SKOOLIE MECHANIC - Does your rig need a "check up"?

[Dream.Build.Drive.]

Looking for some input from the community.... After buying a neat bus from a great couple the drive home was frightening to say the least! They really had no idea how bad things had gotten, you get accustomed to things as they wear out and maybe don't realize how bad they are. Being a mechanic my whole life I started to wonder what the repair world is like out there for school buses.
I have worked on all kinds of heavy and medium duty trucks, mining equipment and the oil fields in the arctic circle. We currently are building 4 wheel drive vans and restoring older trucks.
My wife has been into school buses since high school and even bought the bus she rode to school in after high school.
If we decided to open up some shop space and time how many people would divert travels to use our service. Some place to stop in and get an honest opinion of the condition of there bus, make repairs ect. We can do work on solar and power systems, gensets and water systems. Basicly a truck stop for schoolies! We are located east of Albuquerque NM. All input good or bad is welcome. Thanks!

[s2mikon]

Welcome to the forum neighbor. Where in NM are you?

[fo4imtippin]

I think it would be a warm welcome. You read many more horror stories on Facebook groups. People get shafted by heavy truck mechanics used to working on fleet vehicles. You could offer honest inspections for a given price and replacements for anything you can handle. I'm sure there's a ton of people with fixable issues that aren't going to stop until they are stranded.

[nikitis]

Everyone here is in dire need of good mechanics for buses. There's not enough of them, and the ones who existed who know the older buses are retired. So always a welcome sight.

I live on the east coast, so NM is a bit far away from me, but it seems majority of skoolie owners live mid-west to far west USA so you are in a better spot. However I will likely be traveling through the country at times, and if I'm near NM I may stop by.

[bigbadbussy]

Originally Posted by Dream.Build.Drive.

Looking for some input from the community.... After buying a neat bus from a great couple the drive home was frightening to say the least! They really had no idea how bad things had gotten, you get accustomed to things as they wear out and maybe don't realize how bad they are. Being a mechanic my whole life I started to wonder what the repair world is like out there for school buses.
I have worked on all kinds of heavy and medium duty trucks, mining equipment and the oil fields in the arctic circle. We currently are building 4 wheel drive vans and restoring older trucks.
My wife has been into school buses since high school and even bought the bus she rode to school in after high school.
If we decided to open up some shop space and time how many people would divert travels to use our service. Some place to stop in and get an honest opinion of the condition of there bus, make repairs ect. We can do work on solar and power systems, gensets and water systems. Basicly a truck stop for schoolies! We are located east of Albuquerque NM. All input good or bad is welcome. Thanks!

I would stop in during a trip! Would you consider traveling to Skooliepalooza or other Skoolie/Vanlife events to offer your services?

[Stovebolt]

I'm also an East Coast Schoolie. But when my travels take me west, I'd definitely avail myself of such services! I assume you can deal with the later model diesel busses?


And what;s this about a schooliepalooza/Van life event(s) Where does one go to learn of such events???


My plan is to flat tow my e-350 Quigley off-road camper behind my schoolie. Sounds like these are events I'd be interested in.

[Tejon7]

Working on our dilapidated old buses probably isn't the easiest way to pay the bills, otherwise we wouldn't have such a hard time finding good mechanics. That said, if you have a passion for buses then go for it. You'll certainly get a lot of love from this community (though I'm not sure if 'love' will put meat on the table). I'd drive a few states out of my way to get a checkup or have work done by someone I trust.

Maybe you could do for Skoolies what Scott the BusGreaseMonkey did with vintage coaches. He made a name for himself through his YouTube channel and now he is booked solid for the foreseeable future and by all appearances making a decent living.

Edit: oh, and definitely look into Skooliepalooza as previously mentioned. It's all the way on the far side of AZ from you, but close enough that some of them would surely swing through Albuquerque if they knew about you.

[bigbadbussy]

Originally Posted by Stovebolt

I'm also an East Coast Schoolie. But when my travels take me west, I'd definitely avail myself of such services! I assume you can deal with the later model diesel busses?


And what;s this about a schooliepalooza/Van life event(s) Where does one go to learn of such events???


My plan is to flat tow my e-350 Quigley off-road camper behind my schoolie. Sounds like these are events I'd be interested in.

Haven’t been yet but I hope to in 2025! See you there!😆

https://m.youtube.com/results?sp=mAE...skooliepalooza

https://skooliepalooza.com/gatherings/

[statelessvessel]

I would definitely stop in for reliable feedback on the status of my bus.

