Towing/driving/shipping a bus from Alberta to Ontario?

baipin · 05-20-2021, 03:04 PM

Hey guys, for any of you Canadians here, I've got a question...

What is the best way to get a bus from Alberta to Ontario? I'm hoping to buy one in Alberta soon as it's exactly what I'm looking for and has been kept "on hold" for me, for lack of a better word, until I purchase it. Witrhout getting into the nitty gritty, it truly is a very unique vehicle. It is the one. It does not currently have plates (at least not in the photos), so I'm assuming that leaves me with two options:

A. Have ownership signed over to me (which does not require preexsiting insurance, but the vehicle automatically becomes "unift" then). Add the 4 of 6 necessary RV components listed by the Ontario MTO (https://beadventurepartners.com/how-...e-title-method).

Get the bus titled as a RV and receive a 10-day temporary permit which is intended for driving it around to garages to get it safetied, or inspected for insurance, but also sue this time to drive it home. This means I'd have to rip out some of the seats, and put in a sink, mobile fridge, toilet (could be as a simple as a bucket with a seat though) to satisfy the Ontario Ministry of Transport.

So essentially, I'd have to pick the bus up, do an extreeemely basic conversion, and get the RV title and temporary tags. I could then park it where I plan on converting it, and take my time finding insurance while I do so.

B. Have the bus towed from Alberta to Ontario. The quotes I'm getting are in the order of $6500 to $7000 CAD though, which seems unnecessarily high. I've heard $2500 is more realistic but I'm yet to receive a quote like that. This is what I'm wondering about; has anyone had a bus towed or flatbed'ed across the country before?

Simplicity · 05-20-2021, 03:58 PM

1) What kind of bus? Short, Long, old, new?? These details can help others know if they might have a solution for you.

2) Does it run? If so, can it make the journey?

3) Depending on the "requirements" and if it's able to make the journey, I'd be pretty open to something quick and dirty.

I've seen some with a cabinet (could use an old dresser with the drawers removed) that had a sink draining into a 5 gallon bucket, a camp stove secured on top, composting toilet, and a cot. No one says you can't stay in hotels along the way.

baipin · 05-20-2021, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplicity

1) What kind of bus? Short, Long, old, new?? These details can help others know if they might have a solution for you.

2) Does it run? If so, can it make the journey?

3) Depending on the "requirements" and if it's able to make the journey, I'd be pretty open to something quick and dirty.

I've seen some with a cabinet (could use an old dresser with the drawers removed) that had a sink draining into a 5 gallon bucket, a camp stove secured on top, composting toilet, and a cot. No one says you can't stay in hotels along the way.

It's a 27 ft. mid-length full size on a Freightliner C2 commercial chassis/body (so it's white, not school bus yellow). Pretty new too. Runs and drives well. And yeah, I'm thinking I could bring a bed, camp stove, fridge, battery, camp toilet with me for this purpose.

Looking into things further; it seems I can get a temporary/transit permit in Alberta (do I need to be a resident though?) then get temporary insurance (through whom though?) and I can drive it back to Ontario myself within 14 days.

baipin · 05-20-2021, 06:27 PM

Just discovered what I think is the most tenable option...

C. Third option is to get an in-transit permit. Only $24. However, I would need temporary insurance for that too. I called around an hour ago and found someone who works with the bus seller, who could get me insurance for $220 for 5 days to drive it from Alberta to Ontario. I think this is the best option...?

Simplicity · 05-20-2021, 08:46 PM

In the states, the travel permit is how it's done. Doesn't seem to be an issue as to where you're from.

Generally, we can insure non-converted and converted buses as Personal Commercial vehicles, meaning it's a commercial vehicle but not for hire.

Progressive is a common carrier for this insurance.

I think you have a good solution. Hope all goes well.

Oscar1 · 05-20-2021, 08:47 PM

I live in BC, have a class 1 commercial licence and an 82 year old father living on his own in southern Ontario (Sauble Beach) that I have not been able to visit since this covid sh*t started. If you are serious about buying an Alberta bus that is in good enough condition to make the journey this might be something we can discuss more. FYI those tow prices are not out of line at all.
Good luck with your search
Cheers

Oscar

baipin · 05-20-2021, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oscar1

I live in BC, have a class 1 commercial licence and an 82 year old father living on his own in southern Ontario (Sauble Beach) that I have not been able to visit since this covid sh*t started. If you are serious about buying an Alberta bus that is in good enough condition to make the journey this might be something we can discuss more. FYI those tow prices are not out of line at all.
Good luck with your search
Cheers

Oscar

Will send you a PM, Oscar.

frxmoney · 03-10-2024, 08:26 AM

Oh man, moving a bus, that's quite the task! I had a similar situation when I needed to bring a car from out west to my spot in US. Those first quotes you got seem pretty high. I shopped around until I found a decent rate that didn't break the bank.

baipin · 03-10-2024, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frxmoney

Oh man, moving a bus, that's quite the task! I had a similar situation when I needed to bring a car from out west to my spot in US. Those first quotes you got seem pretty high. I shopped around until I found a decent rate that didn't break the bank.

Hah, I'm surprised my thread from 3 years ago got another comment...

I've since bought a bus and had it hotshotted over to Ontario. The trick was subsidizing the cost with other stuff coming to Ontario that could be hauled at the same time (some "large classic car parts" in this case, whatever that meant). I was able to work out a deal and have it done for $400, pretty good all things considered. Except... I did not get a 27ft. C2 but rather a 23ft. 1959 GMC. You can see the progress here: https://irate4x4.com/threads/1959-gm...4-swap.387134/

Brewmaster · 03-11-2024, 02:01 PM

I recently had to get a car over to Canada, and it felt like a puzzle with all the rules and options. Those towing quotes do sound on the high side – I had to dig around for a better deal when I was in the same boat.

I ended up going with A-1 Auto Transport after a friend mentioned them. They gave me a fair price and really took care of my car. Might be worth checking out for your bus.

gregbowers · 03-16-2024, 01:20 AM

Pros:

Allows you to take immediate ownership of the bus without having to arrange for transportation.
Provides flexibility to work on the conversion at your own pace.
Potentially lower initial costs compared to towing.
Cons:

Requires you to complete a basic conversion to satisfy Ontario's RV requirements.
Temporary permit may have restrictions on where you can drive the vehicle.
Additional time and effort needed to convert the bus before it can be used for its intended purpose.
Option B:

Pros:

Eliminates the need to complete a conversion to satisfy RV requirements.
Allows for immediate transportation of the bus to Ontario without the need for driving it.
May provide peace of mind knowing that the bus is being professionally transported.
Cons:

Higher initial costs compared to option A.
Limited control over the transportation process and potential delays.
Requires coordination with towing companies and potential challenges with finding a reasonable quote.

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