Current (October 2017) scrap value of a full size school bus?

[RomaniGypsy]

I'm asking because I called my local bus yard this afternoon, inquiring (among other things) about what they do when they retire buses. The first guy with whom I spoke said that they consider the differential between the scrap value and what they'd likely get for them if they sold them... and if the scrap value exceeds the likely sale value, they'll scrap the buses even if they're otherwise operable.

So, just to get an idea... what would a scrap yard pay for a retired full-size school bus, say at least 12 years old? (It'd be good to know, for reference purposes.)

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by RomaniGypsy

I'm asking because I called my local bus yard this afternoon, inquiring (among other things) about what they do when they retire buses. The first guy with whom I spoke said that they consider the differential between the scrap value and what they'd likely get for them if they sold them... and if the scrap value exceeds the likely sale value, they'll scrap the buses even if they're otherwise operable.

So, just to get an idea... what would a scrap yard pay for a retired full-size school bus, say at least 12 years old? (It'd be good to know, for reference purposes.)

I would call back and ask if said bus yard individual would consider making a phone call ( to you) if they had operable busses going out to scrap.. ie that they could be sold and REUSED for the same price.. thus helping the community and feeling good that he didnt just have perfectly good busses destroyed...

-Christopher

[RomaniGypsy]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I would call back and ask if said bus yard individual would consider making a phone call ( to you) if they had operable busses going out to scrap.. ie that they could be sold and REUSED for the same price.. thus helping the community and feeling good that he didnt just have perfectly good busses destroyed...

-Christopher

I'm going to visit the yard next week when the head mechanic is in - supposedly he's the guy I have to talk to, and he'd show me the buses they're looking to retire. I imagine that they wouldn't care who got the bus as long as they got the same amount of money. I just want to know what I'm looking at competing against. I just watched buses go at auction for $1,900 or less after buyer's premium, so if I find out that a bus can command $2,000+ from a scrap yard, I'll know that I was a moron for having missed out on that auction.

Also, side note since you're from Ohio... everywhere I look, I see it stated that you must have a CDL to drive any vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or higher in Ohio. Nowhere did I see any exception for school buses converted into private motorhomes or used for private purposes even if hauling less than 16 people. Do you have a CDL? (If not, how have you avoided this little quandary?)

[miscrms]

I believe a common price for that sort of thing currently is $100 per ton. So maybe $700-$1000 depending on the size of the bus?

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by RomaniGypsy

I'm going to visit the yard next week when the head mechanic is in - supposedly he's the guy I have to talk to, and he'd show me the buses they're looking to retire. I imagine that they wouldn't care who got the bus as long as they got the same amount of money. I just want to know what I'm looking at competing against. I just watched buses go at auction for $1,900 or less after buyer's premium, so if I find out that a bus can command $2,000+ from a scrap yard, I'll know that I was a moron for having missed out on that auction.

Also, side note since you're from Ohio... everywhere I look, I see it stated that you must have a CDL to drive any vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or higher in Ohio. Nowhere did I see any exception for school buses converted into private motorhomes or used for private purposes even if hauling less than 16 people. Do you have a CDL? (If not, how have you avoided this little quandary?)

CDL restrictions are Federal, not state. They are managed by the states who can add a few minor restrictions, but they cannot change the federal law, and the RV/MH exception to gross weight is federal.

Some states try to insist on a "non-commercial CDL". That's a contradiction in terms, there is no such thing. What they have done is put heavy, personal vehicles in a different vehicle class, but the license is a regular one.

[RomaniGypsy]

Originally Posted by Twigg

CDL restrictions are Federal, not state. They are managed by the states who can add a few minor restrictions, but they cannot change the federal law, and the RV/MH exception to gross weight is federal.

Some states try to insist on a "non-commercial CDL". That's a contradiction in terms, there is no such thing. What they have done is put heavy, personal vehicles in a different vehicle class, but the license is a regular one.

There seems to be an issue with using the vehicle in the "furtherance of a commercial operation". We'd be using it to transport ourselves and our musical equipment to locations where we'd be performing. That would seem to fit the bill for being "furtherance of a commercial operation", wouldn't it? (I sure wouldn't want to get into an accident or something and find out that my insurance wouldn't pay for the damage because we were operating to "further a commercial operation".)

[ACamper]

Before I bought my bus in September I called a few scrap yards in Denver to get a feel for the scrap price. I got a few different prices between $50- and $80 a ton. All the places I called said the seats had to be removed.

September 2017 Denver $50-$80 a ton. Seats removed.

I am not sure of the weight of a full sized school bus I get different numbers all over the place.
I would be interested in the actual weight if anyone has some numbers ?

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by ACamper

All the places I called said the seats had to be removed.

Interesting stipulation. Makes you wonder.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Interesting stipulation. Makes you wonder.

It's the foam.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Twigg

It's the foam.

Oh, so just yank the cushions, leave the frames for maximum gravity.

[cadillackid]

romani - in ohio (ive had several discussions with DMV).. if you re-title it as a motorhome.. its easy to do.. they dont physically inspect it, you sign a piece of paper that says it has permanent sleeping , refrigeration, and cooking facilities. (waster / bathroom is not a need in ohio) then you register it as a motorhome.. no CDL needed.. my carpenter bus is created this way...

my red bus is less than 26000 lbs GVWR and has 14 seating positions.. (i can use adult numbers since its not registered as a School bus but as a general bus)...

-Christopher

[cadillackid]

im not sure what happens if you use a motorhome as a band transport.. see it gets to be a fine line between using a personal vehicle for work vs an actual work vehicle. . however what i was told last year when i was thinking of registering my DEV bus in my LLC.. (it wouldve owned it).. is that it was company owned and therefore used directly in the furtherance of commerce.. whereas as a Motorhome im my name its no different than anyone who goes on a business trip in their personal vehicle..

if you have a bus over 26,000 lbs GVWR and title / register it as a Bus then in ohio you need a CDL with a medical certificate on file.. even if you just use it for personal use.. but you would NOT need t orun a DOT number.. now if you use a bus registered as a bus (over 26k) for commerce then you NEED a DOT number and a CDL.. and its suibject to ALL DOT CDL laws.. breaks, hours restrictions.. 10 hour resets, 34 hour weekly resets, logs ,etc..

-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by ACamper

Before I bought my bus in September I called a few scrap yards in Denver to get a feel for the scrap price. I got a few different prices between $50- and $80 a ton. All the places I called said the seats had to be removed.

September 2017 Denver $50-$80 a ton. Seats removed.

I am not sure of the weight of a full sized school bus I get different numbers all over the place.
I would be interested in the actual weight if anyone has some numbers ?

My 40 footer FE weighs 17.9k with no interior. No ceilings, walls, or seats.

[ACamper]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

My 40 footer FE weighs 17.9k with no interior. No ceilings, walls, or seats.

Mine has a sticker I believe it says 23,000 lb gross weight. I wasn't sure if that is full of kids/people or ?

My bus was probably had a good chance of getting bought for storage or scraped so I was trying to use a scrap price as a bench mark to negotiate. I have noticed that the scrap price in Denver is higher then the far away rural areas.

[family wagon]

My 2000 is 38 ft long with an 8.3L engine in the tail; it weighed just over 23000 at some point. I think that was with the seats removed but all the interior metal still intact. Its tagged GVWR is 33600.

I previously had a 1992 that was 40 ft long with a 5.9L engine in front. As I recall it weighed something like 19000 and was tagged GVWR about 28000.

Just working with round numbers, I'd say a full size bus weighs 10 tons and scrap is about $80/ton. To get numbers any more firm than that you'll have to take the actual bus to a scale and get quotes from scrap buyers in a specific market.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by family wagon

Just working with round numbers, I'd say a full size bus weighs 10 tons and scrap is about $80/ton.

You could get those weights higher if tanks filled with fuel.

Fill the water and waste tanks and there is another $15

[Tango]

Funny you should mention water Rusty. A scraper here got caught a while back with a hidden tank on his truck. He'd weight in with it full...then drain it while unloading and pocket the difference.

A big puddle in the wrong place on a dry day was his downfall.