The main problem with regular recreational vehicles is that they lack space and efficiency, and that’s why more and more people are starting conversion projects on school buses, but is bigger always better? Converting a school bus is no simple task, it requires a solid budget even to take it in consideration as even old school buses are quite expensive ranging from 7000 to 10000$ and it takes a lot of work and time to accomplish. Aside from these 2 factors we are going to see what are the other pros and cons of a school bus conversion.
Advantages
So let’s start with the most obvious one, converting a school bus rather than buying a pre made RV from someone who has little to no experience on living in a motorhome, will give you the freedom of customizing it for your own or for your family’s needs and requirements allowing adequate comfort for several people without feeling cramped. Among the other advantages of school bus conversion is its massive payload capacity and storage, basically you can carry anything that’s fits in the door of the school bus. The shire size of the buss provides a greater storage capacity, so you can pack your buss with as much food and water supplies as you want and go the extra mile without having to worry about hookups.
School buses are designed to transport kids, so you can assume they are pretty safe in which case you are right. School buses are one of the safest vehicles on the road professionally build with metal frame members at every 20 to 30 inches, with roof crossings creating a super strong roll bar. Maintenance and repairs are also easier when living and traveling on a bus, when experiencing any mechanical issues onboard you can pull over at any truck stop or go to your local diesel mechanic rather than looking for a specified RV mechanic as buses are more practical to fix.
Ideas for your Bus Conversion
Disadvantages
Of course there are some limitations and disadvantages that will make you reconsider converting a school bus. One limitation in school buses is the rather small width of the buss stretching from 8 to 10 feet, which may obstruct your interior designs and plan. Another well knows con of any school bus in particular is the lack of horsepower that you are initially getting, so upgrading the engine is a must if you are starting a conversion project. Another downside is constant maintenance of the bus, as you have to upgrade and replace the parts on a year to year bases, due to the payload it carries.
A school bus is design to transport kids and even though from a safety aspect this is good, for a living it’s not really ideal if you are over six feet tall, as most school buses have a ceiling height from 70-80 inches. And last but not least finding a perfect camping parking spot for your 45th long school bus can be an issue, as some national parks don’t allow skoolies.
