, and whip it into the right lane to pass me anyway.
Brad_SwiftFur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 01:05 PM   #15
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur View Post
Well, within reason. Cruising in the left lane is allowed, but drivers are supposed to move over to allow overtaking drivers to pass. The ones who cruise there (left lane) for miles on end, next to another car and preventing others from passing are the ones who cause following drivers to get angry and everything that goes with it (and the ones the law is designed to target).


I've used the left lane plenty, and I've always tried to be conscientious of overtaking drivers and move over to let them go around. In a big truck this is not always as easy as is sounds, because some drivers are so aggressive that they completely disregard my right turn signal *AND* the fact I'm already halfway across the lines into the right lane, and whip it into the right lane to pass me anyway.

I was being sarcastic. There is a Slow Poke law in Atl. now. If you are blocking traffic in the left lane when you can pull right, you will get a ticket. Regardless of how fast anyone is traveling. I'm in the left most of the time because I'm usually one of the fastest on the road, but once I'm at the speed I want to travel I will move right, and if I'm overtaking vehicles and see a car come up behind me, I'll pull right and let them go if I can do so without altering my speed.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2019, 04:27 PM   #16
Bus Crazy
 
CaptSquid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
One SERIOUS disadvantage of doing I-95 is the beltway around DC. That is an ABSOLUTE nightmare!
CaptSquid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2019, 06:19 AM   #17
Bus Crazy
 
Ronnie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,324
Year: 1971
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: International Loadstar 1700
Engine: 345 international V-8
95 is much flatter, and more direct. However traffic can be terrible. So if you can drive around the big cities at night that will help a lot.

I usually take 81 to 88 going to Vermont or new Hampshire. A lot more grades but better traffic. 81 tends to be a heavy truck route with a few pesky little cars thrown in for good measure.
Ronnie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2019, 07:29 AM   #18
Bus Crazy
 
HazMatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
The Beltway down around Alexandria is called, "The Mixing Bowl," and not because there's yummy batter to lick off the beaters, but because of the frequent beating and battering of vehicular misadventures.
Not for nothing, but the OP hit the road a coupla weeks ago. So figure they got to their destination in a fine fettle, or got pureed somewhere on the 95...
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
HazMatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2019, 09:45 AM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 15
Agreed!!! That is best route, avoids tolls and large traffic areas.
ddcam is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:47 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.