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 02-28-2016, 09:23 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 5
HELP Needing a Bus in colorado

Hey, I am looking for my first school bus, but I can't find any buses in colorado so if someone has a medium sized school bus around me and there willing to sell to me that would be great Thanks

Fynn Blake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2016, 09:54 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Look up forum member Charles M.
Tell him CB needs commission!
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2016, 11:55 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Winlcok, WA
Posts: 2,233
Rocky Mountain Bus Sales has a pretty good inventory. However, they think pretty highly of what they have in stock so the prices are rather dear.

To be fair, most are CO spe'c buses. Which translates to mean they all have big HP and they all have auxiliary braking systems of one kind or another. Search Used Bus Inventory - Used Bus Sales - Used bus for sale
cowlitzcoach is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 12:04 AM   #4
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 5
Thanks for getting back to me. I have checked Rocky Mountain Bus sales and the prices are a little out of my price range but thanks
Fynn Blake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 08:01 AM   #5
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
Quote:
Originally Posted by cowlitzcoach View Post
Rocky Mountain Bus Sales has a pretty good inventory. However, they think pretty highly of what they have in stock so the prices are rather dear.

To be fair, most are CO spe'c buses. Which translates to mean they all have big HP and they all have auxiliary braking systems of one kind or another. Search Used Bus Inventory - Used Bus Sales - Used bus for sale
Cowlitz, so what exactly is a Colorado spec bus? Is the engine larger or just tuned for max HP? What is the auxiliary braking system? Thanks.
dgorila1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 08:08 AM   #6
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
In CO, they spec the buses with higher HP than flat states, and they also have a state mandate that ALL school buses come with driveline retarders... Auxillary braking. Helps tremendously in the steep grades and makes for an AWESOME bus for traveling cross the rockies.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 08:11 AM   #7
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15




EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 09:12 AM   #8
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
In CO, they spec the buses with higher HP than flat states, and they also have a state mandate that ALL school buses come with driveline retarders... Auxillary braking. Helps tremendously in the steep grades and makes for an AWESOME bus for traveling cross the rockies.
Cool, thanks. Has me interested in buying a bus spec'd out like this more than a "flat lander" bus. Downside is these buses are in the snowy regions so may have more rust. Have to do some more research...hmmmmmmmmm.
dgorila1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 09:44 AM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
VeldatheWonderbus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Belgrade, MT
Posts: 65
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466E International
Rated Cap: 72
I bought Velda through publicsurplus.com from the Adams 12 Five Star School District in Thornton, CO (just north of Denver). The price was right at $2025 (I was the second bidder), and she came with automatic chains, brake retarder, and a whole bunch of heaters. Unfortunately, it turns out that the brake retarder is fried, and I still haven't checked out whether or not the automatic chains work (chains are illegal in WI, where I'm doing the conversion).

The fleet manager at Adams 12 has not been particularly helpful in obtaining information about the bus, and it turns out he FLAT OUT LIED about some other things...like the mileage. It was advertised as having 175K miles on it, but as I drove across Nebraska I realized that the odometer was not working correctly - it shows about 70 miles for every 1500 driven. And the fact that the odometer didn't work is documented in the service history for the bus, which I was able to get the district to email to me. Nevertheless, he just signed the release to title and left the odometer reading blank (illegal), which I didn't catch until after I'd arrived in WI and took the time to look at all the paperwork I'd accumulated. So even though the price was right, I wouldn't recommend buying through Adams 12. But publicsurplus.com has lots of buses all over the country, and I bet you can find one from a different district in the state for a good price. It will help that you're in the area - I was buying sight-unseen from Alaska.

Good luck!
VeldatheWonderbus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 09:52 AM   #10
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Winlcok, WA
Posts: 2,233
Does CO use salt on their roads in the winter?

If they don't rust shouldn't be a problem other than the normal sort of surface rust that accumulates as paint gets scratched.
cowlitzcoach is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 10:26 AM   #11
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
Quote:
Originally Posted by cowlitzcoach View Post
Does CO use salt on their roads in the winter?

If they don't rust shouldn't be a problem other than the normal sort of surface rust that accumulates as paint gets scratched.

