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RonF
Top Member
867 Posts |
 Posted - 04/13/2017 : 04:00:09 AM
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| Is anyone running Collins or Blue Bird less than 20 passenger bus? If so thoughts and issues. |
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JoeHEB1
Advanced Member
498 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2017 : 04:17:57 AM
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| We have 1994-96 1ton GMC chassis Midbus, Carpenter and Wayne. Very little issues with them cause they're used by coaches now and get less than 800 miles per year. No new small buses. |
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RonF
Top Member
867 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2017 : 04:19:06 AM
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| We are looking at the 2016-2017 models. |
US Army retired CMBT |
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bwest
Administrator
United States
3820 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2017 : 05:42:18 AM
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| My general opinion on small buses is not to buy one. I do like the activity buses but they have limited use and that's the main reason I don't like the small yellow school bus. lol I guess the reasoning here is that on a small yellow bus you still have to have a school bus license to drive them and a white activity bus you don't (at least in Illinois). So, even though a white bus is limited on the number they haul around (just like a yellow one) they are more versatile in who can drive them. In a small district we have trouble getting bus drivers but coaches will take my "class" to drive the white bus. Of course, our super and board thought it was a good idea to get rid of ours. Still haven't figured that one out yet. lol As for durability, if you aren't beating them up and down a rough rural road I think they will be a good running bus for the most part. They are a lot different than the ones 20 years ago. Now those were a bad buy for sure. lol Just my opinion, of course. |
Bryan |
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RonF
Top Member
867 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2017 : 06:34:51 AM
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They are being bought specifically for certain school activities, (golf, tennis, ect) I believe booster money is paying for them. The coaches will drive them. Here in Georgia we don't have white activity buses, they must all be Yellow and black with school bus on them.
No my call. |
US Army retired CMBT |
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mquiring
Senior Member
79 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2017 : 9:32:13 PM
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| We have 2 2006 and 1 2014 Chevy BB 14 pass little buses with duramax diesels. In Nebraska you have to have dept. of ed's school bus training but do not have to have a CDL to drive them as long as they hold less than 15 passengers. The two 2006's were bought to be activity buses but we ended up sticking one on a long 65 mile route we have that doesn't have very many kids on it. I didn't think it would last long as 90% of the route is horrible gravel and dirt roads. I've got to admit that I have been shocked at how well it has held up. it now has 190,000 miles on it and still looks and drives good and has cost us very little in repairs. For comfort and visibility I really like our 2014. |
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aaronwilmoth80911
Top Member
538 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2017 : 10:51:48 AM
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| We have 2 Collins buses that are 1 and 2 years old. They are Fords with I believe the V10 in them, but not 100% certain on that. They both have wheelchair lifts and have been pretty dependable thus far. One of them had nearly 20K miles put on in a school year. We really haven't had many issues with them at all. I personally don't care for type A buses, but we have so many out of district/sped routes that carry only a few kids, that they are completely warranted. Beats the heck out of putting unnecessary miles on a full size bus with emissioned diesel engines. |
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KnuckleBuster76
Active Member
45 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2017 : 05:27:45 AM
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| Depends on what you mean by "small bus". Here in MN, you have to have a Class B CDL to drive a "minibus" (anything larger than a standard cargo van). My opinion: Stay away from anything with the van chassis. Too difficult to work on, for someone my size anyway. We have two that are basically Chevy 3500 Express Vans and they're a pain. We have 4 that are just like a big bus, with a short chassis (International IC) and they don't have any issues apart from the norm. |
"Just... I dunno... Just fix it." |
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Small buses
