Future skoolie driver

[OwllieDriver]

I hope to learn from everyone here about the dos and don'ts of building as well as gaining new friends to spend time with out on the road. I have yet to get the bus but I'm very excited for this new adventure. I am currently a solo driver for a trucking company, been doing this for 6 years now, when Covid shut america down work ramped up for me so I've been living in my semi for 3 months. No use in going home with nothing to do. I am excited to begin this journey as soon as possible being a skoolie owner with excitement comes concerns and many questions. My research on YouTube has brought me here.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

welcome
you have the experience and know how to drive one of these.
what size bus are you wanting?

[OwllieDriver]

I drive a sleep cab pulling a 53' trailer for work, never driven a bus before but everything I've seen so far is shorter than 53' so although the straight aspect of it will be a bit different i dont see any serious issues with the operation of the vehicle.

As for what size we want, a friend of mine wants to out a "store front" in the first part of the bus to have it be a rolling store. This was his idea to begin with. Once I started watching videos, although *spoil alert* i know it isnt all glamorous, I have fallen in love with the idea of getting into the skoolie community. Both single dudes so nothing/ no gf is tying us down in Michigan or holding us back from fulfilling this idea. I talk way too much.

He wants to get a massive bus like a 36'-42' and go visit populated areas like cities and college towns. where as I think it would be more flexible to convert a 28' which would allow us more maneuvering capabilities as well as open up more available parking. We are electing to not put in any bathroom or shower and use Planet Fitness which is another reason I feel as if my idea of size would be more ideal. This website has more knowledge than I could dream of consuming so I look forward to the input you all have.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

what is your ultimate goal?
a store front to sell stuff depending on how much space will leave you with tiny quarters in nothing less than a full sized bus?

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

a little tougher cause it doesnt twist after the cab but its the same cause no one leaves room for you to turn?
kinda like if you caint see my mirrors i caint see you thing .
my dad rolled a fire truck in the 60s to save a car that didnt understand wide right turns
?

[OwllieDriver]

His goal is to gain recognition for his brand. So the store front is his main focal point for the build. I believe that this will be a good experience for us both over 2021. He wants to end up in L.A where as the more I learn about the community I already want to do it full time. So the full sized bus would grant us enough space for an 8' store/"living room", 7' for kitchen area, 2x 6' areas for our individual areas, 3' for a garage in the back. Which I believe comes to 30' living area so maybe a 36' bus? That's as far as I have gotten with a mental idea of what we would need to build the store inside the bus.

[OwllieDriver]

I usually just wave people through an intersection if there arent any other cars nearby but except for a few places in PA if I'm driving anywhere the people of the towns know how to drive around semis

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

if you have the experience why not go longer and leave room to expand the storefront as needed or as the business grows

[OwllieDriver]

That's a good point actually. I suppose my concern came because of the extra tail swing and not having any actual bus experience more so because he is looking to travel cities and not the country side. With that said you're right I see now after paying closer attention to how my trailer moves, operating a full length vehicle will be no issue at all.

[Native]

You got this, man! Driving a bus does have a few particulars, but you have to deal with them already.


As said above, the longer vehicles provide more room.


What sort of store?

[OwllieDriver]

He started the business 10 years ago in his senior year of high school. It is a clothing company from Southeast Michigan called Inspiration Clothing. He wants the brand to really take off, on a personal level, more than it ever has so that's where the skoolie idea came to him. I joined in on this mission once he told me the idea. I have learned from others who doubt his ability to succeed and I dont want to be the old guy who said I wish I would have. We are both socially connected but we agree that people would appreciate the personal interaction.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by OwllieDriver

I drive a sleep cab pulling a 53' trailer for work, never driven a bus before but everything I've seen so far is shorter than 53' so although the straight aspect of it will be a bit different i dont see any serious issues with the operation of the vehicle.

As for what size we want, a friend of mine wants to out a "store front" in the first part of the bus to have it be a rolling store. This was his idea to begin with. Once I started watching videos, although *spoil alert* i know it isnt all glamorous, I have fallen in love with the idea of getting into the skoolie community. Both single dudes so nothing/ no gf is tying us down in Michigan or holding us back from fulfilling this idea. I talk way too much.

He wants to get a massive bus like a 36'-42' and go visit populated areas like cities and college towns. where as I think it would be more flexible to convert a 28' which would allow us more maneuvering capabilities as well as open up more available parking. We are electing to not put in any bathroom or shower and use Planet Fitness which is another reason I feel as if my idea of size would be more ideal. This website has more knowledge than I could dream of consuming so I look forward to the input you all have.

If you're used to driving big rigs a real coach bus would probably suit you better.

[OwllieDriver]

I would be interested in that maybe in the future but right now. I told him that it would probably cost us about 15-18k to do our full size bus. I'm hoping to drop that cost by the input from youtube and online. I've started watching govdeals.com for busses but I feel as if a full size coach may just be a bit expensive right now even more so for the company's first tour bus.