[Averynewlife]

Who wouldn't love to have someone they could TRUST to give an HONEST evaluation. I don't mind paying for something that needs to be fixed, it's the other questionable... .... repairs that are... hard to swallow!? What part of the country are we talking? I might swing by for a regular checkup

[DeMac]

Originally Posted by Dream.Build.Drive.

Looking for some input from the community.... After buying a neat bus from a great couple the drive home was frightening to say the least! They really had no idea how bad things had gotten, you get accustomed to things as they wear out and maybe don't realize how bad they are. Being a mechanic my whole life I started to wonder what the repair world is like out there for school buses.
I have worked on all kinds of heavy and medium duty trucks, mining equipment and the oil fields in the arctic circle. We currently are building 4 wheel drive vans and restoring older trucks.
My wife has been into school buses since high school and even bought the bus she rode to school in after high school.
If we decided to open up some shop space and time how many people would divert travels to use our service. Some place to stop in and get an honest opinion of the condition of there bus, make repairs ect. We can do work on solar and power systems, gensets and water systems. Basicly a truck stop for schoolies! We are located east of Albuquerque NM. All input good or bad is welcome. Thanks!

------------
Hi, Dream.Build.Drive,

Yes, of course. Everybody loves a trustworthy mechanic.

I'll be traveling through your area in a couple weeks... Flagstaff, AZ to Killeen, TX, in a new to me 1976 Thomas w/ IHC V392. I'll likely be lodging near Albuquerque & Im definitely making repairs, along the way.





I'm sending you my cell number, via this site's private message service. I look forward to hearing from you.

[Toddthomp]

We found a mechanic after asking our local hardware store because they supply and deliver wood to many of our local construction contractors. Their delivery trucks are about the same size as our bus and they had a local mechanic who services their trucks and many other local delivery trucks. They changed all the fluids for ~$1000 and they also replaced our air bags over the back axle but I'd like to find a cheaper process. This was just before our inaugural trip so we thought it was a good idea to have an expert overlook it. With help from a local school district bus technician wanting some side work I've changed all the fluids (diesel oil, differential, hubs, chassis and transmission) before but that person is no longer around so I was hoping to find someone at one of the bus life events show me the process again and if they could inspect it to see things like our air bags wearing out that would be great.

[Beumers]

We would absolutely make our way through dor that!

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by DeMac

------------
Hi, Dream.Build.Drive,

Yes, of course. Everybody loves a trustworthy mechanic.

I'll be traveling through your area in a couple weeks... Flagstaff, AZ to Killeen, TX, in a new to me 1976 Thomas w/ IHC V392. I'll likely be lodging near Albuquerque & Im definitely making repairs, along the way.





I'm sending you my cell number, via this site's private message service. I look forward to hearing from you.

the last time I drove I10 through MS and LA(state) a couple years ago.. it was a bounce fest..

[Kentucky Dreaming]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

the last time I drove I10 through MS and LA(state) a couple years ago.. it was a bounce fest..

can't be as bad as I-74 from Cincy to Indy.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Kentucky Dreaming

can't be as bad as I-74 from Cincy to Indy.

ha!!! been there done that, bought the T shirt that then bounced out of the bus


the other indiana bad spot is the first 30 miles or so into indiana westbound on I70 from ohio... or vice versa last 30 miles on I70 east before ohio..


I actually avoid it many times by taking back roads and enjoying the longer yet smoother ride through the small towns

[Dream.Build.Drive.]

Just South of Santa Fe and East of Albuquerque!
THANKS!

[Dream.Build.Drive.]

Thanks, love the feedback!
We would love to build a network of trusted mechanics as well, so if you know of any please share! We will connect with them and try to forge a path across country for "bus friendly shops"

[Dream.Build.Drive.]

EAST of Albuquerque, South of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Not to far off the beaten path!

[Dream.Build.Drive.]

Originally Posted by Tejon7

Working on our dilapidated old buses probably isn't the easiest way to pay the bills, otherwise we wouldn't have such a hard time finding good mechanics. That said, if you have a passion for buses then go for it. You'll certainly get a lot of love from this community (though I'm not sure if 'love' will put meat on the table). I'd drive a few states out of my way to get a checkup or have work done by someone I trust.

Maybe you could do for Skoolies what Scott the BusGreaseMonkey did with vintage coaches. He made a name for himself through his YouTube channel and now he is booked solid for the foreseeable future and by all appearances making a decent living.

Edit: oh, and definitely look into Skooliepalooza as previously mentioned. It's all the way on the far side of AZ from you, but close enough that some of them would surely swing through Albuquerque if they knew about you.

Great feedback, much appreciated! I'll look into that!
The passion is in the community around the busses, as far as "being a mechanic" we enjoy a challenge and love to see healthy old, new, and neat rigs cruise the country.