Family of Five Living in their DIY School Bus Conversion!

• Diane
  January 31, 2018, 7:06 pm

  I’m impressed. Fitting a family of 5 comfortably in such a small space is no easy feat. Nicely done!

  Reply Link
• Bob
  January 31, 2018, 8:58 pm

  I didn’t see a washer/dryer combo or even individual units. Were there any on the bus?

  Looks like a cool conversion. Like the way they photographed it in sections before and after photos. Didn’t see the emergency door (left side of bus) after the conversion. Is it still there or did they block it off?

  Those bunks look comfortable and just right for the kids. And all that storage is good use of space. Plus, I’m assuming they can use the storage under the floor as well – access from outside.

  Reply Link
  • James D.
    February 2, 2018, 11:50 pm

    It does not appear that they opted for a washer/dryer…

    The door can still be seen in the after shots from the outside, but it’s where the bunk beds are located. So it might be sealed off…

    While school buses do not have under floor storage… So, unless they mounted something underneath then there’s no storage below them… Trade off from commercial buses that do have the lower storage compartments is school buses can handle rougher roads and you can reach more off-grid locations.

    Though, you are more likely to require a roof raising with a school bus but otherwise they are easier to acquire at generally lower price and easier conversion than the commercial buses.

    Reply Link
• Tom Osterdock
  February 1, 2018, 3:50 am

  You did a fantastic job. Got a lot out of the old girl.

  Reply Link
• merryl
  February 2, 2018, 1:07 pm

  that is amazing.now the kids can actually experience the world instead of sitting at home watching it from their tablets.they will have many fun memories of their childhood.

  Reply Link
• Marsha Cowan
  May 31, 2018, 2:26 am

  Sooo cool!! I know the kids are loving it! The bus is beautifully done and decorated. Love the kids’ bunks. Kitchen is great! I am so envious! Take me with you. Lol!

  Reply Link
• Mouzaya
  June 1, 2018, 9:30 am

  This is very impressive. They really considered the space and incorporated some privacy. Well done!

  Reply Link
• Not a no it all
  April 4, 2021, 3:02 pm

  You got to love people that no it all !! My 1983 bluebird school bus has 8 lower storage compartments in it so yes some school bus conversions will have lots of storage

  Reply Link
  • James D.
    April 5, 2021, 12:06 pm

    Never claimed to know it all and never would, but I do look things up and generally make sure I know what I’m talking about before commenting and that’s what I state to the best of my knowledge.

    I’m not always correct, just like anyone else, but from the many hours of research I’ve done has shown that lower storage compartments is not default on school buses and is an issue talked about regularly on most skoolie/bus conversion forums.

    Of course, there’s always exceptions like some schools choosing to modify the bus for their needs or buses that were originally something else like a motor home before being recommissioned as a school bus and then finally sold on the market.

    There’s also companies that make after market options, including under carriage storage. So a bus carriage can always be modified and that will sometimes be done before it gets to you if you’re really, really, really lucky or you just go out of your way to find one…

    But exceptions don’t change the rule for what’s normal to expect, they’re just exceptions, which can’t be counted on to always be an option wherever someone is shopping for one. So I just focus on what’s normal when generalizing to avoid giving people expectations for things they may not find where they are shopping…

    That said, research also showed Bluebird does service multiple industries. So can find their chassis used in everything from RV motor homes to school buses and there’s a resale market for all of them. So not limited to looking for just former school buses and means they are usually standard and numerous enough for 3rd party options to cater to them and it’s usually easy to find parts that are compatible between the different variants…

    Besides, under carriage storage doesn’t mean there’s always lots of storage as much of that can be dedicated for something else. Like many of the newer EV school buses uses the space for the batteries to run them. People wanting to live off-grid may also need the space for their utilities to provide their own utilities, which will leave them less to use as storage.

    There’s also the practical considerations that the most usable storage spaces will be those you can access daily and easily, which will usually mean they have to be in the main living space and not somewhere like the under carriage where you’d typically have to go outside to access them. But finding a school bus with lots of interior space, high roof, etc. can be even rarer than finding one with under carriage storage bays.

    School buses are mainly a popular conversion because they often can be found pretty low cost and not always with a lot of wear and tear on them because most places replace their fleet regularly, but a Class A motor home can be a much easier conversion and sometimes cheaper to do.

    But, regardless, buses can handle a massive amount of weight and that usually means you can modify them however you want and conversions can make up to significant changes in the design, outside of the core chassis… Raised roofs, replaced roofs, or even turning it into a house truck so doesn’t even look like a bus anymore, etc. Not everything has to be what you started with and that’s part of the point of doing conversions…

    Reply Link
• Stuart Eco Stu Irvine
  August 21, 2021, 11:33 am

  How many Passenger was the bus?

  Reply Link

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.