Cow, does WA salt their roads? Do you see allot of "mountain" spec buses in WA?
dgorila1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 11:42 AM   #12
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by dgorila1 View Post
Cool, thanks. Has me interested in buying a bus spec'd out like this more than a "flat lander" bus. Downside is these buses are in the snowy regions so may have more rust. Have to do some more research...hmmmmmmmmm.
Most of the CO buses I've seen are more or less rust free.
Folks seem to LOVE FL buses and pay primo for them even thought they're poorly maintained here we have a lot of salt and humidity.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 03:17 PM   #13
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
Try Midwest Transit
CaptSquid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 03:46 PM   #14
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Winlcok, WA
Posts: 2,233
WA has started to use chemicals about five years ago to help keep roads from getting slick. Since we have so much rain it helps to clean any of the chemicals off before it has a chance to do much damage.

As far as mountain equipped buses are concerned, few WA buses were equipped with auxiliary braking systems. But with the advent of the ISB and the fact exhaust braking is only a $100.00 option more and more of the newer buses are coming equipped with exhaust braking.

As far as big HP is concerned, the gradability spe'c that WA requires buses to meet pretty much requires the biggest HP options on the biggest buses.


Here is a link to some light reading on what is required on any school bus made since 1977, as revised in 2015, as far as HP and torque is concerned. You may have to cut and past the address rather than clicking on the link.
  1. www.k12.wa.us/transportation/pubdocs/SchoolBusSpecManual.pdf
cowlitzcoach is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 04:29 PM   #15
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Yeah, Public Surplus is your best bet. That's probably where Rocky Mountain Bus Sales gets their buses anyway. I bought my bus from PS in Oregon for just under $2,500, but I've seen this same year and model listed at $12,500 on a different bus resale site. I wouldn't be in a bus if I had to pay that much.
Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 05:41 PM   #16
New Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by cowlitzcoach View Post
Does CO use salt on their roads in the winter?

If they don't rust shouldn't be a problem other than the normal sort of surface rust that accumulates as paint gets scratched.
Colorado uses sand and some other salt alternatives. As far as a state that gets a ton of snow, you shouldn't be too troubled to find a rust free or near rust free bus. I actually did a fair bit of looking into which states use the least salt and found that Colorado was one of them. Virginia is another. I believe Wyoming also uses a lot of sand and salt alternatives.
Chris C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 06:03 PM   #17
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris C View Post
Colorado uses sand and some other salt alternatives. As far as a state that gets a ton of snow, you shouldn't be too troubled to find a rust free or near rust free bus. I actually did a fair bit of looking into which states use the least salt and found that Colorado was one of them. Virginia is another. I believe Wyoming also uses a lot of sand and salt alternatives.
I haven't had a chance to check out the 2 Virginia dealers I've found to see what they have and how much they sell for. Anyone have any knowledge of these two? I see Sonny Merryman's service trucks around my area allot so they must have a pretty good service business going.

Church Bus, Used School Bus, Used Church Bus, Activity Bus, Shuttle Bus, Sprinters, School Bus, 12 passenger vans, 15 passenger vans - Sonny Merryman, Inc. - Virginia's Bus Company!

https://www.sawyersbussales.com/
dgorila1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-05-2016, 10:39 AM   #18
Skoolie
 
Skoolydoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Ft. Smith Arkansas
Posts: 141
Rated Cap: 2+1
Rusty's Auto Sales

Try this place, I have looked at bus and it's not bad,a little rust in from of rear wheels
Very fixable 3116 cat engine and auto transmission.
__________________
Don and Ellen
Plus one fuzzy faced kid (Poopcee)
Skoolydoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2016, 01:37 AM   #19
New Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Colorado
Posts: 4
I live in Colorado Springs and they seem to just use sand on the roads here.
drinkcoco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2016, 10:22 PM   #20
Skoolie
 
karrlot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Manitou Springs, CO
Posts: 219
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Ward
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 65 passenger
Keep in mind that there is no humidity in Colorado and not much salt. That's why you still see lots of old cars here. The humidity is what kills cars.

I bought my y bus (92 Ward 65 pass) off of public surplus.com. I got it from academy dist 20 in Colorado SPRINGS. I paid $2900 which included the buyers premium. I am tickled pink. Rear heater, auto chains, retarder, very minimal rust. This was a little more than some but it was from a school district (well maintained) in town. And the guys were super nice!

I've pulled the ceiling panels and wall panels and have found no rust. All rust ive found is just surface rust save for the bottom of my door has a patch that I'll have to fix. Nothing in the floor, stairwell, undercarriage, engine, etc.

I would recommend a CO bus,
I have also noticed that Rocky Mountain Bus sales are pretty high. Midwest transit would have required a trip across at least two states.
Be patient and it will come along.
karrlot 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 04:48 AM.


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