Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 08-31-2020, 10:50 PM   #1
Almost There
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Miami
Posts: 93
Question School bus driving school?

I have driven large box trucks (many years ago, ok a lot of years ago) but have never driven a flat nose school bus sitting in front of the front wheels. So I figured for safety I better take a class on how to drive a flat nose school bus before I start building one out.

Anyone know of a school in south Florida? Or other options on learning to drive one?

RobOfYork is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2020, 11:01 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,992
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
I mean ... I'm pretty sure most of us just get in and start driving it around. My first couple of drives were in a pretty tight urban part of Philly and I didn't know how to turn right without having to stop in the middle of the intersection and back up, so I mostly just turned left.

If you really want some instruction, place a Craigslist ad asking for someone to teach you. I thought I was going to have to register my bus as an actual bus, so I placed an ad asking for someone with a CDL to drive my bus when necessary for $50. I got maybe 20 replies, with a few people offering to do it for even less. Fortunately I learned about the Vermont registration thing so I never had to take anybody up on it.
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2020, 11:25 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
The first time I drove a flat front 40' bus, in downtown city streets, I picked it up in about 5 minutes.
Brad_SwiftFur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2020, 11:55 PM   #4
Bus Crazy
 
bus-bro's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Whidbey Island, WA.
Posts: 1,109
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 3208 na boat anchor
Rated Cap: 2
They're pretty easy to drive. I had a VW vanagon at the the time, and my 35 foot rear engine bus felt a lot like driving that VW.

In slow turns the bus pivots on the rear wheels, so in making turns you got to take that into account.

The old saying is "Watch those right-handers." That being right hand turns, when if you're on the wrong track your rear-end starts bashing into things.
bus-bro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2020, 03:02 AM   #5
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,856
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
Go long on those right turns. Look at the corner of the intersection, then start your turn when your rear wheels are at the intersection. You may feel like you are hanging across the intersection, but once the front wheels are turned, the front end swings aroud into place.
Native is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2020, 05:37 AM   #6
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,992
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Quote:
Originally Posted by Native View Post
Go long on those right turns. Look at the corner of the intersection, then start your turn when your rear wheels are at the intersection. You may feel like you are hanging across the intersection, but once the front wheels are turned, the front end swings aroud into place.
C'mon man, this was a year and a half ago! I'm the Dick Trickle of skoolie drivers now.
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2020, 07:57 PM   #7
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,856
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by musigenesis View Post
C'mon man, this was a year and a half ago! I'm the Dick Trickle of skoolie drivers now.
LOL ... I am sure you are. The OP however ...
Native is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2020, 08:51 PM   #8
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 787
Year: 1993
Coachwork: 44' Newell Coach
Engine: 8v92T Detroit
Rated Cap: 2 adults and two pigeons
I used to drive OTR when I was 23. I still have my CDL to this day and maintain my medical records. One of my trips was to pick up a load of copiers in Manhattan and take them out to Salinas, CA. I dreaded going back to NYC despite being born and raised there but I took the trip so I can go home for a bit. Needless to say, I must be responsible for bending over many stop signs down town from hopping the curb in the then all new 53 foot trailers! On one turn, I had to be aggressive since cars generally didn't leave you space. I had this VW bug back up so fast as I took the turn he almost front ended another car. You gotta drive defensively in NYC. Thats how you learn.


So recently I test drove a bus at another dealer before going to AAA. They snapped a pic of my license and off I went on my own. Never driven a bus before nor a large vehicle since 1993. To say that it was like riding a bike was the best description. Easy to drive. My advice to newcomers is to practice in a large parking lot using the empty spaces as guides to make your turns, learn the radius of your bus, practice U-turns and see what space your bus needs and so on. I sure miss the feel of airbrakes. Something about piloting a large piece of machinery is just so amazing. In another Crown thread someone said it perfectly about the Fuller Road Ranger transmission. Learn to shift with no clutch. The clutch was only to get you in first gear. I would have loved to get a manual transmission bus, but in this day and age, its not practical. I would want my wife to take the wheel if something went haywire with me and we had to get moving.
__________________
--Simon
Bus'n it is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2020, 03:32 PM   #9
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Wild Wild West
Posts: 691
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC RE
Engine: 8.3 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bus'n it View Post
I would want my wife to take the wheel if something went haywire with me and we had to get moving.
I said something like this to my wife... she said "HA! You break your leg, we're in the bus. We're staying right where we are until your fixed, I'm not even going to try to drive that thing!" She's not much of a driver. We have owned our car for 2 1/2 years, it has 72K miles on it, she has probably only driven about 2K of those, and she has never driven it with me in the car. I'd be willing to bet in all the years of being married, she has driven less than 1K miles with me as a passenger. She is a very good driver, just prefers someone else does it if possible. I love driving so it works out well for us.
JackE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2020, 04:26 PM   #10
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Everywhere I look schools are needing bus drivers. Now during the pandemic would be a good time to apply and go through their training. You don't have to take the job. That or like others have said, they are not that hard to get used to . I picked mine up in Butte, Mt. and drove it to Atl. having never driven a bus before more than to the stop sign and back.
__________________
I Thank God That He Gifted Me with Common Sense
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2020, 05:16 PM   #11
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Marc be careful with that.. many of these training programs stipulate that if you don’t take the job you have to pay for your training...
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2020, 03:28 PM   #12
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 55
I had to laugh remembering my first few drives in my VW bus. And a friend liked mine so much she bought one. I took her out for practice and we stopped for a soda. Got out and realized she had parked like 8ft from the curb. No front engine Vivian!!
rebapuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2020, 04:07 PM   #13
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 137
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Quote:
Originally Posted by JackE View Post
I said something like this to my wife... she said "HA! You break your leg, we're in the bus. We're staying right where we are until your fixed, I'm not even going to try to drive that thing!" She's not much of a driver. We have owned our car for 2 1/2 years, it has 72K miles on it, she has probably only driven about 2K of those, and she has never driven it with me in the car. I'd be willing to bet in all the years of being married, she has driven less than 1K miles with me as a passenger. She is a very good driver, just prefers someone else does it if possible. I love driving so it works out well for us.
I put my wife in the driver seat of our 40' flat nose during our test drive. We try and take the bus out at least once a week and every third time or so she's in the seat. I don't plan on getting hurt or in a bad position but i rest a lot easier knowing she can handle the bus just as well as i can, be it with a few more sidewalk/curb hops on those right turns until she gets a little better.
aswallie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2020, 04:26 PM   #14
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
Marc be careful with that.. many of these training programs stipulate that if you don’t take the job you have to pay for your training...
I assume someone willing to "take a class" would be willing to pay for said class.
__________________
I Thank God That He Gifted Me with Common Sense
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2020, 05:39 PM   #15
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
I assume someone willing to "take a class" would be willing to pay for said class.

