Our Guide to Bus Length | Choosing a School Bus Size for Your Conversion | Skoolie Square Footage
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- We have done a ton of research on bus sizes, square footage, and pros and cons of different lengths and tried to put it all together in one convenient video for those of you who are in the very exciting bus shopping phase! There are lots of opinions and methods out there for determining length, and for what the optimal skoolie size is. This is simply our attempt to share what we've found. I hope it helps! :) Please comment below with your own experiences, tips and tricks!
The skoolies who were so kind to answer my questions for this video also have RUclips channels! Go subscribe, and watch their bus tours to get ideas for layouts for each bus length!
•The Skoolie:
/ @uncooldean
•Vicaribus:
/ @vicaribus
•Transcend Existence:
/ @transcendexistence1111
• Bendy Bus
• Bendy Bus Conversion
Other skoolies specs and video tours:
•Love Always Adventure Often: 38 ft bumper to bumper bus
They have a GREAT video about why a full size bus didn't work for their needs here:
• Why We Are Selling Our...
•The Summah Bus: 35 ft bumper to bumper skoolie
• Tiny House School Bus ...
•Navigation Nowhere: 35 foot bus
/ @navigationnowhere
•Living Zeal: 23 ft long school bus
• SHORT BUS CONVERSION T...
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More about us:
Tiff is a freelance graphic designer, illustrator, pet portrait artist, and etsy entrepreneur. Zac is a photographer, tech support specialist for medium format digital cameras, a huge Auburn football fan, and a science/astronomy enthusiast (nerd). We have 2 dogs, Tuco and Frankie. We all love to travel, hike, and explore and have spent the last 2 years converting a retired school bus into our mobile tiny bus house so we can travel across the U.S. and Canada with everything we need to work and be comfortable. We have a blog where you can find lots of photos of our bus build, www.RollingVist... and you can also follow us on Instagram @Rolling_Vistas to see more!
We hope to see you out there! Thanks for watching!
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Alright, good information. Something not covered in this size comparison is the power train options that usually come with varying size busses. Most of the short busses are configured for stop and go urban pick up and drop off, hence they come with power plants and transmissions that are not set up for highway travel. They usually have a lower top speed less power, and most importantly a transmission that will not like continuous high speed travel. It will get hot because there is a lot of slippage in the torque converter. Highway school busses usually have a 'lock up' style torque converter that does not slip and build heat. They will also get better mileage because of this, and usually geared higher. Think of hauling the football team to another city. An Allison AT545 4 speed is a non lock up found in many short busses and is not ideal for highway travel. An Mt643 is more appropriate and has 5 or 6 gears than can handle more power. Transmissions are very important and costly to repair so don't do a buildout and find out you need a transmission conversion. This is also very, very costly. Cheers! Happy travels.
One of the best tips I have seen. Thanks!
Thank you for this information! I've often wondered about the long distance driving capabilities of the transmissions of the smaller skoolies. I noticed from three RUclips channels I've been following (The Off Grid Skoolie, Transcend Existence and Life is a Joy), they all mention looking for "activity" buses. These buses typically have more highway miles, are built for driving long distances (cruise control in some :-) ) and have better built-in storage (usually undercarriage). I'm definitely doing my research. The big thing for me will be learning how to do general maintenance on one--I definitely don't want the expense of going to the garage for every little thing--but I'm up for it! :-)
You gotta get the 6th gear unlocked if you have an Allison transmission from what I’ve read.. and properly rated tires for Allison to unlock it for you
Thank you! Good info!
Thanks for sharing!
I have a 21.5 footer. Frickin love it. We can take the most brutal roads and turn on a dime
Finding the right size bus for ones needs is very important. Great vid for someone researching the size they want. We did a lot of research, at 1st thinking we wanted the biggest bus we could find. Then we started looking into staying at State and National parks and found that at 35 ft you can stay in 76% (figured at time of research 2 years ago, some could have changed making it less or more) of the parks and going longer makes that number drop drastically on parks we could fit in. We went with a 12 window flatnose Thomas, that is 34 1/2 ft long. Basically same size Wes's bus before the rear deck, which is going to be perfect for us. We have been talking about doing a video on this topic and you hit every point we had thought of.
