Renting out your Skoolie (Summer 2021)

[Sehnsucht]

So the backstory for this is that my brother-in-law is up for a new job posting and if he gets it will be looking to move the family from D.C. to Alaska! Of course the government will pay for the household to be moved but my sister, niece, nephew, and two dogs want to wait until my niece finishes her senior year before making the move which will put us in the summer of 2021 when we'll all be looking to road trip to Alaska as well as tow one of their cars.

I've tried to prepare my sister for what this will cost both pricing and timeframe. She and I are both the type to over-think things so the fact that this is *only* a year away doesn't give us a lot of time to start overthinking! The most obvious solution is to rent an RV and make the trip but unlike rental cars it's nearly impossible to rent an RV one-way so I'd have to round trip it back to Point A and at nearly 9,000 miles this is quite an expense but currently the most conventional and feasible plan.

Alternatively, and perhaps preferably, if someone here has a roadworthy skoolie and doesn't have plans for it for about a month next summer, I'd much rather offer a forum member the money I'd otherwise be spending on an RV rental.

Ideally but least likely is that I'd funnel that money into buying and building my own skoolie but I'm realistic enough to know I'm not going to accomplish the entire project start to finish in less than a year.

A more complicated but potential idea if I can figure out a one-way scenario is to couple the trip with a driveaway gig from the west coast. This way I can relocate them and then offer a truck or bus transport service back eastwards as my return trip towards Indiana. This idea has more parts to work out and potential for derailment but if it works out could help a new skoolie owner get their west coast bus home since it seems like we all want those west coast buses!

Please act quickly posting your thoughts as I only have 11 months to worry about this!! LOL

[MNbusboy]

There have been a few posts by folks in Alaska, often talking about how hard it is to get a bus up there. You could look for someone in Alaska who wants a skoolie and deliver it to them. Or you could just buy one, drive it to Alaska and sell it there. As long as you buy a bus with good insulation and a decent platform for rough terrain, I would think it would be easy to recoup your money or even make a little profit.

[Sehnsucht]

Great point! Alas I don't want to make my entourage rough it in a school bus and I don't have time to convert one. I did find an alternative platform that's much more readily available and easier to conversion but it just not a school bus.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by MNbusboy

There have been a few posts by folks in Alaska, often talking about how hard it is to get a bus up there.

BiscuitsJam had an epic trip last winter from Alaska to Georgia. I would just read his thread in reverse.

[Meathead]

I helped my kids move when my bus was gutted. An empty bus and an chair lift is a is a bad arse moving machine!

[JDSquared]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

BiscuitsJam had an epic trip last winter from Alaska to Georgia. I would just read his thread in reverse.

If I remember he actually moved it from Georgia to Alaska a couple years ago first.

[Sehnsucht]

Originally Posted by Meathead

I helped my kids move when my bus was gutted. An empty bus and an chair lift is a is a bad arse moving machine!

If we needed to move some household goods I'd go that route but all I'm responsible for is the kids and dogs so want something comfy and short term sleeping arrangements. Ultimately my intended floorplan leans closer to solo RV and my personal interests but occasionally road trip with my nephews as they get old enough to enjoy hanging out with their kooky uncle!