Short Skoolie Vs. Shuttle Bus ????

[dirtygoat]

A short bus will handle more weight and tow more...

Diesel will last longer and get better mileage, plus pulls harder... I have an off road 4x4 that I tow to the trails... I've pulled it with several different truck and diesel is the only way to go...

My bus is 25' with 20' of living space with a diesel and an allison tranny... I haven't used it to tow yet, but I have a buddy that has an International 5 yard dump truck and the frame, running gear, engine and tranny are the same as what's in my bus... Basically my bus is a dump truck with a bus body...

And yep, they also look cute...

[Diesel Dan]

The shuttle buses are more like oversized vans. The metal school buses are more like heavy duty trucks as Dirtygoat said. I think the metal bus has more flexibility of design and purposing, but the shuttle bus will be easier and more comfortable to drive, more quiet on the road, and get better fuel economy. I personally needed more space than a shuttle bus could provide, and also wanted to have a "sky is the limit" attitude towards the possibilities of what I could do with the conversion and how I could use the vehicle.

[sdwarf36]

Originally Posted by Diesel Dan

The shuttle buses are more like oversized vans. The metal school buses are more like heavy duty trucks as Dirtygoat said. I think the metal bus has more flexibility of design and purposing, but the shuttle bus will be easier and more comfortable to drive, more quiet on the road, and get better fuel economy. I personally needed more space than a shuttle bus could provide, and also wanted to have a "sky is the limit" attitude towards the possibilities of what I could do with the conversion and how I could use the vehicle.

Yea-I agree. Mine fit my needs-drive 300 miles-camp a weekend-drive home. In it more driving than living. I don't think there are too many shuttle buses with that much floor space. MIne was 16 passenger-and it has 16ft of floor space.

[Diesel Dan]

10mpg is probably the best you can hope for in a traditional school bus. Depends on what engine/tranny/rear end combo you get. My 35ft. bus with DT466/AT545 gets 8mpg. Not sure what my rear end ratio is, but it's not horrible as I'm able to cruise at 60mph at 2,300rpms.

[dirtygoat]

My 88 Crew Cab Chevy had a gasser 454 and I would only get 5-6 mpg... A gas bus will be the same or worse and not have the pull that a diesel has... Going with a diesel is a no brainer to me...

[Roachhill]

I'd think you could get a bit newer in your price range. My short bus cost $2800 and is a '99 diesel powered rig with 130,000 miles. It's a bit shorter then your target at 22ft but it's wierd short nose gives it 18 feet interior space around 16 feet for the living space. I considered a decent 92 25ft for $1800 so at up to $4000 you should have plenty for something nice and the schools should be adding a new selection to the market over the next couple months, perfect time to shop.

[Seeria]

In two years of searching I came across six 18foot interior space buses. Definitely a pain to find big space. Watch ebay, craigslist around your state and check with bus dealers. Never didfound one on location or state auctions but that is just my luck Try 'em, too.