How do you find living in the bus now, months later? I don't feel comfortable driving a really long bus in congested areas but at the same time, I don't want to feel claustrophobic. Do you find 35ft a realistic size for travel and comfort?
Sorry 3 years late, but welcome to Colorado, I see you have experienced our weather, it can be interesting sometimes.
My bus is 37 feet, but I drove 18 wheelers for the past 8 years, so a bus is basically a large suv for me.
Someone offered me a 30ft city bus (no axels or motor) for $250 (price of scrap) yesterday...
Im joining the bus crowd...kinda...lol...
(Im glad ive been collecting the parts for A build)
Ive got 40% of the materials in hand.
Ill probably START on things next week...GEEK'n!!!)
they offer you again please message me lol!
;D
Did you ever finish?!
@@jessicalaunder4679 not all the way done. I just started working on it again a few weeks ago and its to hot and dry to work with the grider already this year without starting a fire.
I do have 90% of the parts now and still under $2000
I have been looking for info about bus length for a long time, but not on youtube. And here you were the whole time. Can't wait to learn.
I love my 28' dog nose bus. Easy to work on, easy to maneuver, and just right for us! Great video!
Johnny Mullet do you have videos on your bus?
Do you have to have CDL
@@twizteddreamz5150 this depends on state
windows are my favorite !! Transcendence is Insane. i watched one video from the build to learn something and next thing i knom i just watched the whole build. This dude is really knowledgeable in fabrication work.
As a bus mechanic never thought of living in one
Great video...you guys are so awesome! I'm honored you asked me to be a part of this! Take care and I hope the road brings us together someday in the near future!!
Just wanted to say I enjoy your building vids a lot!
Beginning my skoolie journey. So grateful for your videos!
So size does matter, I been lied to ;)
Seriously though, great video with very helpful information. Mine is '99 bluebird handy bus 28' exterior 19.5' x 7.5' usable interior 146.25 square feet.
The video on interior ceiling height is also a good video to watch. It was something I did not consider when I bought my bus. It is a good thing I am only 5'-8" as the center line measurement is 6'-1" after I get the floor built. Nice ending lol
Loved how you measured the sizes of conversions thank you Many blessings to you all
You've done an outstanding service for people like myself looking for a bus to convert into a tiny home. Found it very helpful! Thank you so much!
EXTREMELY HELPFUL! I'm looking for a home i can move IF needed. Constant travel is not my basic plan. This give me so much more info. Thank you!
This guy is so straight forward and fact based it is a definite subscribe
Very helpful! I’m about 5 years off from doing this for a year, so I’m gathering info. I appreciate your time and efforts!!
My school bus conversion length is exactly 30 feet bumper to bumper and I can’t be happier about it 😁😃👍, I did own a smaller and a full size b4 but sold them back after a few trips, now with my 30 feet long I have the perfect bus I can get to more parks, gas station, restaurants, tie roads etc, and I have everything I need like bedroom, shower, toilet, kitchen, dining area and plenty of extra space and best of all I’m able to park it on my drive way 😃😁👍 saving myself 100 dollars a month just for parking in a private space
Just sending a thank you from someone looking to buy a bus. These videos help!
Finally somebody actually Nailed It ~ You two did a very good vid with excellent info , most vids only show the inside decorations, Thank Y'all for doing this.
Awesome! And I really love the graphics
The Skoolie yes, those were so helpful.
I appreciate that you get to the point and not fill the time with a bunch of words. Your videos are awesome, I’m learning a lot! Thank you much for your efforts
Incredibly helpful!! Thank you so much!!!
Thanks and appreciate Tiff putting these graphics together, it helps deciding on the bus length for conversion.
Your voice is AMAZING!! 😛
Lol
Thanks for the information this will help me out for real. I didn't really know what size I would need for a family of four. God bless you.
I love this video!! I’m trying to talk my husband into building a bus. This is great info to have!!
Thank you so very much for this video. I don't have a bus yet and I have been trying to figure out the information that you have provided. I'm dreaming of the day when I can get going on one and have been drawing up interiors but guessing at the dimensions. I knew the basics but this info is invaluable to me. Can't thank you enough. And then to provide so much on your web site- you guys are great!!!!! Very much appreciated.
