Good School buses are getting hard to come by

[dburt]

I found out some rather interesting and somewhat disturbing news this past week. It seems that many school districts around the country are having to update thier bus fleets to keep up with the govt mandated emission regs for school buses. Those of you in California, or if you watch buses on EbayMotors, will have seen alot of evidence of this. They will have buses for sale, but not for in-state sales, etc.

I have been watching a nice '97 Thomas pusher for some time at a local Idaho school district, knowing it was coming up next for replacement. It has a CAT 3116, and only has about 114,000 miles. Very clean, full work records, etc. I had pipe dreams about this bus, how I was going to convert it, etc.

When I asked about when the bus would be put up for auction as all thier buses have been in the past, I was informed that the state of Idaho wants the older diesel buses destroyed and not sold to the public- in other words they want them off the road!

The state of Idaho is going to pay the district $19,000 cash for this bus, and they will then take it and use it for a wreck/rescue demonstration, and then have it crushed. Can you believe this? Idaho has become California!!

I was so dejected when I heard this news- my beloved bus is going to be scrap! And not just "my" bus, but that is the state's plan for all other diesel buses. You can't blame the districts for taking the money, since the older diesel buses will only bring $2,000 to $5,000 at auction.

But if this trend in California and Idaho catches on in other states, the good buses may become an endangered species!

[graydawg]

most of the used 18 wheelers end up in Mexico, individuals and co's buy them and keep on running them there. almost all the cab over trucks went there for use in the transportation industry, they just keep them going and keep rebuilding everything. The old cabover trucks were for some reason the more efficient trucks of their day, but tough on drivers sitting right over the front axle plus in case of a accident you were the first on the scene (trucking joke) they were lighter weight than the conventenals so they could carry more weight and make more money overall and still stay under 80 thousand lbs. The poor jb hunt, scneider riders and other co's took advantage of this scenario and they are allot more rougher riding I know from experience. there are allot of old school busses in mexico and further south they are running for transportation of the people and for the people and allot of independents are running them. HEY folks we got it made here in the US, why do those folks risk everything including life to get here

[Stealth Camper]

I live on I-35 running south to Texas as a main conduit to Mexico (thru Laredo). There are literally convoys of Mexicans driving some vehicle; car, van, pickup with two more of the same in tow. Usually no tags. Really dangerous configuration with truly junked up garbage picked up nearby and hauled south. (There is a big auction place in OKC that has thousands of cars per week go through.)

Don't see trucks or buses, but they are probably on a different route.

[Mark R. Obtinario]

If your dream bus has a Cat 3116 then your dreams must consist of a lot of nightmares.

For some reason the Cat engines just have not been as successful as the Cummins or IHC engines. The Cat electronics in particular have had gremlins from day one.

As far as good buses are concerned, there are a lot of them out there. Most of them are selling for a lot less than $3K at auction. You just have to shop around and travel some distance to find them.

I just sold two Gilligs and two conventionals for $500.00 each.

[graydawg]

If that is the same engine they use in box trucks in the late 90's and early 00's he is right they were wore out at 200k and had to be completely replaced, I am sure there was some good ones out there. Anything that has caterpillar on it is almost twice what a similar part in a detroit, cummings and international cost in a class 8 truck, if I were to buy a new or used big truck to run over the road it would probably be a international or a freightliner for the cost of replacement parts and maintenance and the service seems to be quicker. If you are rich a pete would be good or a western star.

[Jones'n4chrome]

Here's one for you Dennis.

http://corvallis.craigslist.org/cto/1993676033.html

1939 Dodge ½ Ton pickup truck. 90% restored stock. 218 flathead engine 6 cyl. 12 volt system. Diamond plate steel bed 8 ft. red. As is $3,500.00 or offer.Fresh. 1972 340in High performance engine dodge. All new parts. Excellent condition. Balanced, ring gear, bell housing. Clutch flywheel, fuel & water pumps complete. $3,000.00 or offer.
1947 1 ½ ton dodge, 12 ft flatbed truck. Good condition, good tires, with 1965 remanufactured v8 318 poly engine. Needs some break work. 12 volt. Owned since 1973. $ 3,000/00 as is or offer..
call 541-928-1518 1953 chevy school bus house car with old dodge front fenders and hood. mounted on top is a Volkswagon van cut in half. inside is a small antique wood stove and full size stainless kitchen sink and cabinet. queen size bed platform above storage compartments in back and a small deck on back bumper. v8 engine 1965 283 chevy, remanufactured in 1985, balanced. 12 volt system. Needs break work, as is. $3000.00 or Offer. Barn stored since 1976. Runs. tires ok.

[Dennis The Bus Dweller]

Ya gotta love the old school stuff

[dburt]

"Sigh" I know Mark O is right about the CAT 3116 engine, I just liked this particular bus because it was so clean, but it will soon be on it's way as scrap metal to China, Japan, or Korea to only come back over here reincarnated as a little rice burning wedgie car of some kind.

I like that old bus with the VW van top grafted onto the old gal. Now that really says it all about the house bus and house truck craze of the '60's and '70's.

I will have to keep looking for my dream bus- perhaps it is like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it keeps moving away from me and stays just out of reach whenever I think I am getting close

[yugogypsy]

I'm going to find out what happens to our ex-skoolies up here. I know some are bought by private schools, but what happens to the majority, I don't know.

I think the key word is advertise for what you WANT, and hope like heck somebody's got one. Use every method of advertising available, from a card on a community bulletin board to Freecycle. Sooner or later, something will turn up.

That's how I do it, and sometimes I'm surprised by the quality of what I get.

For a 1964, my bus is in darn good shape, I had expected a lot more rust, but the old girl is made of tough stuff and just needs a little straightening out in two places and a door straightened out. Results of living on the farm, the tractor was her tow-truck

Good Luck
Lois