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Old 01-17-2019, 02:10 PM   #21
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Greenwood, Indiana
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Year: 1999
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Originally Posted by Sleddgracer View Post
great idea

Thank you very much! However, its not mine - not by a long-shot. I'm a software engineer by trade, and "MoSCoW" is one of the approaches used for gathering requirements for new projects from "stakeholders". Its a fairly natural process for me now, and it is a simple enough process that I don't end up throwing software engineering "mumbo-jumbo" at people who don't really care about software engineering (something I'm very prone to do).

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Old 01-17-2019, 03:47 PM   #22
Bus Crazy
 
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Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
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Year: 1975
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Chassis: 8 window
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Originally Posted by MarkyDee View Post
Thank you very much! However, its not mine - not by a long-shot. I'm a software engineer by trade, and "MoSCoW" is one of the approaches used for gathering requirements for new projects from "stakeholders". Its a fairly natural process for me now, and it is a simple enough process that I don't end up throwing software engineering "mumbo-jumbo" at people who don't really care about software engineering (something I'm very prone to do).
- I use a similar method of selecting, or grading my best/fastest/most reliable sleddogs for racing - never thought about the idea of modifying it for buying a bus - lol
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Old 01-17-2019, 05:02 PM   #23
Skoolie
 
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Location: Tucson, AZ
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Year: 1997
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC 1000
Engine: 5.9/AT
Rated Cap: 2 adults, 2 dogs
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Originally Posted by astoldbycoco View Post
i’ve been actually looking into short buses but also mid sizes seems like a good size to be as well. anything but a full size lol. we’re pretty short my husband is the tallest standing at 5’9 and i’m only 5 ft so i think it shouldn’t be much of an issue with the roof?

We looked for about 6 months before getting ours. It's a half bus with short wheelbase. We are giving up some smooth ride for maneuverability but that's what we prefer. It gives us about 20ft of building space from back of seat to back door. Our roof is 76 inches. By the time we insulate and put in the wood ceiling and floor our 6'2" friend will have to duck under the air conditioner. I put some pictures in the forum today. Look for "Daisy the Bus"
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Old 01-17-2019, 05:26 PM   #24
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: oklahoma
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Originally Posted by AZHippie View Post
We looked for about 6 months before getting ours. It's a half bus with short wheelbase. We are giving up some smooth ride for maneuverability but that's what we prefer. It gives us about 20ft of building space from back of seat to back door. Our roof is 76 inches. By the time we insulate and put in the wood ceiling and floor our 6'2" friend will have to duck under the air conditioner. I put some pictures in the forum today. Look for "Daisy the Bus"
yes i seen yours today & that’s about the size we liked! do you mind telling me how much u paid?
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Old 01-17-2019, 06:07 PM   #25
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Tucson, AZ
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Year: 1997
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Chassis: TC 1000
Engine: 5.9/AT
Rated Cap: 2 adults, 2 dogs
$2,800. It ran and drove the best of all that we looked at. Was about to pull the trigger on a conventional that was about 15inches longer inside and 7 feet longer for $6,900. Came across this on CL that afternoon and decided to check it out before I drove 3 hrs to make the offer on the other one. Fired it up and knew it was my bus. It is amazingly easy to drive because it's fairly short and the wheel base makes it turn about the same as my 4 door long bed pick up.
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Old 01-18-2019, 05:36 PM   #26
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Originally Posted by AZHippie View Post
$2,800. It ran and drove the best of all that we looked at. Was about to pull the trigger on a conventional that was about 15inches longer inside and 7 feet longer for $6,900. Came across this on CL that afternoon and decided to check it out before I drove 3 hrs to make the offer on the other one. Fired it up and knew it was my bus. It is amazingly easy to drive because it's fairly short and the wheel base makes it turn about the same as my 4 door long bed pick up.
sounds awesome! what’s the model? will add to my lurking list haha.
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Old 01-18-2019, 06:14 PM   #27
Skoolie
 
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Location: Tucson, AZ
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Year: 1997
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Chassis: TC 1000
Engine: 5.9/AT
Rated Cap: 2 adults, 2 dogs
Blue Bird TC1000
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Old 01-23-2019, 11:07 PM   #28
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Hi astoldbycoco. I have short school bus with 4 windows & loving it. You can walk around in a bus but not too much in a van. If you prefer a van because not much space to park then it would be good for you. Need more space then get a bus 😁👍🏾
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Old 01-24-2019, 01:49 AM   #29
Bus Crazy
 
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Location: Winlcok, WA
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Before you decide on what size bus you want you need to decide how much bus you will need. The suggestions to put on paper some possible floor plans is a great idea.



Right now you will probably see RV shows being advertised. Go and see what they have to offer. There are only so many ways in which you can arrange stuff in a tube that is basically 8' wide (give or take a foot) and 20'/30'/40' long. Even look inside trailers and not just motorhomes. The floor plans in a trailer are not all that different from a motorhome.


Once you have determined your MoSCoW list you will be in a better position to determine which bus will fit your needs the best.



If you determine you must have a bus that can do highway speeds and climb mountains faster than walking speed you will need to be looking at a bus with a big HP engine and a heavy duty transmission with highway speed gearing. It is much less expensive to pay more for a bus with the power package that best fits your needs than to try and repower or regear your bus later on down the road. Remember the vast majority of school buses are spe'c'ed to transport kids to and from school at speeds less than 35 MPH. Outside of the trip from the factory there are some school buses that never go over 35 MPH during their whole service life. Those kinds of buses will not have big HP engines with highway speed gears. Those kinds of buses will usually have the smallest engine available and gearing to a top speed of 45-55 MPH.


When you get to the western states the minimum spe'c is usually for higher HP simply to deal with the bigger hills we have out here. The buses still may be geared to low top speeds. But they don't slow appreciably when they get to a hill.


Some western states, MT and WY in particular, will have dedicated trip buses with monster engines and highway gearing that will take advantage of the 80 MPH speed limits. Those trip buses will have the maximum head room, cross through under the floor luggage compartments, air ride suspensions, tinted glass, inside overhead parcel racks, and some even have killer sound and video systems.


CO requires all of their buses to have some sort of auxiliary braking system. Telma driveline retarder, transmission retarder, exhaust brakes, etc. will reduce the use of your service brakes to the point the service brakes almost never wear out.



Many CO, WA, and OR buses will come equipped with OnSpot automatic tire chains which makes traveling in the mountains in the winter a piece of cake.


So as you go shopping for buses you need to know what will work best for you. There is no one perfect bus. That is way there are four types of buses in many different sizes.


Good Luck and Happy Trails to you!
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Old 01-25-2019, 10:27 PM   #30
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As Cowlitzcoach said I also recommend ,check for an rv show. You can go to dealers but it's a pain. Go to a show they have hundreds there with no one to bug you. Concentrate on the ones with no slides find what you like. Also take a little tape measure and note pad. Make photo album in phone for bus. Take pictures of everything you like to put in you blank slate. Also go into the big ones,you may find some ideas and there amazing. But take those 3 things and enjoy,they are usually pretty cool.
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Old 01-26-2019, 02:16 PM   #31
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: oklahoma
Posts: 24
thanks everyone for the advice! it’s so funny now every time i see any school buses in my town I get excited and start looking at all the different specs as they drive and drop of kiddos. before i never gave them a glance haha
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Old 01-26-2019, 02:22 PM   #32
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 105
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC 1000
Engine: 5.9/AT
Rated Cap: 2 adults, 2 dogs
Me too! It's a total addiction
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