Timid of the international

Rachel_89 · 03-01-2021, 03:01 PM

Hey everyone! Newbie here trying to get my hands on a bus. As a current scion FRS driver, I'm sure you can imagine my fear of the international bus even if its a "shorty". Can anyone calm my nerves and tell me that it's not as scary as it looks? How about gas mileage? I'm sure its not great

Oldyeller · 03-01-2021, 04:05 PM

Nothing wrong with being nervous the first time you drive a much larger vehicle than you're used to. I'd be concerned if you weren't nervous. Nervous can prevent you from doing something . . . BAD.

Arrange it so that the first time you drive it, whatever you buy, it's in a safe, low stress situation. If it has to be driven any distance on purchase see if you can get a friend with experience drive it for you. Or, as in my case, I arranged with the bus company I bought it from to have one of their drivers deliver it to me to get around the insurance problem.

Fuel mileage is very dependent on what you buy but it's pretty safe to say it won't be good even for a shorty.

magnakansas · 03-01-2021, 05:01 PM

You know those yellow speed signs on curves, on ramps and off ramps? Yea, you are going to have to pay attention to those more. Braking distance is much further. Skip the sudden lane change.

Yea you can drive it. It is like riding a bicycle for the first time. Start slow and learn.

Welcome to busses.

william

Rwnielsen · 03-01-2021, 10:58 PM

Everything is deliberate in a bus. You put your whole foot on the gas and whole foot on the brake. It's longer and wider that you think it is. You need to watch out for the back end swing out if you're next to something and don't even try to do anything abruptly, plan ahead. Check your mirrors.
I drive a Nismo Z, I feel your pain

Brad_SwiftFur · 03-01-2021, 11:06 PM

It's not as scary as it looks. Think about it, thousands of grannies and grandpas drive these things every day hauling kids to and from school. They aren't *Harder*, they're just *different.* You *WILL* need to keep your wits about you and drive with due caution ... but you already do that anyway, right?

Do find (I think it was Cheesewagon's) post about safety and pretrips. So many of these things are simple and basic and easily done yourself, and can save you a great deal of headache if addressed before a trip.

Simplicity · 03-01-2021, 11:23 PM

Speaking as one of those "grandpa's" that drives school bus, I can tell you that the worst bus drivers are the ones that are not a little nervous.

It's a matter of acclamation. Depending on the wheel base and how much tail (body sticking out behind the rear axel) it has will make a difference in how you turn when not on the highway.

Learning how to use your mirrors is a huge part of safely driving any large vehicle, whether your own bus or a u-haul truck. The best advice a senior driver gave me when I first started driving was watch your rear tire in the mirror when turning. If you keep the inside rear tire on the road and off the curb, you'll be fine.

If it has a gas engine, not much different than a car.

If it has a diesel, there's some things to know so you treat the engine well.

You can do it!

CHEESE_WAGON · 03-02-2021, 01:06 AM

Once you get used to it, it's like a pickup truck, but bigger, longer, with a worse turning radius. And don't forget that rear overhang. Easy to take out a streetlight or traffic sign with it.

Do not let anyone linger in the 15-second space ahead of you. You have more mirrors, but they do not eliminate blind spots completely. If the idiots cut you off (as they are apt to do because they are stupid and don't know any better), back off to increase distance. You need maybe ten times any vehicle's length to stop (possibly more in some cases) and you need to be more mindful of mirrors and blind spots when turning.

60 mph? If you're lucky.
70 mph? You're either risking mechanical damage or you got a unicorn.

55 mph zone - run 50.
65 mph zone - run 58-60 if you can.

Always drive slower than the speed of traffic with these things... It's a lot easier to stop when you leave enough room, and these beasts need a lot more than you're used to.

You might check out the links in my sig and get a copy of the commercial driver's manual for your state to help you to prepare for the experience. If you're in Virginia (and don't smoke or vape - I have ridiculous asthma) I can give some pointers in-person.

You may also like: