Help Picking Up Bus in Georgia (Willing to Pay)

[DaHogwartsExpress]

I'm located in southern Wisconsin. It looks like I'll need to pick up my bus next week in South Georgia.

I'm looking for someone qualified with significant experience driving a big ole bus, and also someone strongly mechanically inclined.

It's a long drive with lots that can go wrong, and it'd be helpful having someone who could pick up on any mechanical issues on the way.

I'm willing to pay accordingly. Trying to get this figured out ahead of time so I can work out all of the necessary insurance, paperwork, and so forth.

[fo4imtippin]

Originally Posted by DaHogwartsExpress

I'm located in southern Wisconsin. It looks like I'll need to pick up my bus next week in South Georgia.

I'm looking for someone qualified with significant experience driving a big ole bus, and also someone strongly mechanically inclined.

It's a long drive with lots that can go wrong, and it'd be helpful having someone who could pick up on any mechanical issues on the way.

I'm willing to pay accordingly. Trying to get this figured out ahead of time so I can work out all of the necessary insurance, paperwork, and so forth.

Good luck to you! you might mention the bus/engine/tranny you have to get any feedback on tips for that drivetrain. In the month before i picked up my motor, i watched some engine rebuilds/swaps, injector priming, and mechanical debugging on youtube while i was working from home. Additionally, i downloaded some of the BlueBird manuals to trace all the components of how the air brakes worked, and things like the cooling system.

[DeMac]

Originally Posted by DaHogwartsExpress

I'm located in southern Wisconsin. It looks like I'll need to pick up my bus next week in South Georgia.

I'm looking for someone qualified with significant experience driving a big ole bus, and also someone strongly mechanically inclined.

It's a long drive with lots that can go wrong, and it'd be helpful having someone who could pick up on any mechanical issues on the way.

I'm willing to pay accordingly. Trying to get this figured out ahead of time so I can work out all of the necessary insurance, paperwork, and so forth.

A CDL is required if transporting buses for profit (not titled as a MH). Do you intend to pay travel expenses, lodging and hourly wages to GA, then to WI (1000mi @ 55mph, bus) and the same for the drivers return trip to his/her home? Airfare? Do you have a plan for what if....? ie, if the bus becomes immobile on the way? Not a plan for the bus, for the driver.

A pro transport service may be the best option, unless you choose to diy. Most of us experienced a rite of passage driving home, as we take a leap of faith into the unknown.

Just my opinion, save your cash to pay for something that you can't diy. Maybe you'll recieve a surprise invoice on the trip home.

[DaHogwartsExpress]

Originally Posted by DeMac

A CDL is required if transporting buses for profit (not titled as a MH). Do you intend to pay travel expenses, lodging and hourly wages to GA, then to WI (1000mi @ 55mph, bus) and the same for the drivers return trip to his/her home? Airfare? Do you have a plan for what if....? ie, if the bus becomes immobile on the way? Not a plan for the bus, for the driver.

A pro transport service may be the best option, unless you choose to diy. Most of us experienced a rite of passage driving home, as we take a leap of faith into the unknown.

Just my opinion, save your cash to pay for something that you can't diy. Maybe you'll recieve a surprise invoice on the trip home.

Correct, I'm willing to pay for all of the above and IMO it would be worth it. Having someone experienced would enable them to pick up on any serious potential mechanical issues on the long drive, versus myself who would have absolutely no clue if something was off.

Good chance I'd even come out ahead in the long-run by being able to fix some potential issues that I'd never have become aware of otherwise until it was too late.

No different than say an MRI. Why would I try to interpret it myself when I can pay a qualified physician to do it for me? Yes I may save some money in the short run to DYI it, but there's a good chance I could miss something serious if I have no clue what I'm looking at.

If the bus becomes immobile on the way, then obviously accommodation would be made accordingly for the driver.

I'm located a little over an hour north of Chicago, so I could fly them home out of O'Hare.

[fo4imtippin]

There's a few YouTube series where people bought auction buses and made it a few miles and called GoodSam for a broken down RV. It ticks me off a bit because now good sam won't do bus conversations for those of us that keep up mechanically and aren't requiring free towing to get an auction bus home. Good Sam should have at least required registration first. I bought my auction bus cheap enough that I left enough budget for a low boy tow if worst came to worst. I also spent $500 in spare parts and bought extra tools to carry with.



That said, I did buy coachnet before my trip because they will walk you through mechanical issues, bring tires or fluids out, and worst case, will tow to service center. I want this service anyway, so for $250 it's a no brainer. Just don't buy a hunk of junk and ruin the service for everyone. I did everything I could to ward off mechanical issues for the 2000 mile trek home. I even flew out before bidding to inspect the bus and talk to the district mechanic.

