Today was the day to pick up my school bus that I bought online at Public Surplus for $1,500. I have never drove school bus before. Yes, I have drove a large Flatbed with 5,000 pallets stacked up high delivering it from my workplace to the client’s warehouse but that was local driving. I do not have CDL license and the bus weight 32,000lbs. Class B would be the minimum for personal use for any vehicle above 30,000lbs (I believe?) but I had Class C.
There was doubt from my friend Jody. He did not think it would be easy procedure getting the paperwork done. To be honest, both of us have never done any title for something like school bus or a big truck. Jody assumed it would take half day to get it done and I would be back to his house for one more night before hitting the road. In theory, this was possible. But he didn’t know I had already called Progressive Commercial to get insurance for the bus so that part is done.
Jody and I woke up early at 5:30am and we were on the road by 6am going to the bus garage in Northwest part of Cincinnati. Jody lives in Georgetown OH, which is about 30 mins SE of Cincinnati, but Jody works near where the bus garage is so it would not really be out of his way but 10 minutes past his workplace to drop me off and back to work. I think he is salary pay so it gives him a little flexible but he had a meeting to attend he would have to leave by 9am to be in his office.
When we found the bus garage, they were just getting opened and we spoke with one guy before he knew why we were here so he told us to wait. After few minutes, my bus rolled up front and they said to let it idle for some time before driving it off so the battery will be strong enough to get me to home. We got the paperwork (bill of sale and title) so we head over to BVA of Ohio. We got there right before it open at 8am so we were the first in line but there were two separate lanes. One for plate/tag and other for driver license so we went into plate lane while many were going into DL lane. The lady there received the document, insurance information and my driver license. We told her we wanted a temporary 45-days tag to drive the bus out of OH to NC where it will be titled in. The lady was not sure about that so she asked her co-worker next to her and her co-worker wasn’t sure. The question was if they can issue me the temporary tag to drive OH vehicle out of state so she called her boss and after few minutes, she said it wasn’t a problem and I paid $20 I think. Then they gave me the temporary 45-days tag and that was it. We walked out of BVA at 8:12am and Jody drove me back to the bus garage.
The bus had warmed up long enough and before I roll out, I asked mechanic all the maintenance question like what type of oil do they use, anti-freeze, transmission fluid, etc. and get it all down on my notepad. I felt it was important to use same type of oil/fluid when servicing the bus. The mechanic was kind enough to give me all previous maintenance and service records to take with me. It’s nice to have the history of my bus.
Then I said good-bye to Jody and he told me to text him if there is any problem and I told him that when I’m halfway to NC, I would find other help releasing him of any concern to help me but that I felt confidence I would make it back to NC without issue. I was so damn nervous when I roll out in my bus and I didn’t know what to expect. As usual, you are not familiar with your new vehicle it takes some getting used to the brake and gas pedals. Brake is much stronger than I expected the braking power is awesome at slow speed my head would rock forward when I come to a quick full stop. First thing was to fill up diesel in my bus and I took the first picture before hitting the road to NC.
On the way home, I had some scary experience. I would learn that my bus do have some issue. The steering wheel has too much play it didn’t really feel safe especially when rolling down the mountain trying to keep straight and hitting a sensitive spot on steering wheel can pull bus to the left or right a bit too sharp it caused my heart to almost jump out of my chest. The brake is another problem.. as mentioned I’m not used to it but I have to press it really hard to brake the bus and the problem is that I have to press brake pedal not too hard or the brake will cause bus to pull to the left. When that happens, it doesn’t help that the steering wheel has too much free play when I try to steer right so the bus doesn’t hit incoming vehicle or vehicle on my left and feel as if I am pulling to right sharply. But after 200 miles and getting on Interstate, it isn’t as bad. I was glad when I get past the mountain part of West Virginia and Virginia that it start to get to the hill and flat part of North Carolina. I got to my property at 11pm that night. Left Cincinnati at 9am and three breaks in between then home by 11pm. Good progressive on school bus that can do 65MPH.
