CDHenry6
Member
Howdy gang !
Long time lurker, first time poster.
I've frequented the board for a little over four or five years now, but was never able to register because the board wouldn't accept Yahoo or Gmail accounts. I see now that it does. Thanks, Steve, or whomever made that possible !
Anyhow, I used to be a paratransit driver for eight years. I operated a 2007 Ford E-350 with Shepard Bros. conversion,Braun Millenium II wheelchair lift. She had a 5.4 gasser and was a single rear wheel rig, but tough as nails!
My company lost the bid for the shared ride program in 2014, so I was out of a job. A year later, and I am now the manager of a four bed assisted living facility.
I don't have a bus, but I know what my ideal rig would be:
A 1991 International with a DT466 and a six speed manual, Wayne LifeGuard 72 passenger chassis. My high school bus was this configuration, and after seeing what she could in the mountainous Pennsylvania countryside I was impressed. My driver was also a leadfoot, so the turbo was usually at full spool. I know that finding buses with a manual transmission are rarer than hen's teeth now, but with where I want to go ( mountains) I don't see any alternative. I've never been on board an Allison equipped bus, so I don't know how well they do with downshifting on grades. Either way, I prefer vehicles with three pedals.
I have a family of two daughters, three years, and one that is seven months old. My wife, while ambulatory,has a powerchair, so a lift is pretty much required in our bus. I'm looking forward to the day when we can get our bus and explore the Blue Highways of America!
Long time lurker, first time poster.
I've frequented the board for a little over four or five years now, but was never able to register because the board wouldn't accept Yahoo or Gmail accounts. I see now that it does. Thanks, Steve, or whomever made that possible !
Anyhow, I used to be a paratransit driver for eight years. I operated a 2007 Ford E-350 with Shepard Bros. conversion,Braun Millenium II wheelchair lift. She had a 5.4 gasser and was a single rear wheel rig, but tough as nails!
My company lost the bid for the shared ride program in 2014, so I was out of a job. A year later, and I am now the manager of a four bed assisted living facility.
I don't have a bus, but I know what my ideal rig would be:
A 1991 International with a DT466 and a six speed manual, Wayne LifeGuard 72 passenger chassis. My high school bus was this configuration, and after seeing what she could in the mountainous Pennsylvania countryside I was impressed. My driver was also a leadfoot, so the turbo was usually at full spool. I know that finding buses with a manual transmission are rarer than hen's teeth now, but with where I want to go ( mountains) I don't see any alternative. I've never been on board an Allison equipped bus, so I don't know how well they do with downshifting on grades. Either way, I prefer vehicles with three pedals.
I have a family of two daughters, three years, and one that is seven months old. My wife, while ambulatory,has a powerchair, so a lift is pretty much required in our bus. I'm looking forward to the day when we can get our bus and explore the Blue Highways of America!