[KeyWestPirate]

I'd drive it for you , have the necessary CDL with endorsements.
But I won't be available until end of May.
I wanted to post about the buses we currently have in Tuscon. There are 29,, all pushers, mostly Thomas. Two shorties.

I'll try to add a pic or two tonight to this thread. I apoligize for the hijack,,,,couldn't figure out how to start a new thread on my phone.

These are Arizona buses,, NO rust.
I think that they will go out at $2500 or so.


IF you buy one I could pre trip it and deliver it.

They won't let me fix anything major in the lot. I suggest new batteries. Many have 2021 inspection stickers but the Tucson summer is hard on batteries.

Need more info,,, PM me

[cadillackid]

go get it and bring it home.. drive it around a while before you embark.. take it into a nice big shoppiung center parking lot and paractice.. learn how to check its fluids and tires.. make some corners on empty roads early in the morning before traffic gets bad..



keep handy a big ole fat credit card in case something happens..



then make it a fun adventure to bring it home.. driving and stoppng for breaks along the way..



I get it youve never driven a bus but at some point you plan to take this thing on journies all over the country...



in this day and age you are going to pay in the 1000s (multiple) for someone to drive it home for you..

[Meathead]

When I bought my bus, 1000 miles away, I had a guy change fluids, filters and give the bus a once over. He’s was a few miles from where I bought the bus and I set it up beforehand.

I pulled out onto a VA state highway and (WhooHoo!) never looked back.

When you put your blinker on and start to change lanes…ppl move out of your way.

Just do it (swoosh)
[emoji3522]Dave

[KeyWestPirate]

Originally Posted by Meathead

When I bought my bus, 1000 miles away, I had a guy change fluids, filters and give the bus a once over. He’s was a few miles from where I bought the bus and I set it up beforehand.

I pulled out onto a VA state highway and (WhooHoo!) never looked back.

When you put your blinker on and start to change lanes…ppl move out of your way.

Just do it (swoosh)
[emoji3522]Dave

I'll get some pictures of the buses I've been talking about. I have no intention of making any money on these transactions. The buses ARE very clean underneath. Tucson is very dry except for our summer monsoon season,, and school is generally not in session when that happens.


The District has 400 schools and it's spread out. Which equals a lot of buses. I personally am not doing anything until after the summer. Summers are brutal here, and I'll be in Nicaragua.



They have to do something with these older buses. The yard where they keep them is full, and a couple are parked outside of the yard along the fence. We have a bunch of new buses still not put into service. They are all conventionals, BlueBirds. They have ordered a mess more,, I can't remember how many. I think that it's the Covid money they are trying to spend.


They are going "conventional" (front engine) in the foreseeable future, as these are considered easier to drive. Engine access is a lot easier, but I don't think that you have the space for a conversion that you would have in a pusher.



Anyway, I will get some pictures. I worked yesterday from 5:30 to 6:30, but got a mid day break. They are chronically short of drivers, and scramble on Mondays and Fridays to cover the call ins.




I'll get some underside pics of the buses to show how clean they are. My big concerns with these buses would be batteries. I would think that you want to show up with new batteries. The summers are brutal here.

[DaHogwartsExpress]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

go get it and bring it home.. drive it around a while before you embark.. take it into a nice big shoppiung center parking lot and paractice.. learn how to check its fluids and tires.. make some corners on empty roads early in the morning before traffic gets bad..



keep handy a big ole fat credit card in case something happens..



then make it a fun adventure to bring it home.. driving and stoppng for breaks along the way..



I get it youve never driven a bus but at some point you plan to take this thing on journies all over the country...



in this day and age you are going to pay in the 1000s (multiple) for someone to drive it home for you..

This is the bus that I'm converting into the custom-build super short bus. So it's not too imperative that I become familiar with driving a full-size bus. It will be shorter than my truck when all's said and done.

[DaHogwartsExpress]

Thanks everyone for the help & advice. I was able to line someone up with a CDL to pick it up for me.

[Veloc]

Originally Posted by DaHogwartsExpress

This is the bus that I'm converting into the custom-build super short bus. So it's not too imperative that I become familiar with driving a full-size bus. It will be shorter than my truck when all's said and done.

That bus needs a big blower up front and wheelie bars out back. I couldn't make that into a camper, it would have to be an exhibition drag racer.

[DaHogwartsExpress]

Originally Posted by Veloc

That bus needs a big blower up front and wheelie bars out back. I couldn't make that into a camper, it would have to be an exhibition drag racer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA5rqIae9sQ