I'm an idiot. For a good minute I was trying to figure out what a "prosicons" was.
😂
Me too .....lol
Thank you. I really needed this video!!!
This video is an incredible tool for trying to figure out what kind of bus I am looking from. THANK YOU
I just purchased a 37.5 foot International DT466E school bus that was originally bought new by a private school in 2006. They used it to haul their football team, so fast forward to today, over those 12 years all they accumulated was 86,000 miles. No rust. Well, that isn't entirely true, there was a tiny bit on the first step when you enter the bus, but the seller sand blasted it out, sealed the metal and repainted.
I am seriously considering making a bunch of videos myself when it comes to this process and all the (cough) bullshit (cough) I have met with thus far.
Bureaucracy and municipality graft is the Number One issue when it comes to these things. My advice: Do Not Reveal Any More Of The Truth Than Absolutely Necessary. Know how to keep your mouth shut!!! You are not lying by withholding information that a bureaucrat doesn't need to know anyway. Does it have a cooking facility with a separate fuel source? Your answer should be YES, and nothing more, even if that cooking facility is your MSR ultralight dual-fuel camping stove!!! Does it have an electrical system, 120 volts AC? Your answer should be YES, because you're going to use one of those hokey 300 watt jobbies you plug into the cigarette lighter. Does it have a toilet? The answer is YES. Does wonder-bureaucrat "need" to know that toilet is a home dumper 5-gallon bucket with some kitty litter in it? No. So shut your mouth. Does it have a toilet? Yes.
You see where I'm going with this line of thinking, right? Share the least amount of information that "truthfully" answers the question when it comes to insurance and municipality craziness. Just to GET my bus, the process was started TWO weeks ago (it's 17SEP18 as of now). I will pick it up at the end of this week. But to get to this point, wow, what a hassle! Anyway, it's insured as an RV because, although it may not be "completed" that isn't the question, so don't volunteer that information. It's an RV because it satisfies the 6 criteria of a motorhome: cooking, refrigerator, toilet, heating or air conditioner that's separate from the vehicle, potable water supply with a sink and faucet, and a 120 volt alternating current electrical supply.
The bureaucracy doesn't need to know you intend to improve all that initial (temporary) stuff. Keep your mouth shut!
Thumbs up, I love you guys' videos :-)
KingTesticus please express your thoughts in smaller paragraphs. Less words speak big pictures
Good tips! Lots of words = lots of good info.
will alexander-Learn to read asshole....
KingTesticus king testi..... Freaking awesome
I think it was awesome info. Most people learn this lesson hard.
This was a great comparison! Thanks for putting in the time to make the graphics and a thorough, well edited video!
Thank you Thank you Thank you. Finally. One of the best info for starters out there. Awesome job Tiffany, for us beginners,
I have been thinking about what length would be good for us. We are up in Canada and have two kids that will be pre teen by the time we start. So I was thinking they’d need their own spaces. But really. I’m back to doing a bunk bed set up for them. If our Dachshund (who’s 13 years old already) is still alive she’ll be coming with us. But she’s tiny. This video helped me realize that I will be pouty without a dishwasher. 😂 So we will for sure need that. Winters will have to be spent south of here. As I won’t want to deal with freezing water lines. I think doing the skoolie thing is almost easier for Americans. You can go as far south as you’d need to stay warm in the winter. So we might decided to come south of the boarders for winter. Which I wouldn’t mind at all! So much to think about. Thank you for this vid!
Extremely helpful and the info graphics were on point. I’m a visual learner so together with the spoken narrative it was so easy to understand. Thank you so much!🚌🗺🛠🚎
Absolutely awesome graphics!!!!! Thanks so much for the time you spent creating them.
Great job with the graphics.
Very helpful information!
So like your video on which buss to look at. Thanks
Thank you SO MUCH! After I reviewed your video, I knew what me and my monsters needed (pets) and I recently found one I'm bidding on :) An 8 window schoolie with HC Ramp 2008 in case I want to buy a motorcycle...Thomas Freightliner with 60,000 miles, L6, 6.7L (411 CID) Cummins ISB Diesel
and 200 HP :) Wish me luck if I'm meant to purchase it :)
I like you. I like how you say everything like the cup half full. Oh man. Great job.