if the class is offered by a commercial entity yes.. many school systems train prospective drivers on their own with the idea they drive for that district after training..



all depends on how and where you take the class
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2020, 07:24 PM   #16
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 20
I drove for a school district doing field trips. Every day was a new location and route.
Biggest tip is memorizing the Smith System for safe driving.

Also remember to rock and roll in your seat to minimize blind spots.

Its one thing to hit a car or lamp post.

It's another thing with little elementary aged kids all around you and making sure none of them are right next to you as you try and turn around at a field trip location.
TravisJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2020, 12:56 AM   #17
Almost There
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: East Texas
Posts: 77
Year: 2002
Coachwork: International (Navistar)
Chassis: 37' FE Flatnose 3800FC
Engine: 7.6L DT466 with Allison MD 3060
I want to learn to drive our bus, but Texas law says for anything >26000 pounds you need a nonCDL Class B with airbrake endorsement. How can you practice if you don't have the right license? My son has a CDL and could teach me, but I don't want to get a ticket for not having the correct license (then again I can't get the right license without practicing).
Maggie01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2020, 05:19 AM   #18
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Lebanon, Indiana
Posts: 911
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Winnebago
Chassis: Ford F53
Engine: Ford Triton V-10
Rated Cap: currently 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggie01 View Post
I want to learn to drive our bus, but Texas law says for anything >26000 pounds you need a nonCDL Class B with airbrake endorsement. How can you practice if you don't have the right license? My son has a CDL and could teach me, but I don't want to get a ticket for not having the correct license (then again I can't get the right license without practicing).
Well you have to get a learner's permit so that you are legal to practice in the class of vehicle you're pursuing, then you have to have a vehicle of that class to practice in and another driver who has that class to accompany you when you're practicing and to the testing. Then once you've passed the testing with an examiner, you go back to the license branch to convert your learner's permit into a full fledged license.

When I added passenger endorsement to my license, I was doing it for myself and not at the guidance of an employer. So I went to the license branch and only had to take one test (passenger endorsement) for my learner's permit because I already possessed the other endorsements as a truck driver. Since I am used to large combination vehicles, I paid for a half-day session with a trainer at the driving school that also does the examination. They provided the bus, a closed course to practice, and a trip around town and he laughed I was wasting money on it but I wanted to make sure I got a little seat time before going into the examination on a vehicle I'd otherwise never driven before. Cost me $175 but prices may vary greatly depending on where you are and what's available in your area.
Sehnsucht is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2020, 06:54 PM   #19
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 224
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 0908S
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 28' 9 window
I’m quickly learning to drive mine and “luckily” my wife has been a school bus driver for 33 years now. So not only does she tell me how I’m driving the car wrong she now also tells me how to drive this bus [emoji849]

Mine is only 28’ so it’s fairly easy to drive around town anyway
dwood443 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2020, 12:27 AM   #20
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Golden Valley AZ
Posts: 1,036
Year: 1993
Chassis: ThomasBuilt 30'
Engine: need someone to tell me
Rated Cap: me + 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobOfYork View Post
I have driven large box trucks (many years ago, ok a lot of years ago) but have never driven a flat nose school bus sitting in front of the front wheels. So I figured for safety I better take a class on how to drive a flat nose school bus before I start building one out.

Anyone know of a school in south Florida? Or other options on learning to drive one?

The strangest thing for me to get used to was that the front would actually could go over the sidewalks during a uturn without the wheels hitting the curb.
kidharris is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:18 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.