Excellent video. Beautiful content.
Learned more in the intro graphic than I new before. Great upload!
Thanks for the excellent video! This really clears up a few "blind spots" when planning for a Skoolie!
Thanks, My wife and I are really interested in create our own skolie !!!
Hi thanks for the information i really needed it, and greetings from Bolivia South America.
This is one of the best videos I’ve seen demonstrating different sizes you’re awesome
This is the 3rd time I am watching this episode because I always learn something new and have different ideas of what I want. Thank you so much for the awesome visials in this because they make it so much easier to understand!
Great video. You both always present your info professionally and it's well researched. And then you add the comedy. ☺
Thank you so much for the help!
Such a great service and offering you guys are producing! Big thanks from a wanna-be skoolie researching from Boulder, CO
Great content! .....AS ALWAYS!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, knowledge and insight :)
This is so good and thorough! I hope everyone considering a skoolie watches this video. The points made are SO important to pay attention to! Great work work guys, so helpful!
Great information. I am just now looking at what size i want and this is so helpful. Thank you
i love the cabover buses
Thanks for the pluses and minuses to consider when converting a skoolie.
Awesome Video and very helpful - thanks a million for doing this.
Awesome video. We are considering retirement in a skoolie
Awesome video! You also get more cabin space when your bus is COE (cab over engine)
You did a great job with this video..lots of research and useful information, thank you!
Colorado seems like the perfect place to do this and the interior of your home gave me a feeling that thats where you guys are located. You go into great detail about the length excellent video!
Thank you for the info!!! We'll be parked most of the time and it's me, two teenagers and one pre-teen, so we need to go with the 40-footer. Now I will know how to look for it, via the windows. I knew that a lot of folks have been using that method, but I didn't know whether to apply three or two feet to each window. Now I know! It is somewhere in between. :D
Thank you!!!
I really enjoyed this one!!! Great info. Peace, Love and All That Hippie Jazz
Wow this was a great video. My wife and I were looking at the 40ft bus and now we are really starting to reconsider. Thank you for all the little details. We are a big fan of your vlog and look forward to the day we have saved up enough to start our fitout. We can’t wait to hear about your travels once your out full time and hearing the pros and cons. Keep doing what your doing and safe travels.
This is really neat. Of course everything depends on intended use and finances, but still it's handy to look at different lengths and sizes like this. Thanks!
A few things to mention here: Where he said one of the buses was scraping the ground on hills; that is because there was a deck added on to the back. If you have a front engine bus, the driver will be hot in warm weather, regardless of whether it's a flat-nose or conventional design. The number of passengers a bus is designed for will give you a pretty reliable estimate of how long it is. 77 passengers is full size, 34 is a 'half bus', 34 with a lift is a '3/4 bus', 84 passengers is an extra long (and the largest allowed). The number of passengers is determined by the number of seats x3. As far as maneuverability goes, smaller will be easier (until you have ground clearance problems), but you'd be surprised where you can put a full size bus. I'd recommend picking up a job as a school bus driver before you buy your bus and keep doing it while you renovate. The districts and transpo companies are always hiring and they'll train you. Then you'll have experience getting yourself in and out of tight places in your bus, or something even bigger.
what a very helpful video about future skooli owners!!
This was tremendously helpful!
Legit! Thanks for posting
I'm hoping to get my skoolie this fall and was having a hard time deciding what size. This was SO helpful in making my decision.
Great information and cool illustrations. Thanks guys and safe travels 👍😎🚌🌲🎶☀️
Perfect video!!!
Excellent info, thanks for posting an informative piece that’s as unbiased as can be!
Be aware of the length of tail behind the rear axel...it determines how much tail swing happens as you turn and maneuver.
Well, that and you can forget it's there and have an overhang that can get clipped by a train. Very bad result as a school bus (actually happened)
Great video!!!
I think I've pretty much decided on a short bus or a shuttle bus. It'll be just me most of the time, save for at least one dog and possibly two cats. I may have a companion on occasion such as a friend or a relative, etc. People keep telling me, well just get a van. Uh... No. Too small. even with the pets I thought about it at first, except that I'm disabled and I'm really hoping to find a short bus or Shuttle with the wheelchair lift, so of course I'm going to need more room to move around. I definitely don't want a full-size school bus, that much I know for sure! But from what I've seen and looked at so far, I think a short bus, likely one of the shortest school buses that's made, is going to be the way to go for me. I'm seeing more of the short buses with wheelchair lifts moreso than any other kind of vehicle, including a shuttle bus. Thank you for this video, these were some great tips and information!
What an awesome informational video. So helpful and appreciated.
A few days ago, I saw someone selling an articulated bus on a Swedish ad site. The ad didn't specify how long it was but it
looked at least to be around 50ish feet or around 16m. Finding parking for that monstrosity would indeed be a challenge, that
and driving anywhere that isn't a mostly flat paved road. They wanted 21.000$ for it, the nice thing is that they had started work
on it and it was empty so no need to rip the interior out.
Exactly what I was looking for!
Nice graphics for the size comparisons. Well done.
I like your team a lot. Now house is ready, hope you fill it with babies voices! don't short change yourselves with dogs bark. Happy travels with growing family! ps this rig can tow a really big trailer ;)
Brilliant info guys. Love your project.....happy travels.
I’m most closely looking at a 4 window, 2 rear wheel van-bus. So by UR system it’d be 28x4/12+9=~18’4” (I subtracted a foot for being a van). I’m looking at a bus Bk they’re less than a van. Also I could still fit a 4 window in a regular parking space, maneuverability, gas mileage, & easier to change a flat.
Yup. Same here. I'd go 6 windows b/c I have 2 dogs and we need a serious queen size bed. The dog takes half! She's only 45lbs. Tho. Well, 2/3rds, let's be truthful. Lol
We got a Thomas Vista 3600{28' I do believe} like vicariobus. And we love it! Its a perfect in between size. And maneuvers and drives AWESOME! #SKOOLINAROUND
Thanks so much for this information! Your bus home looks great!
I’m looking to do a schoolie build but I’m in a quandary about the length. This certainly has helped me with that decision.
Finally, a calm, rational human to talk us through the issues! I have HAD IT with all the Gen-"whatevers" filling their videos with more subjective blather than I have the stomach for! Your no-nonsense approach allowed me to relax and THINK about what you were saying. Your supporting graphics gave me mental reference to size and layout. THANK YOU for keeping it simple, and for not bouncing around or doing that high/low voice crap that makes me want to shoot people!
Wow! GREAT INFO... Thanks a million!
Super helpful! Thankksss
Great and really helpful video! Thanks a lot, guys. :)
Great info. Yes. This is very useful. Thank you! As to the allergy thing, yeah. I get it. I’m just up I25 a few clicks and deal with it too. Finally found a few DIY things that made it WAY better!
Best as you all finish up!
Very informative. Thanks so much for this video!
I saw a couple’s channel who did an awesome job on a double decker bus. Btw, your bus interior looks so warm and inviting like a cabin!
great advice and practical...thank you!
Brother I have to say I am very impressed with your video And thank you for that Educated me a lot I'm in the process of Looking Is it to build out of school E Or you haul Unless I find out class C or B RV that Blows my mind . I would love to find the school bus that's already been walled and floored Because I have everything else For cabinets and stuff In my own ideas for sink and Tub shower .Anyway when I find one I will definitely get with Then take you up on your offer to help With the mod From your ideas.Stay safe Stay strong
🚍🚌☯☮♥✝💪🤙🎅
Great informative video. As an add-on to what you were saying about some states having a length limit for a single and/or combination vehicle, those laws apply to people driving on a standard license (class D). If you’re holding a commercial license, (class A or B), those limits are extended to whatever endorsements you have on that license.
i.e. I hold a fully endorsed class A license that allows me to drive “any vehicle or combination there-of” in all of North America, (including Canada and Mexico).
To the best of my knowledge, a Class B Commercial license is legal for vehicles and combinations up to 45ft (?) in length.
YAY! @12 seconds Can't wait to watch!!
Thank you for making this video. It helped visualize the measurements.
Absolutely amazingly helpful video!! Gratitude...